Module 6: Funding and Sustainability of Rural Aging in Place Programs
According to the Stanford Center on Longevity's Livable Community Indicators for Sustainable Aging in Place report, sustainability requires the consideration of factors such as social, environmental, and economic health in order to help older adults age in place well.
In addition, a successful aging in place program should secure sustainable funding, meaning the program should make plans for incoming sources of revenue beyond its initial funding period. Options for sustainability should be addressed early in the planning and implementation stages. For programs supporting rural aging in place, sustainability may also come in the form of permanent changes to a facility's physical environment or to infrastructure, such as transportation and technology.
For an overview of the types of sustainability strategies that rural programs might consider, see Planning for Funding and Sustainability in the Rural Community Health Toolkit.
This module discusses the key issues in planning for sustainability of programs to support aging in place in rural communities.