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Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Aging and aging-related services

Weaving Pathways: Talking with Our Elders
Highlights a program aimed at increasing end-of-life planning in American Indian and Alaska Native communities. Explores the barriers to AI/AN elders creating healthcare directives, the lessons learn from the initial pilot program, and the program's impact.
Author(s): Mary J Owen, Peter M Nalin, Charlie A Bouverette, et al.
Citation: Rural and Remote Health, 22(1)
Date: 01/2022
Type: Document
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Advancing the Age-Friendly Movement in Rural Communities
Discusses the benefit of utilizing Aging Life Care Managers to help the elderly age in place in rural communities. Focuses on some of the challenges of aging in a rural context and the impact of Aging Life Care Mangers to mitigate these challenges. Part of The Age-Friendly Movement in Communities, Health Care, and Higher Education special issue.
Author(s): Carrie Henning-Smith, Megan Lahr, Lacey Loomer, Hannah MacDougall
Citation: Journal of Aging Life Care, 32(2), 5-10
Date: 2022
Type: Document
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Native Health in the Bemidji Area - COVID-19 in Nursing Homes
Report details the impact of COVID-19 on tribal nursing homes in the Bemidji Area IHS Region which includes Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Michigan. Highlights a breakdown of COVID-19 cases, deaths, and fatality rate for American Indian elders by state.
Date: 12/2021
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: The Great Lakes Inter-Tribal Epidemiology Center
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COVID-19: Selected States Modified Meal Provision and Other Older Americans Act Services to Prioritize Safety
Examines how four states utilized COVID-19 funding and regulatory flexibilities to address challenges to serving older adults during the COVID- 19 pandemic. Identifies strategies states and localities used to meet nutrition and other needs of older adults. Includes perspectives from rural localities and service providers.
Additional links: Full Report
Date: 12/2021
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Government Accountability Office
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Implementation and Initial Evaluation of Falls Risk Reduction Resources in a Rural Native American Community
Presents a study evaluating fall prevention interventions aimed at elders at a rural Indian Health Services Center. Breaks down data by the percentage of participants with fall risk, those that had a fall after the intervention, and those that required a visit to the emergency department after their fall, among other efficacy measure.
Author(s): Kyle M. Knight
Citation: Injury Epidemiology, 8(66)
Date: 12/2021
Type: Document
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Overview of Older Americans Act Title III Programs: 2018 Summary of Highlights
Provides an overview of the Older Americans Act, services provided under Title III of the Act, and program results for 2018. Includes data on service recipient characteristics by service type, age, race and ethnicity, rurality, and more.
Date: 11/2021
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Administration for Community Living
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Barriers to Aging in Place in Rural Communities: Perspectives from State Offices of Rural Health
Summarizes findings from a survey of State Offices of Rural Health (SORHs) describing barriers for older adults in successfully aging in place in rural communities, including transportation, access to care, workforce issues, and cost of care. Presents respondents' policy and programmatic recommendations that would be beneficial for supporting older adults aging in place in rural areas.
Author(s): Megan Lahr, Carrie Henning-Smith
Date: 11/2021
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: University of Minnesota Rural Health Research Center
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The Impact of Aging Baby Boomers in Rural America
Policy brief discussing the impact of the increasing proportion of the population turning 65 years old on rural communities. Offers policy recommendations for addressing barriers rural older adults face accessing healthcare and social services.
Author(s): Sarah Huling, Elizabeth Crouch, Whitney Zahnd
Date: 11/2021
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: National Rural Health Association
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Reimagining Public Health Infrastructure and the Health Workforce for the 21st Century: Twentieth Annual Report to the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the U.S. Congress
Offers policy recommendations regarding activities related to healthcare workforce education and training. Recommendations cover training the healthcare workforce in telehealth, public trust around health initiatives, core competencies and performance measures linked to the Quintuple Aim, and age-friendly ecosystems. Includes rural references throughout.
Date: 10/2021
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Advisory Committee on Interdisciplinary Community-Based Linkages
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Addressing Rural Co-Morbidities of Mental Health and Social Conditions
Three-part webinar series discusses the way mental and social co-morbidities can compound already existing barriers to mental healthcare in rural areas. Part One: Employing Treatment and Environmental Interventions to Support Rural Populations explores how rural areas shape mental health needs and interventions. Part Two: Supporting Rural Aging Populations addresses the social and mental health needs of rural elders. Part Three: Using Faith Supports to Increase Mental Health in Rural Communities details the role communities and leaders of faith can play in supporting mental health interventions.
Additional links: Part 1 Slides, Part 1 Video Recording, Part 2 Slides, Part 2 Video Recording, Part 3 Slides, Part 3 Video Recording
Author(s): Ken Flanagan
Date: 10/2021
Type: Video/Multimedia
Sponsoring organization: Mountain Plains Mental Health Technology Transfer Center
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