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Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Elderly population

The Health Care Workforce: Addressing Shortages and Improving Care
Testimony in the U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor & Pensions on May 22, 2018. Examines the growing problem of healthcare shortages in rural areas and the response by the federal government. Also explores how well healthcare professionals are being trained and why they choose the geographical areas where they work. Focuses on shortages of physicians, nurses, and professionals specializing in care of older adults.
Additional links: Testimony by Elizabeth A. Phelan, Testimony by Julie Tanner Sanford, Testimony by Kristen H. Goodell
Author(s): Kristen Goodell, Julie Sanford, Elizabeth Phelan
Date: 05/2018
Type: Video/Multimedia
Sponsoring organization: Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor & Pensions
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Using Telehealth to Improve Home-Based Care for Older Adults and Family Caregivers
Describes consumer perspectives and policy concerns with telehealth. Includes examples of home telehealth strategies, potential benefits and challenges, and discussion of home telehealth coverage in federal and state programs, including the Veterans Health Administration, Medicaid, and Medicare.
Author(s): Winifred V. Quinn, Ellen O'Brien, Gregg Springan
Date: 05/2018
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: AARP Public Policy Institute
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America's Health Rankings Senior Report 2018
Provides a national and state-by-state overview of population health for older adults across 34 measures, as well as two supplemental measures new in 2018: suicide rate and risk of social isolation. Includes a special focus on persistent health disparities and challenges facing rural seniors.
Additional links: Executive Summary
Date: 05/2018
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: United Health Foundation
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Mobility & Aging in Rural America: The Role for Innovation: An Introduction for Funders
Outlines challenges facing older people, people with disabilities, and people in areas with few mobility options. Includes a section on funding strategies for rural transit. Describes successful programs, defines mobility as a social determinant of health, and explores approaches for improvement, including new partnerships with healthcare providers and telehealth.
Date: 05/2018
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Grantmakers In Aging
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Deaths from Falls Among Persons Aged ≥65 Years — United States, 2007–2016
Reports on rates and trends for deaths from falls for people age 65 and older from 2007 to 2016. Includes data by urban/rural status, as well as for other selected characteristics.
Author(s): Elizabeth Burns, Ramakrishna Kakara
Citation: MMWR (Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report), 67(18), 509-514
Date: 05/2018
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
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The Future of Rural Transportation and Mobility for Older Adults: Current Trends and Future Directions in Technology-Enabled Solutions
Focuses on transformation of mobility for older adults in rural areas through innovation in transportation solutions. Describes how mobility restrictions are a social determinant of health, and the ways in which this can adversely impact health and independence for older rural people.
Author(s): Andrew Broderick
Date: 04/2018
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Grantmakers In Aging
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Older Adult Housing: Future Collaborations on Housing and Health Services Should Include Relevant Agencies and Define Outcomes
Assesses the extent to which the Departments of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), Health and Human Services (HHS), and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Housing Service collaborated to address the needs of older adults living in federally assisted housing.
Additional links: Full Report
Date: 04/2018
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Government Accountability Office
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The State of Health in New Mexico 2018
Describes the health status for the population of New Mexico in rural and urban areas. Provides statistics on multiple health indicators, such as socioeconomic status, maternal and child health, chronic disease, substance use, and injury, among others.
Date: 04/2018
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: New Mexico Department of Health
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Tribal Nursing Home Best Practices: Cultural Sensitivity
Details several models for culturally competent tribal nursing homes and the measures the facilities implemented to provide appropriate care for American Indian and Alaska Native elders. Discusses some initiatives implemented, such as hiring a cultural liaison to coordinate traditional activities and providing person-centered care.
Date: 03/2018
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
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A Healthy Smile Never Gets Old: A California Report on the Oral Health of Older Adults
Highlights oral health status and key issues among older adults living in California. Compares rates of untreated tooth decay and complete tooth loss in urban and rural areas of the state.
Author(s): Sahiti Bhaskara, Conrado E. Barzaga
Date: 03/2018
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Center for Oral Health
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