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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.

2021 FTA Section 5310 Compendium
Provides an overview of the Section 5310 Enhanced Mobility of Seniors and Individuals with Disabilities program, which is designed to support the specialized transportation needs of older adults and people with disabilities. Discusses the role of Area Agencies on Aging (AAAs) using Section 5310 funding to develop and manage accessible transportation programs. Includes case studies and examples of how AAAs used Section 5310 funding, including programs serving rural residents.
Date: 02/2022
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: National Aging and Disability Transportation Center
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Aging and Disability Services are Unequally Distributed Across the United States
Results of a study examining how the availability of aging and disability services (ADS) differs based on county characteristics. Includes a U.S. map showing locations of ADS deserts and features statistics on the probability of a county being an ADS desert, with breakdowns by metro, rural adjacent, and rural nonadjacent location.
Author(s): Claire Pendergrast, Danielle Rhubart
Date: 02/2022
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Lerner Center for Public Health Promotion
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2021 Transportation Trends
Identifies trends and issues affecting the availability of accessible transportation for older adults and people with disabilities. Includes sections on rural community engagement and rural volunteer transportation programs. Highlights examples of programs underway in rural areas to address transportation needs.
Date: 02/2022
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: National Aging and Disability Transportation Center
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Social Cohesion and Social Engagement among Older Adults Aging in Place: Rural/Urban Differences
Results of a study examining rural/urban differences in social cohesion and social engagement for older adults aging in place, and within-rural differences by race and ethnicity. Uses survey data collected in 2019 from 3,343 Medicare beneficiaries age 65 and older.
Author(s): Carrie Henning-Smith, Megan Lahr, Hannah MacDougall, John Mulcahy
Date: 01/2022
Type: Document
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Aging in Place in Rural America: Challenges, Opportunities, and Policy Initiatives
Webinar presenting results from studies investigating challenges, opportunities, and policy implications for older adults who are aging in place in rural areas. Examines nationally-representative survey data, offers a content analysis of state-level policies and initiatives, and describes a survey of representatives of state offices of rural health. Features statistics showing differences among rural and urban older adults in areas including educational attainment, income, housing type and ownership, unmet mobility needs, and social cohesion.
Additional links: Presentation Slides, Transcript
Author(s): Carrie Henning-Smith, Megan Lahr
Date: 01/2022
Type: Video/Multimedia
Sponsoring organizations: Rural Health Research Gateway, University of Minnesota Rural Health Research Center
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State Summaries of Lifespan Respite Grant Activities and Outcomes: Final Reports, FY2017 – FY2018 Grantees
Summaries of final reports from the fiscal year 2017 and 2018 Administration for Community Living (ACL) State Lifespan Respite Care program grantees. The State Lifespan Respite Care program aims to create coordinated systems of accessible, community-based respite care services for family caregivers of children and adults of all ages with special needs. Describes each of the 11 project's outcomes, accomplishments, and partnerships. Highlights programs serving rural areas.
Date: 2022
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: ARCH National Respite Network and Resource Center
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COVID-19: Selected States Modified Meal Provision and Other Older Americans Act Services to Prioritize Safety
Examines how four states utilized COVID-19 funding and regulatory flexibilities to address challenges to serving older adults during the COVID- 19 pandemic. Identifies strategies states and localities used to meet nutrition and other needs of older adults. Includes perspectives from rural localities and service providers.
Additional links: Full Report
Date: 12/2021
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Government Accountability Office
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Social Isolation and Loneliness Among Rural and Urban People with Disabilities
Explores the prevalence of social isolation and loneliness among people with disabilities. Examines data from the Health and Retirement Survey (HRS) as well as the National Survey on Health and Disability (NSHD) to identify factors associated with social isolation and loneliness, including living in a rural location and transportation problems.
Author(s): Catherine Ipsen, Gilbert Gimm
Date: 11/2021
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Research and Training Center on Disability in Rural Communities
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Barriers to Aging in Place in Rural Communities: Perspectives from State Offices of Rural Health
Summarizes findings from a survey of State Offices of Rural Health (SORHs) describing barriers for older adults in successfully aging in place in rural communities, including transportation, access to care, workforce issues, and cost of care. Presents respondents' policy and programmatic recommendations that would be beneficial for supporting older adults aging in place in rural areas.
Author(s): Megan Lahr, Carrie Henning-Smith
Date: 11/2021
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: University of Minnesota Rural Health Research Center
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The Impact of Aging Baby Boomers in Rural America
Policy brief discussing the impact of the increasing proportion of the population turning 65 years old on rural communities. Offers policy recommendations for addressing barriers rural older adults face accessing healthcare and social services.
Author(s): Sarah Huling, Elizabeth Crouch, Whitney Zahnd
Date: 11/2021
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: National Rural Health Association
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Last Updated: 3/14/2024