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Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Elderly population

Food Insecurity Increased to 1 in 10 Adults Ages 50 and Older in 2022
Fact sheet describing food insecurity among adults ages 50 and older. Identifies trends, presents data on demographic disparities, and provides state-by-state and age group comparisons. Figure 4 compares metropolitan and nonmetropolitan food insecurity prevalence.
Author(s): Olivia Dean, Carlos Figueiredo
Date: 01/2024
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: AARP Public Policy Institute
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Indiana Health Workforce Summit: Behavioral & Mental Health
Provides an overview of the 2024 Indiana Health Workforce Summit that covered issues and strategies related to the Indiana healthcare workforce. Includes Information on education, training, recruitment, and retention in the areas of behavioral, primary care, and rural health. Discusses health workforce needs for specific population groups.
Additional links: Primary Care: Adult & Geriatrics Brief, Primary Care: Maternal & Child Brief, Rural Health Brief
Date: 2024
Type: Document
Sponsoring organizations: Bowen Center for Health Workforce Research and Policy, Indiana Department of Health, Indiana Family and Social Services Administration
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Identifying Our Needs: A Survey of Elders Cycle VIII (2020-2023) - 2024 Final Report
Report highlights data collected from a survey of American Indian and Alaska Native elders regarding their health and wellness. Explores reported rates of healthcare access, substance use, social support, housing, healthcare screening, and more.
Additional links: Infographic: Caregiving and Socialization Among Native Elders, Infographic: Frailty and Physical Functioning Among Native Elders, Infographic: Native Elders in the United States, Infographic: Nutrition Among Native Elders
Date: 2024
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: National Resource Center on Native American Aging
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Transportation for People with Disabilities and Older Adults During COVID-19: Lessons for Emergency Response
Provides information on planning for transportation needs during emergencies and pandemics, with a focus on assisting older adults and people with disabilities. Discusses roles and responsibilities, personnel and resources, technology and tools, challenges and solutions, and strategies and sustainability, with reflections on issues related to the COVID-19 pandemic. Includes considerations for transit agencies in different locations, including rural and tribal.
Additional links: Read Online
Author(s): Transit Cooperative Research Program
Date: 2024
Type: Document
Sponsoring organizations: National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, Transportation Research Board
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Addressing the Needs of Older & Disabled Adults in Rural Communities: Findings From the California Rural Master Plan for Aging Initiative
Webinar recording discussing the development of rural-specific master plans for aging in rural California. Offers an overview of the process, summary of findings, recommendations, and next steps. Transcript available in the description.
Date: 12/2023
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: California Collaborative for Long-Term Services and Supports
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Washington Long-Term Care Workforce Initiative Legislative Report
Provides an overview of long-term care (LTC) for older adults in Washington and the available LTC workforce. Focuses on workforce demand, initiatives and projects to improve the LTC workforce, and policy recommendations. Provides LTC data for rural Washington, including average facility patient count, staffing hours, number of nursing homes per rural county, and more.
Author(s): Donald J. Smith Jr., Christopher W. Dula, Claire M. Fite, et al.
Date: 12/2023
Type: Document
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Bridging a Care Gap: Policy Opportunities for Improving Access to Home-Based Primary Care
Recording of a panel discussion on home-based primary care for rural older adults and policies that could address challenges with offering and accessing home-based primary care. Discusses telehealth, broadband, community infrastructure, service models, community health workers, and more. Transcript available in the video description.
Date: 12/2023
Type: Video/Multimedia
Sponsoring organization: Duke Margolis Institute for Health Policy
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Resources on Rides for Employment for Older Adults and People with Disabilities
Describes differences in transportation accessibility for older adults and people with disabilities based on resources available in particular communities. Provides resources and example programs focused on improving transportation options in rural areas.
Date: 12/2023
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: National Aging and Disability Transportation Center
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Impacts of Transit on Health in Rural and Small Urban Areas
Overview of how public transportation affects health in rural and small urban areas. Summarizes findings from a literature review that looked at public transportation as it relates to the social determinants of health, healthcare access, physical activity, social isolation, and mental health. Also reports results from a survey of rural older adults supplemented by data analysis looking at travel for healthcare, challenges related to public transportation, and the impacts of missed or delayed healthcare trips.
Author(s): Jeremy Mattson, Bright Quayson
Date: 12/2023
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Upper Great Plains Transportation Institute
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Mortality in Adults Age 65 and Older: United States, 2000–2019
Examines mortality trends in adults aged 65 or older from 2000-2019. Provides data breakdowns according to age group, sex, race/ethnicity, urban versus rural status, and top 10 leading causes of death.
Author(s): Ellen A. Kramarow, Betzaida Tejada-Vera
Citation: National Vital Statistics Reports, 72(14)
Date: 12/2023
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: National Center for Health Statistics
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