Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Older adults
Rural Patients' Transitional Care Experiences: A Qualitative Analysis of Provider Notes
Examines experiences of older, veteran patients discharged from a hospital to their home. Utilizes electronic health record clinical notes and Veterans Affairs (VA) Corporate Data Warehouse data from 200 veterans who died within 30 days of discharge. Analyzes rural versus urban differences in patient demographics, patient health conditions, geographic distance to care settings, willingness to utilize home health services, caregiver burden, and more. Discusses unique challenges experienced by rural veterans and their caregivers in transitional care.
Author(s): Samantha B. Randolph, Nicholas A. Rattray, Claire E. Donnelly, et al.
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 42(4), e70225
Date: 10/2026
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Examines experiences of older, veteran patients discharged from a hospital to their home. Utilizes electronic health record clinical notes and Veterans Affairs (VA) Corporate Data Warehouse data from 200 veterans who died within 30 days of discharge. Analyzes rural versus urban differences in patient demographics, patient health conditions, geographic distance to care settings, willingness to utilize home health services, caregiver burden, and more. Discusses unique challenges experienced by rural veterans and their caregivers in transitional care.
Author(s): Samantha B. Randolph, Nicholas A. Rattray, Claire E. Donnelly, et al.
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 42(4), e70225
Date: 10/2026
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Traffic Safety Facts, 2024 Data: Older Population
National data on traffic crashes involving drivers age 65 and older. Features statistics from 2015-2024 with breakdowns by sex, age group, blood alcohol concentrations, state, and rural or urban location.
Date: 10/2026
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 2015-2024 with breakdowns by sex, age group, blood alcohol concentrations, state, and rural or urban location.
Date: 10/2026
Sponsoring organization: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
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Food Access and Mobility Toolkit
A toolkit that discusses the relationship between food security and mobility on health outcomes, focusing on older adults, people with disabilities, and low-income or rural populations who may have limited access to transportation. Provides strategies to improve mobility and food security, such as transportation and program integration, healthy food initiatives, federal funding braiding, connecting people with benefits to services, and more. Includes links to resources and program examples focused on rural areas.
Date: 10/2026
Sponsoring organization: Coordinating Council on Access and Mobility Technical Assistance Center
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A toolkit that discusses the relationship between food security and mobility on health outcomes, focusing on older adults, people with disabilities, and low-income or rural populations who may have limited access to transportation. Provides strategies to improve mobility and food security, such as transportation and program integration, healthy food initiatives, federal funding braiding, connecting people with benefits to services, and more. Includes links to resources and program examples focused on rural areas.
Date: 10/2026
Sponsoring organization: Coordinating Council on Access and Mobility Technical Assistance Center
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From Innovation to Implementation: Replicable Community-Based Care Models for Aging in Place
Offers 6 domains influencing feasibility, sustainability, and adaptability for community-based long-term care models, drawn from more than 60 programs. Includes analysis of 3 of those programs including 1 rural North Dakota program. More rural programs are highlighted in Table 3.
Author(s): Brendan Flinn, Cleanthe (Cleo) Kordomenos, Giselle Torralba, Alondra Janicek, Tyler Cromer
Date: 09/2026
Sponsoring organization: AARP Public Policy Institute
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Offers 6 domains influencing feasibility, sustainability, and adaptability for community-based long-term care models, drawn from more than 60 programs. Includes analysis of 3 of those programs including 1 rural North Dakota program. More rural programs are highlighted in Table 3.
Author(s): Brendan Flinn, Cleanthe (Cleo) Kordomenos, Giselle Torralba, Alondra Janicek, Tyler Cromer
Date: 09/2026
Sponsoring organization: AARP Public Policy Institute
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Migration and Aging Across the Rural-Urban Continuum
Examines migration and aging patterns from 1980 to 2020 across the rural-urban continuum. Covers age-specific net migration by decade, retirement-age and working adult migration, aging in place, and the relationship between housing, income, employment, and health on migration. Provides charts, graphs, and county-level U.S. maps depicting migration patterns.
Additional links: Report Summary
Author(s): Justin B. Winikoff, Richelle L. Winkler, John Cromartie, Katherine J. Curtis
Date: 09/2026
Sponsoring organization: USDA Economic Research Service
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Examines migration and aging patterns from 1980 to 2020 across the rural-urban continuum. Covers age-specific net migration by decade, retirement-age and working adult migration, aging in place, and the relationship between housing, income, employment, and health on migration. Provides charts, graphs, and county-level U.S. maps depicting migration patterns.
Additional links: Report Summary
Author(s): Justin B. Winikoff, Richelle L. Winkler, John Cromartie, Katherine J. Curtis
Date: 09/2026
Sponsoring organization: USDA Economic Research Service
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Disparities in Timely Access to Postoperative Home Health Care and Functional Recovery After Joint Replacement by Rurality and Dual Eligibility
Results of a study examining the association of Medicare and Medicaid dual-eligible status and rural residence with prompt initiation of home health services and subsequent functional recovery, following hip and knee replacement among patients age 65 or older. Features statistics with breakdowns by urban and rural residence.
Author(s): Amit Kumar, Jason Falvey, Deepak Adhikari, et al.
Citation: Journal of the American Medical Directors Association, 27(9), 106397
Date: 09/2026
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Results of a study examining the association of Medicare and Medicaid dual-eligible status and rural residence with prompt initiation of home health services and subsequent functional recovery, following hip and knee replacement among patients age 65 or older. Features statistics with breakdowns by urban and rural residence.
Author(s): Amit Kumar, Jason Falvey, Deepak Adhikari, et al.
Citation: Journal of the American Medical Directors Association, 27(9), 106397
Date: 09/2026
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Association Between Transportation Access and Self-Rated Health among Older Adults with Disabilities
Analyzes the association between access to transportation and self-rated health for 257 community-dwelling older adults. Offers data on study participant characteristics by consistent and inconsistent transportation access, including a comparison of micropolitan/non-core and metropolitan residence.
Author(s): Jihyeong Jeong, Jason R. Falvey, Amanda J. Lehning
Citation: Journal of Transport & Health, 51
Date: 09/2026
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Analyzes the association between access to transportation and self-rated health for 257 community-dwelling older adults. Offers data on study participant characteristics by consistent and inconsistent transportation access, including a comparison of micropolitan/non-core and metropolitan residence.
Author(s): Jihyeong Jeong, Jason R. Falvey, Amanda J. Lehning
Citation: Journal of Transport & Health, 51
Date: 09/2026
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Utah Master Plan for Aging: Three-Year Update Report, 2023-2026
Offers a progress report on implementation of the Utah Master Plan for Aging. Describes progress made toward the 6 sectors, remaining barriers, and plans for each priority in the next 3 years. Discusses rural throughout.
Date: 08/2026
Sponsoring organization: Utah Commission on Aging
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Offers a progress report on implementation of the Utah Master Plan for Aging. Describes progress made toward the 6 sectors, remaining barriers, and plans for each priority in the next 3 years. Discusses rural throughout.
Date: 08/2026
Sponsoring organization: Utah Commission on Aging
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Choosing a Falls Prevention Program That Works for Your Community
Describes how to match a falls prevention program to community needs. Highlights evidence-based programs approved by the Administration for Community Living (ACL). Discusses rural considerations regarding training demands and delivery methods.
Date: 08/2026
Sponsoring organization: National Council on Aging
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Describes how to match a falls prevention program to community needs. Highlights evidence-based programs approved by the Administration for Community Living (ACL). Discusses rural considerations regarding training demands and delivery methods.
Date: 08/2026
Sponsoring organization: National Council on Aging
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The Appalachian Region: A Data Overview from the 2020-2024 American Community Survey Chartbook
Provides 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: 08/2026
Sponsoring organizations: Appalachian Regional Commission, Population Reference Bureau
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Provides 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: 08/2026
Sponsoring organizations: Appalachian Regional Commission, Population Reference Bureau
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