Rural Health
Research Gateway

Aging in Place

Rural Health Research Products Included in this Recap

  • Characteristics of Counties With the Highest Proportion of the Oldest Old
    Policy Brief
    University of Minnesota Rural Health Research Center
    Date: 05/2020
    The "oldest old," or individuals age 85 and older, are one of the fastest-growing segments of the U.S. population, yet little is known about where those individuals tend to live and what their communities are like. This information is important for planning how to best respond to and support this growing population.
  • Demographics and Disability Status of Adults Living Alone in Rural Areas
    Policy Brief
    University of Minnesota Rural Health Research Center
    Date: 04/2021
    This policy brief examines how the types of people who live alone differ between urban and rural areas, focusing on differences in age and disability status.
  • Nursing Homes in Rural America: A Chartbook
    Chartbook
    RUPRI Center for Rural Health Policy Analysis
    Date: 07/2022
    Closure of nursing homes and hospitals with swing beds in recent years has changed the availability of post-acute and long-term care services in rural areas. This study examines the availability of post-acute and long-term care services as well as characteristics of residents and nursing homes in noncore, micropolitan, and metropolitan counties.
  • Preferences for Long-Term Care Arrangements Among Rural and Urban Older Adults
    Policy Brief
    University of Minnesota Rural Health Research Center
    Date: 05/2021
    This study describes care preferences by rural and urban location and by demographic characteristics among rural residents.
  • Rural-Urban Differences Among Older Adults
    Chartbook
    University of Minnesota Rural Health Research Center
    Date: 08/2020
    This chartbook presents the characteristics of older adults in rural counties, as well as rural-urban differences among older adults, across four domains: demographics, socioeconomic characteristics, healthcare access and use, and health characteristics.
  • Social Cohesion and Social Engagement Among Older Adults Aging in Place: Rural/Urban Differences
    Policy Brief
    University of Minnesota Rural Health Research Center
    Date: 01/2022
    This policy brief examines rural/urban differences in social cohesion and social engagement for older adults aging in place, as well as within-rural differences by race and ethnicity.
  • Social Isolation and Safety Issues Among Rural Older Adults Living Alone: Perspectives of Meals on Wheels Programs
    Journal Article
    University of Minnesota Rural Health Research Center
    Date: 05/2022
    In this article, we share results from a survey of 42 Meals on Wheels programs in rural areas across the US. Respondents highlighted challenges to meeting both social and safety needs of rural older adults living alone, as well as policy recommendations to improve the health and safety of older adults living alone in rural areas.
  • Trends in Nursing Home Closures in Metropolitan and Nonmetropolitan Counties in the United States, 2008-2018
    Policy Brief
    RUPRI Center for Rural Health Policy Analysis
    Date: 02/2021
    Nursing home closures have raised concerns about access to long-term services and supports in rural areas. This study examines trends in closures and characteristics of open and closed nursing homes in metropolitan and nonmetropolitan counties. Furthermore, this study identifies metropolitan and nonmetropolitan counties without any nursing homes.