Community Supports for Rural Aging in Place and Independent Living – Resources
Selected recent or important resources focusing on Community Supports for Rural Aging in Place and Independent Living.
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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Rural Health Reimagined: Policy Support & Change for Rural Aging in New York
Outlines rural relevant recommendations developed at an April 2025 summit in preparation for the New York statewide Master Plan for Aging (MPA). Recommendations cover topics including access to healthcare, social isolation, ageism, supporting informal caregivers, strengthening the health workforce, and age-friendly practices in rural communities.
Date: 07/2025
Sponsoring organization: New York State Association for Rural Health
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Outlines rural relevant recommendations developed at an April 2025 summit in preparation for the New York statewide Master Plan for Aging (MPA). Recommendations cover topics including access to healthcare, social isolation, ageism, supporting informal caregivers, strengthening the health workforce, and age-friendly practices in rural communities.
Date: 07/2025
Sponsoring organization: New York State Association for Rural Health
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Report to Congress on Medicaid and CHIP, June 2025
Semi-annual report to Congress from the Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission (MACPAC). Covers recommendations related to transitions from pediatric to adult care for Medicaid-covered children and youth with special health care needs (CYSHCN). Also discusses appropriate access to residential behavioral health treatment services for children, findings from MACPAC's analytic work on access to medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD) in Medicaid, an overview on the Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly, and self-direction for Medicaid home- and community-based services. Includes rural references throughout.
Date: 06/2025
Sponsoring organization: Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission
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Semi-annual report to Congress from the Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission (MACPAC). Covers recommendations related to transitions from pediatric to adult care for Medicaid-covered children and youth with special health care needs (CYSHCN). Also discusses appropriate access to residential behavioral health treatment services for children, findings from MACPAC's analytic work on access to medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD) in Medicaid, an overview on the Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly, and self-direction for Medicaid home- and community-based services. Includes rural references throughout.
Date: 06/2025
Sponsoring organization: Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission
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"I Now Have the Freedom to Do What I Want, When I Want, Like Anybody Else": The Impact, Creation, and Management of Transportation Voucher Programs
Explores the impacts and implementation of transportation voucher programs supporting people with disabilities in rural areas via interviews with CIL staff and disabled voucher program participants. Discusses the experiences of rural people with disabilities and highlights benefits and challenges of transportation voucher programs.
Author(s): Luke Santore, Andrew Myers
Date: 05/2025
Sponsoring organization: University of Montana: Rural Institute for Inclusive Communities
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Explores the impacts and implementation of transportation voucher programs supporting people with disabilities in rural areas via interviews with CIL staff and disabled voucher program participants. Discusses the experiences of rural people with disabilities and highlights benefits and challenges of transportation voucher programs.
Author(s): Luke Santore, Andrew Myers
Date: 05/2025
Sponsoring organization: University of Montana: Rural Institute for Inclusive Communities
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Rural Dissemination: Bridging Research and Practice for Aging and Disability Services
A recorded webcast that discusses strategies to ensure aging and disability research reaches hard-to-reach and rural areas. Provides examples of rural research, dissemination methods, and collaborative efforts.
Additional links: Presentation Slides, Transcript, Webcast
Date: 05/2025
Sponsoring organization: Center on Knowledge Translation for Disability and Rehabilitation Research
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A recorded webcast that discusses strategies to ensure aging and disability research reaches hard-to-reach and rural areas. Provides examples of rural research, dissemination methods, and collaborative efforts.
Additional links: Presentation Slides, Transcript, Webcast
Date: 05/2025
Sponsoring organization: Center on Knowledge Translation for Disability and Rehabilitation Research
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Operating Status of Adult Day Services Centers in 2022
Offers estimates from the 2022 National Post-acute and Long-term Care Study (NPALS) regarding operating status of adult day service centers as a result of COVID-19 response efforts. Compares U.S. Census Bureau regions, metropolitan and nonmetropolitan statistical areas, Medicaid licensure, and number of enrolled participants.
Author(s): Jessica P. Lendon, Priyanka Singh, Christine Caffrey, Manisha Sengupta, Zhaohui Lu
Date: 03/2025
Sponsoring organization: National Center for Health Statistics
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Offers estimates from the 2022 National Post-acute and Long-term Care Study (NPALS) regarding operating status of adult day service centers as a result of COVID-19 response efforts. Compares U.S. Census Bureau regions, metropolitan and nonmetropolitan statistical areas, Medicaid licensure, and number of enrolled participants.
Author(s): Jessica P. Lendon, Priyanka Singh, Christine Caffrey, Manisha Sengupta, Zhaohui Lu
Date: 03/2025
Sponsoring organization: National Center for Health Statistics
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As Older Rural Population Grew, Ratio of Rural U.S. Eldercare Establishments Fell
Bar chart comparing the number of eldercare establishments per 1,000 adults 65 or older in rural and urban areas between 2010 and 2023. Eldercare establishments include those that provide home health, long-term care, or assisted living services, as noted in the 2024 Rural America At a Glance report.
Author(s): Brandon Genetin
Date: 03/2025
Sponsoring organization: USDA Economic Research Service
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Bar chart comparing the number of eldercare establishments per 1,000 adults 65 or older in rural and urban areas between 2010 and 2023. Eldercare establishments include those that provide home health, long-term care, or assisted living services, as noted in the 2024 Rural America At a Glance report.
Author(s): Brandon Genetin
Date: 03/2025
Sponsoring organization: USDA Economic Research Service
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Aging and Wildfire Risk to Communities
Reports on the disparate risk of wildfire experienced by older adults including those in rural communities. Discusses access to emergency services and fire departments as well as the increasing age of rural residents over time.
Author(s): Richelle L. Winkler, Miranda H. Mockrin
Date: 02/2025
Sponsoring organization: USDA Economic Research Service
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Reports on the disparate risk of wildfire experienced by older adults including those in rural communities. Discusses access to emergency services and fire departments as well as the increasing age of rural residents over time.
Author(s): Richelle L. Winkler, Miranda H. Mockrin
Date: 02/2025
Sponsoring organization: USDA Economic Research Service
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Rural-Urban Differences in PACE Organization and Enrollee Characteristics
Compares differences between rural and urban Programs of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE) and their enrollees. Presents data on enrollment, eligibility, length of time in PACE, age, and sex.
Author(s): Carrie Henning-Smith, Mariana Tuttle, Ingrid Jacobson, Madeleine Pick, Julia Interrante
Date: 01/2025
Sponsoring organization: University of Minnesota Rural Health Research Center
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Compares differences between rural and urban Programs of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE) and their enrollees. Presents data on enrollment, eligibility, length of time in PACE, age, and sex.
Author(s): Carrie Henning-Smith, Mariana Tuttle, Ingrid Jacobson, Madeleine Pick, Julia Interrante
Date: 01/2025
Sponsoring organization: University of Minnesota Rural Health Research Center
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Partnering for Research at Your Center for Independent Living: Tips from Your Peers
Fact sheet offering nine helpful conditions for partnering for research at Centers for Independent Living (CILs) as identified by staff of rural CILs and State Independent Living Councils (SILCs). Describes how the guidance was developed and core Community-Based Participatory Research (CBPR) principles.
Author(s): Krys Standley, Hannah Pepprock, Rayna Sage
Date: 01/2025
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Fact sheet offering nine helpful conditions for partnering for research at Centers for Independent Living (CILs) as identified by staff of rural CILs and State Independent Living Councils (SILCs). Describes how the guidance was developed and core Community-Based Participatory Research (CBPR) principles.
Author(s): Krys Standley, Hannah Pepprock, Rayna Sage
Date: 01/2025
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Additional resources are available related to this guide. See the full list of resources by topic for:
- Aging and aging-related services
- Elderly population
- Home and community-based services
- Informal caregivers
- People with disabilities
Last Updated: 9/11/2025