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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.

The Older Population in Rural America: 2012-2016
Describes the rural older population, those 65 years and older, compared to urban older adults. Includes rural-urban data on population size for the nation, by region, and by state. Also covers demographic, social, and economic characteristics, age distribution, and sex ratio by age. Some data is available by level of rurality for mostly urban, mostly rural, and completely rural counties.
Author(s): Amy Symens Smith, Edward Trevelyan
Date: 09/2019
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: U.S. Census Bureau
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Toolkit: State Strategies to Support Older Adults Aging in Place in Rural Areas
Describes state initiatives helping older rural adults age in place by supporting services allowing them to remain in their homes. Strategies are focused around building the workforce, increasing access to services in rural areas, and addressing social determinants of health. Includes examples of programs that have already been implemented as well as emerging ideas from several states across the country.
Author(s): Neva Kaye, Kristina Long
Date: 09/2019
Type: Document
Sponsoring organizations: Health Resources and Services Administration, National Academy for State Health Policy, National Organizations of State and Local Officials
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Select Maps on the Population 65 and Older in the United States by County: 2013-2017
Collection of maps showing county-level data on adults age 65 and older, with a focus on disability. Includes maps showing disability combined with living alone, widowhood, poverty status, and labor force participation.
Date: 08/2019
Type: Map/Mapping System
Sponsoring organization: U.S. Census Bureau
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Supportive Services and Caregiving for Older Rural Adults: Policy Brief and Recommendations to the Secretary
Provides an overview of current supportive services and caregiving policies for rural seniors, in terms of availability, accessibility, and acceptability of services. Explores topics including long-term services and supports, telehealth, care coordination, transportation, stigma, and unpaid caregivers, and describes federal programs for older adults. Offers policy recommendations and considerations.
Date: 08/2019
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: National Advisory Committee on Rural Health and Human Services
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National Program Helps Older Adults in Rural Maine and Hawaii Feel More CAPABLE
Highlights CAPABLE (Community Aging in Place—Advancing Better Living for Elders), a national model that connects low-income older adults with an occupational therapist, registered nurse, and home repair services. Features programs implemented in Hawaii and Maine based on this model.
Author(s): Allee Mead
Citation: Rural Monitor
Date: 07/2019
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
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Support and Services at Home (SASH) Evaluation: SASH Evaluation Findings, 2010-2016
Evaluates the Support and Services at Home (SASH) program in Vermont, which provides support services and care coordination for older adults and people with disabilities in conjunction with affordable housing. Addresses Medicaid and Medicare expenditures, medication management, property management, challenges, and lessons learned. Identifies the percent of rural SASH host properties and differences for rural areas.
Additional links: Highlights
Author(s): Amy Kandilov, Vincent Keyes, Noëlle Siegfried, et al.
Date: 07/2019
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: HHS Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation
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Long-Term Services and Supports Scorecard: Emerging Innovations - Mobility Managers
Report highlights the role of mobility managers in coordinating transportation services for older adults allowing them to age in place. Features examples of mobility managers functioning in both rural and urban settings.
Author(s): Doug Birnie, James McLary, Wendy Fox-Grage, Jana Lynott
Date: 06/2019
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: AARP Public Policy Institute
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In Support of Family Caregivers: A Snapshot of Five States
Examines policies developed in Washington, Minnesota, Hawaii, Tennessee, and Maine to support family caregivers, including those in rural areas. Features demographic characteristics of the states profiled, state expenditures by the Administration for Community Living in FY2016 on older adults and caregivers, and data on state Medicaid policies affecting these groups.
Additional links: Executive Summary
Author(s): Jennifer Aufill, Julia Burgdorf, Jennifer Wolff
Date: 06/2019
Type: Document
Sponsoring organizations: Milbank Memorial Fund, The John A. Hartford Foundation
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Unmet Need for Personal Care Assistance among Rural and Urban Older Adults
Policy brief exploring the unmet need for personal care help across 11 activities, such as self-care, household chores, and mobility-related tasks, with breakdowns by urban and rural location.
Author(s): Carrie Henning-Smith, Zhengtian Wu, Megan Lahr
Date: 06/2019
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: University of Minnesota Rural Health Research Center
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Older Americans Act: HHS Could Help Rural Service Providers by Centralizing Information on Promising Practices
Focuses on services and resources authorized by the Older Americans Act to help older adults age in place in rural communities. Addresses challenges accessing home and community-based services in rural areas and information on strategies for addressing those challenges. Covers home-delivered meals, congregate meals, transportation, family caregiver services, case management, and homemaker services. Research included interviews with ACL officials, rural area agencies on aging (AAA) in 8 states, rural health experts, and stakeholder groups; a literature review; and site visits.
Additional links: Full Report
Date: 05/2019
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Government Accountability Office
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Last Updated: 6/27/2024