Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Elderly population
Rural and Tribal Transit: The Federal Transit Administration Should Evaluate Its Efforts to Help Improve Accessibility and Service
Explores the primary federal funding sources for accessible transit for older adults and people with disabilities for rural and tribal communities. Describes the approaches these communities have used to provide accessible transit, and the challenges they have faced. Discusses how the Department of Transportation (DOT) and Federal Transit Administration (FTA) have helped communities use funds to improve these transit services.
Additional links: Full Report
Date: 09/2025
Sponsoring organization: Government Accountability Office
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Explores the primary federal funding sources for accessible transit for older adults and people with disabilities for rural and tribal communities. Describes the approaches these communities have used to provide accessible transit, and the challenges they have faced. Discusses how the Department of Transportation (DOT) and Federal Transit Administration (FTA) have helped communities use funds to improve these transit services.
Additional links: Full Report
Date: 09/2025
Sponsoring organization: Government Accountability Office
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Bridging Rural Communities: Telehealth Innovations for Appalachia and Beyond
Video series on innovative approaches to telehealth in rural Appalachia, hosted by the Mid-Atlantic Telehealth Center (MATRC) on August 1, 2025. Features speakers on telehealth use in veterans' healthcare, substance use recovery, palliative care, mental health, healthy aging, emergency preparedness and response, cancer screening, and other topics related to healthcare access, quality of care, and healthcare economics. Transcripts are available via video descriptions.
Date: 08/2025
Sponsoring organization: Mid-Atlantic Telehealth Resource Center
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Video series on innovative approaches to telehealth in rural Appalachia, hosted by the Mid-Atlantic Telehealth Center (MATRC) on August 1, 2025. Features speakers on telehealth use in veterans' healthcare, substance use recovery, palliative care, mental health, healthy aging, emergency preparedness and response, cancer screening, and other topics related to healthcare access, quality of care, and healthcare economics. Transcripts are available via video descriptions.
Date: 08/2025
Sponsoring organization: Mid-Atlantic Telehealth Resource Center
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The Need for Medicare Dental Coverage
Details the oral health risks of limited dental coverage by Medicare. Discusses aging-related oral healthcare conditions, the economic barriers to care caused by lack of coverage, and how rurality can affect preexisting oral health disparities.
Date: 08/2025
Sponsoring organization: CareQuest Institute for Oral Health
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Details the oral health risks of limited dental coverage by Medicare. Discusses aging-related oral healthcare conditions, the economic barriers to care caused by lack of coverage, and how rurality can affect preexisting oral health disparities.
Date: 08/2025
Sponsoring organization: CareQuest Institute for Oral Health
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Barriers to Accessible and Affordable Mental Health and Substance Use Disorder Care for Older Adults
Discusses challenges in accessing healthcare for mental health and substance use disorders for older adults. Challenges discussed include workforce shortages in rural areas, Medicare regulations, stigma, health insurance coverage, and more.
Date: 08/2025
Sponsoring organization: AARP Public Policy Institute
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Discusses challenges in accessing healthcare for mental health and substance use disorders for older adults. Challenges discussed include workforce shortages in rural areas, Medicare regulations, stigma, health insurance coverage, and more.
Date: 08/2025
Sponsoring organization: AARP Public Policy Institute
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The Appalachian Region: A Data Overview from the 2019-2023 American Community Survey Chartbook
State- and county-level information on population, age, household characteristics, housing occupancy, education, labor force, employment, transportation, income, health insurance coverage, disability, and veteran status, for the 13 Appalachian states. Features statistics with breakdowns by 5 levels of population density. Includes data explorer options for Appalachian categories such as population and age, education, income and poverty, computer and broadband access, rural Appalachia versus rural America, and employment and commuting.
Additional links: Full Report
Author(s): Sara Srygley, Nurfadila Khairunnisa, Diana Elliott
Date: 06/2025
Sponsoring organizations: Appalachian Regional Commission, Population Reference Bureau
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State- and county-level information on population, age, household characteristics, housing occupancy, education, labor force, employment, transportation, income, health insurance coverage, disability, and veteran status, for the 13 Appalachian states. Features statistics with breakdowns by 5 levels of population density. Includes data explorer options for Appalachian categories such as population and age, education, income and poverty, computer and broadband access, rural Appalachia versus rural America, and employment and commuting.
Additional links: Full Report
Author(s): Sara Srygley, Nurfadila Khairunnisa, Diana Elliott
Date: 06/2025
Sponsoring organizations: Appalachian Regional Commission, Population Reference Bureau
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Older-Age Counties: 2000, 2010, 2020, and 2023.
Maps showing counties with less than 20 percent of people age 65 and older, and those with 20 percent or more, with breakdowns by metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas.
Author(s): John Cromartie, Justin B. Winikoff
Date: 06/2025
Sponsoring organization: USDA Economic Research Service
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Maps showing counties with less than 20 percent of people age 65 and older, and those with 20 percent or more, with breakdowns by metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas.
Author(s): John Cromartie, Justin B. Winikoff
Date: 06/2025
Sponsoring organization: USDA Economic Research Service
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National Elder Abuse Victim Services Needs Assessment
A needs assessment investigating services available to older adults who have experienced abuse, gaps in those services, barriers in offering and accessing services, and resources needed for elder justice professionals. Offers recommendations based on assessment findings. Discusses rural throughout.
Author(s): Alana M. Henninger, Christine Doelger, Rachel Castellano, et al.
Date: 05/2025
Sponsoring organizations: ICF, U.S. Department of Justice
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A needs assessment investigating services available to older adults who have experienced abuse, gaps in those services, barriers in offering and accessing services, and resources needed for elder justice professionals. Offers recommendations based on assessment findings. Discusses rural throughout.
Author(s): Alana M. Henninger, Christine Doelger, Rachel Castellano, et al.
Date: 05/2025
Sponsoring organizations: ICF, U.S. Department of Justice
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Traffic Safety Facts, 2023 Data: Older Population
National data on traffic crashes involving drivers age 65 and older. Features statistics from 2014-2023 with breakdowns by sex, age group, blood alcohol concentrations, state, and rural or urban location.
Date: 05/2025
Sponsoring organization: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
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National data on traffic crashes involving drivers age 65 and older. Features statistics from 2014-2023 with breakdowns by sex, age group, blood alcohol concentrations, state, and rural or urban location.
Date: 05/2025
Sponsoring organization: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
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Compared With Urban Counties, Rural Counties Had a Lower Share of Working-Age Populations and a Higher Share of Residents Older Than 60 in 2023
Chart showing percentages of working-age populations and share of residents older than 60 in 2023, with breakdowns by urban and rural areas.
Author(s): Richelle L. Winkler
Date: 05/2025
Sponsoring organization: USDA Economic Research Service
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Chart showing percentages of working-age populations and share of residents older than 60 in 2023, with breakdowns by urban and rural areas.
Author(s): Richelle L. Winkler
Date: 05/2025
Sponsoring organization: USDA Economic Research Service
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Rural Dependency Ratios Higher Than Urban Ratios in 2023, Indicating a Greater Need in Rural Areas for Caregiving for Children and Older Adults
Bar graph showing dependency ratios comparing the number of youth or older people for every 100 working-age people in 2023. Features breakdowns by 5 levels of population density.
Author(s): Richelle L. Winkler
Date: 05/2025
Sponsoring organization: USDA Economic Research Service
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Bar graph showing dependency ratios comparing the number of youth or older people for every 100 working-age people in 2023. Features breakdowns by 5 levels of population density.
Author(s): Richelle L. Winkler
Date: 05/2025
Sponsoring organization: USDA Economic Research Service
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