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Rural Health Information Hub

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.

Population with Disabilities for Nonmetropolitan Counties
Printable map that shows the percent of population with disabilities nationwide by county. Data source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates, 2018-2022.
Date: 2024
Type: Map/Mapping System
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
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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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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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A Food Access Model in Michigan's Graying America
Presents a model for increasing food access for the aging and indigenous populations in a rural county in Michigan. Discusses the barriers to food access in the county, highlights specific concerns for each population, and details approaches to overcome those barriers.
Author(s): Wajeeha Kamal, Lily Guiney, Miles Oates
Date: 12/2023
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: American Communities Project
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Housing America's Older Adults 2023
Provides an overview of demographics and housing needs of older adults in the U.S. Discusses affordable and accessible housing that allows for the appropriate level of care. Includes rural versus urban data comparisons of the aging population and housing issues specific to rural areas.
Date: 11/2023
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Joint Center for Housing Studies of Harvard University
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Helping Older Adults Age Well in Rural America
Provides an overview of strategies that mitigate challenges related to aging in rural communities. Provides data on healthcare access in rural areas and presents successful models that focus on transportation, social services, and alternative care models, such as paramedicine and hybrid care.
Author(s): Martha Hostetter, Sarah Klein
Date: 11/2023
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Commonwealth Fund
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National Advisory Committee on Rural Health and Human Services Meeting Summary, Colorado Springs, Colorado, September 6-8, 2023
Summarizes the 93nd meeting of the National Advisory Committee on Rural Health and Human Services (NACRHHS), which was held in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Presents an overview of national and state perspectives on disability and independence in rural communities.
Additional links: Lincoln County Human Services Site Visit Summary
Date: 09/2023
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: National Advisory Committee on Rural Health and Human Services
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Action Guide: Partnering to Expand Access to Home Modifications, Repairs, and Weatherization for Community Living
Offers strategies for partnership building for improving accessibility and safety of existing homes for residents that are aging or have disabilities. Includes examples of successful partnerships across the country and discusses rural specific challenges.
Date: 09/2023
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: USAging
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Take Control in 1, 2, 3: Disaster Preparedness Guide for Older Adults
Offers recommendations for becoming prepared for disasters, in 3 steps: Assessing needs, making a plan, and engaging with a support network. Includes sections geared toward older adults with disabilities or with limited resources, and rural older adults.
Date: 09/2023
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Federal Emergency Management Agency
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Ensuring Age-Friendly Public Health in Rural Communities: Challenges, Opportunities, and Model Programs
Discusses the components of age-friendly environments and how to support public health efforts that improve the lives of aging residents in rural areas. Provides data related to rural technology access, rural versus urban poverty rates and healthcare provider workforce, and county-level U.S. maps of percentage of population aged 65 or older and rural versus urban majority communities. Includes innovations and recommendations for age-friendly public health systems.
Author(s): M. Aaron Guest, Megan Wolfe, Karon Phillips, Jane Hook
Date: 08/2023
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Trust for America's Health
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Additional resources are available related to this guide. See the full list of resources by topic for:


Last Updated: 6/11/2024