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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.

Developing a Local MPA to Address the Needs of Older & Disabled Adults in Rural Communities
Recording of a December 2022 webinar highlighting three coalitions in California that are developing local Master Plans for Aging (MPAs) to address the challenges of aging in rural communities. Discusses the steps the coalitions are taking to develop their MPAs, including forming advisory committees, gathering community input, identifying potential action items, planning for implementation and sustainability, and more. Transcript available in the video description.
Date: 12/2022
Sponsoring organization: California Collaborative for Long Term Services and Supports
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Who Will Care for Rural Older Adults? Measuring the Direct Care Workforce in Rural Areas
Policy brief examining existing disparities in the supply of home health aides and nursing assistants in rural areas compared to urban areas. Features statistics on the ratio of home health aides and nursing assistants relative to the population of adults age 65 and above, with breakdowns by urban and rural areas and by census region.
Author(s): Janette Dill, Carrie Henning-Smith, Rongxuan Zhu, Elizabeth Vomacka
Date: 11/2022
Sponsoring organization: University of Minnesota Rural Health Research Center
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Patterns of Health Care Use among Rural-Urban Medicare Beneficiaries Age 85 and Older, 2010-2017
Policy brief examining how rural and urban Medicare beneficiaries age 85+ differ in terms of their socioeconomic and health characteristics that may inform healthcare use. Features statistics on trends in healthcare use, including inpatient and emergency department care, outpatient and prescription services, specialists and dentists, and home health and durable medical equipment, with breakdowns by urban and rural location.
Author(s): Yvonne Jonk, Heidi O'Connor, Amanda Burgess, Carly Milkowski
Date: 11/2022
Sponsoring organization: Maine Rural Health Research Center
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Improving Access to and Enrollment in Programs of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE)
Provides an overview of Programs of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE), including the history of the model and the recent policy landscape. Identifies challenges to the growth of PACE and offers federal policy recommendations that would address the challenges to the spread and scale of PACE. Discusses the results of the 2006 Rural PACE Provider Grant Program and policies to promote further access to PACE programs in areas with low penetration rates, including rural areas.
Date: 10/2022
Sponsoring organization: Bipartisan Policy Center
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National Advisory Committee on Rural Health and Human Services Meeting Summary, Lawrence, Kansas, September 14-16, 2022
Summarizes the 90th meeting of the National Advisory Committee on Rural Health and Human Services (NACRHHS), which was held in Lawrence, Kansas. Presents an overview of national and state perspectives on Programs of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE).
Date: 09/2022
Sponsoring organization: National Advisory Committee on Rural Health and Human Services
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Federal Funding for Transportation Programs Serving Older Adults and People with Disabilities
Discusses the role of federal funding as a primary source of funding to support transportation programs that meet the needs of older adults and people with disabilities. Describes funding programs from the Department of Transportation, the Department of Health and Human Services, AmeriCorps, and the Department of Veterans Affairs. Highlights programs for rural and tribal communities.
Date: 09/2022
Sponsoring organization: National Aging and Disability Transportation Center
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Older Adults and Adults with Disabilities: Federal Programs Provide Support for Preventing Falls, but Program Reach is Limited
Provides an overview of nine federal programs designed to provide evidence-based falls prevention, home assessments, or home modifications for older adults and adults with disabilities. Explores what federal agencies know about how these programs affect participants' health and to what extent agencies coordinate their efforts and provide consumer information. Includes data on the estimated percentage of falls among adults with disabilities by demographic characteristics and identifies programs serving rural communities.
Additional links: Full Report
Date: 07/2022
Sponsoring organization: Government Accountability Office
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Exploring Metro and Non-Metro Differences in Satisfaction with Services and Community Participation among Low-income Personal Assistance Service Users
Examines differences between metropolitan and nonmetropolitan users of personal assistance services (PAS), which allow people who need assistance with activities of daily living to remain in their own homes and communities. Discusses factors associated with PAS satisfaction and community participation.
Author(s): Rayna Sage, Krys Standley, Genna M. Mashinchi
Citation: Frontiers in Rehabilitation Sciences, 3, 876047
Date: 06/2022
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2021 FTA Section 5310 Compendium
Provides an overview of the Section 5310 Enhanced Mobility of Seniors and Individuals with Disabilities program, which is designed to support the specialized transportation needs of older adults and people with disabilities. Discusses the role of Area Agencies on Aging (AAAs) using Section 5310 funding to develop and manage accessible transportation programs. Includes case studies and examples of how AAAs used Section 5310 funding, including programs serving rural residents.
Date: 02/2022
Sponsoring organization: National Aging and Disability Transportation Center
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Social Isolation and Loneliness Among Rural and Urban People with Disabilities
Explores the prevalence of social isolation and loneliness among people with disabilities. Examines data from the Health and Retirement Survey (HRS) as well as the National Survey on Health and Disability (NSHD) to identify factors associated with social isolation and loneliness, including living in a rural location and transportation problems.
Author(s): Catherine Ipsen, Gilbert Gimm
Date: 11/2021
Sponsoring organization: Research and Training Center on Disability in Rural Communities
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Additional resources are available related to this guide. See the full list of resources by topic for: