This website is being reviewed for updates. Some information is offline. We apologize for any inconvenience.
Skip to main content
Rural Health Information Hub

Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Elderly population

A Cross-sectional Study of Travel Patterns of Older Adults in the USA During 2015: Implications for Mobility and Traffic Safety
Highlights a study on the travel patterns of older adults (65+) compared with younger adults (25-64). Includes rates of driving personal vehicles, using public transportation, and walking, as well as driver/passenger rates of older rural adults.
Author(s): Sijun Shen, Wilson Koech, Jing Feng, Thomas M Rice, Motao Zhu
Citation: BMJ Open, 7(8)
Date: 08/2017
view details
Aging in Place in Small Urban and Rural Communities
Examines the current state of aging in place, including cost benefits of rural residents living independently and using home health services and public transportation, rather than relocating to assisted living facilities. Includes statistics on costs of various types of senior living situations in North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Missouri, Wisconsin, Mississippi, Maine, New Mexico, and Montana, and aging in place cost savings forecasts for these states.
Additional links: Executive Summary
Author(s): Del Peterson, Ted Rieck
Date: 08/2017
Sponsoring organization: Upper Great Plains Transportation Institute
view details
Heartache, Pain, and Hope: Rural Communities, Older People, and the Opioid Crisis: An Introduction for Funders
Provides an overview of the opioid crisis and its impact on the lives of older adults. Addresses both opioid use by older adults and addiction within older adults' families. Identifies solutions being implemented by governments, communities, healthcare providers, and funders to address these concerns. Includes policy recommendations.
Date: 08/2017
Sponsoring organization: Grantmakers In Aging
view details
State of Care: Minnesota's Home Care Landscape
Provides a snapshot of the home care landscape in Minnesota. Includes information on the quality of care, workforce compensation, training, and unique challenges and changing demographics in rural areas. Includes statistics on home care workforce demographics in Minnesota and at the national level, and older adult population by county.
Date: 07/2017
Sponsoring organization: PHI
view details
Medicaid in Small Towns and Rural America: A Lifeline for Children, Families, and Communities
Uses data from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) to explore the changing levels of Medicaid coverage and uninsured rates at the county level by age. Addresses the role of Medicaid in the 46 states containing small-town and rural populations. Includes numerous charts, maps, and graphs to help illustrate the relationship between Medicaid growth and uninsured rates in rural areas, focusing on the time period from 2008-2009 to 2014-2015.
Additional links: State Data on Adult Health Coverage in Small Towns and Rural Areas, State Data on Child Health Coverage in Small Towns and Rural Areas, State Data on Non-Elderly Health Coverage in Small Towns and Rural Areas, State Data on Seniors' Health Coverage in Small Towns and Rural Areas
Author(s): Jack Hoadley, Karina Wagnerman, Joan Alker, Mark Holmes
Date: 06/2017
Sponsoring organizations: Georgetown University Health Policy Institute, North Carolina Rural Health Research Program
view details
Older Rural- and Urban-Dwelling Appalachian Adults With Mild Cognitive Impairment
Study comparing Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) symptom severity for older urban and rural residents of Appalachia when seeking neuropsychological testing. Discusses prevalence of MCI and its association with Alzheimer's disease and dementia. Analyzes data from the National Alzheimer's Coordinating Center Uniform Data Set for a sample of 289 patients.
Author(s): Meghan K. Mattos, Beth E. Snitz, Jennifer H. Lingler, et al.
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 33(2), 208-216
Date: 04/2017
view details
Evaluation of the Effect of the Older Americans Act Title III-C Nutrition Services Program on Participants' Food Security, Socialization, and Diet Quality
Explores nutrition services programs' effects on elders' diets and social connectedness. Features demographic statistics on participants, with breakdowns by urban and rural locations.
Author(s): James Mabli, Elizabeth Gearan, Rhoda Cohen, et al.
Date: 04/2017
Sponsoring organization: Administration for Community Living
view details
Tribal Nursing Homes: Best Practices for Patients with Dementia and Alzheimer's Disease
Details a report on tribal nursing homes' best practices for treatment of Dementia and Alzheimer's disease. Discusses cultural considerations and risk factors in caring for elders. Includes related organizations, resources, and webinars.
Date: 03/2017
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
view details
Reclaiming What is Sacred: Addressing Harm to Indigenous Elders and Developing a Tribal Response to Abuse in Later Life
Presents strategies and information for preventing elder abuse in American Indian and Alaska Native communities. Discusses the prevalence of elder abuse, as well as cultural considerations for prevention policies and programs.
Additional links: Tools, Webinar Recording
Author(s): Lauren J. Litton, Victoria Ybanez
Date: 02/2017
Sponsoring organization: National Clearinghouse on Abuse in Later Life
view details
Hunger in Older Adults: Challenges and Opportunities for the Aging Services Network
Report details the state of food security in older adults throughout the nation. Examines some of the negative health outcomes caused or worsened by malnutrition at an older age. Discusses some of the barriers that inhibit many elderly people from accessing food, such as immobility, lack of transportation, and poverty, among others.
Date: 02/2017
Sponsoring organization: Meals on Wheels America
view details