rural communities

Nearly one-fifth of older adults live in rural areas and, as a result of their geography, are at higher risk of experiencing social isolation and loneliness. The Administration for Community Living’s (ACL) Commit to Connect Initiative recently released a topical guide titled “Rural Communities and Building Social Connection for Older Adults and People with Disabilities,” aimed at assisting staff and volunteer leaders from organizations serving older adults and people with disabilities in rural areas seeking to enhance or initiate social engagement efforts.

Trust for America’s Health (TFAH), with partnership and funding from The John A. Hartford Foundation, recently published a brief titled “Ensuring Age-Friendly Public Health in Rural Communities: Challenges, Opportunities, and Model Programs.” This brief, the second in a series of publications dealing with the health and wellness of older adults, outlines the status of older adults living in rural environments and opportunities for public health to support them. It highlights existing innovations that engage rural older adults and offers recommendations to ensure all older persons, regardless of geographic location, have access to age-friendly public health systems...

This March 2022 News in Health issue explores various components of rural health in America. The issue explains how geography, access to care, and telehealth impact health outcomes for individuals in living in rural areas, and provides tips for how to build healthier communities.

During this webinar, the Evidence-Based Leadership Collaborative (http://www.eblcprograms.org/) provided insight into the value of evidence-based programs. The EBLC highlighted rural communities who have demonstrated implementation success using community programs, 1:1 intervention and other program models. They also provided an overview of the ways Title III and other resources can be leveraged to improve access and sustain the work.