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Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Elderly population

Meeting the Social Needs of Older Adults in Rural Areas
Discusses the risks of social isolation and loneliness among rural older adults. Details interventions to address this issue, as well as models that improve social connectedness for older adults.
Author(s): Carrie Henning-Smith
Citation: JAMA Health Forum
Date: 11/2020
Type: Document
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Linking Work-Life Occupational Exposures with Distress and Mortality Before and After Retirement
Poster describing results of a study using nationally representative data from 1981-2017. Features statistics on the association between distress-related deaths and higher-risk or lower-risk occupations, with breakdowns by rural and nonrural locations.
Author(s): Sarah B. Laditka, James N. Laditka, Ahmed A. Arif, Oluwaseun Adeyemi
Date: 11/2020
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Rural and Underserved Health Research Center
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Connecting Rural Older Americans with Technology: Lessons from Senior Planet
Highlights an initiative aiming to increase technology literacy among rural older adults in New York through the launch of technology centers, local partnerships, and training. Discusses implementation and lessons learned, including adapting the program to offer a home-based component.
Date: 10/2020
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Senior Planet
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Assessment of Rural-Urban Differences in Health Care Use and Survival Among Medicare Beneficiaries With Alzheimer Disease and Related Dementia
Results of a study of 555,333 Medicare beneficiaries diagnosed in 2010 with Alzheimer's disease and related dementia (ADRD). Features statistics including outcomes in 72 months after ADRD diagnosis, with breakdowns by metropolitan, micropolitan, and rural counties.
Author(s): Momotazur Rahman, Elizabeth M. White, Kali S. Thomas, Eric Jutkowitz
Citation: JAMA Network Open, 3(10)
Date: 10/2020
Type: Document
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Barriers in Accessing Dental Care for Rural Iowa Seniors
Examines barriers to dental care for rural Iowa seniors. Discusses barriers including financial concerns, perceived overall physical health, and geographic limitations.
Author(s): Mallory Obenauf
Date: 10/2020
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: University of Iowa Public Policy Center
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Rural America's Senior Citizens: Considerations for Transportation, Healthcare Access, Connectedness, Nutrition and Economics
Policy paper providing an overview of rural older adults. Examines the challenges rural older adults face in accessing healthcare. Discusses how transportation, social isolation, nutrition, and economics impact the health outcomes of this population.
Author(s): Tasha Brown, Kay Miller Temple, Josie Rudolphi
Date: 10/2020
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: National Rural Health Association
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Assessment of North Dakota Mobility Options, Transit Needs, and Characteristics of Users
Examines existing transit and passenger mobility services in North Dakota to identify transportation gaps and funding requirements for rural and urban areas across the state. Provides county-level data and maps on population estimates, mobility needs index scores, demographics, number of workers without access to a vehicle, and more. Includes demographic information on rural transit riders, data for rural transit providers, and other rural-specific information.
Author(s): Jeremy Mattson, Dilip Mistry, Jill Hough
Date: 09/2020
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Upper Great Plains Transportation Institute
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VA Video Connect for Clinical Care in Older Adults in a Rural State During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Cross-Sectional Study
Highlights a study on the ability of older veterans to use the VA Video Connect (VVC) app for telehealth services during the COVID-19 pandemic. Breaks down data by race, age, and rural versus urban location, among other factors.
Author(s): Kalpana P Padala, Kerrie B Wilson, Heath Gauss, Jessica D Stovall, et al.
Citation: Journal of Medical Internet Research, 22(9), e21561
Date: 09/2020
Type: Document
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Transit for Healthcare: Volunteer Drivers in Aging Rural Minnesota
Covers supply and demand for volunteer drivers and discusses how insufficient transportation services negatively affect healthcare access for elderly and disabled populations in rural Minnesota. Examines obstacles facing volunteer drivers, including mileage reimbursement, distance to client's home, vehicle insurance, and more.
Author(s): Whitney Oachs
Date: 09/2020
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Center for Rural Policy and Development
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Crisis Services: Meeting Needs, Saving Lives
Presents the National Guidelines for Behavioral Health Crisis Care Best Practices Toolkit and a number of companion papers on crisis care. Toolkit highlights best practices for crisis care and the papers discuss a number of related topics, including homelessness, substance use, opioid-related deaths, and rural and frontier areas, among other issues.
Date: 08/2020
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
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