Rural Aging in America: Proceedings of the 2017 Connectivity Summit

Abstract

Rural Aging in America: Proceedings of the 2017 Connectivity SummitAlexis Skoufalos, EdD, Janice L. Clarke, RN, BBA, Dana Rose Ellis, BA, Vicki L. Shepard, MSW, MPA, and Elizabeth Y. Rula, PhDEditorial: Creating a Movement to Transform Rural Aging David B. Nash, MD, MBA, with Donato J. Tramuto, and Joseph F. Coughlin, PhD S-3Introduction S-4Summit Proceedings S-5 Roundtable 1: The Power of Community – Enabling Social Connections and Access to Health Resources Through Community-Based Programs S-5 Roundtable 2: Technology and Rural Health: Innovative Solutions to Bridge the Distance, Improve Care, and Deliver Programs S-7 Roundtable 3: An Integrated Experience: The Exponential Potential of a Collaborative Approach to Rural Aging S-8General Discussion and Recommendations S-8Post-Summit Debriefing S-9 Strategy and objectives S-9 6–12 month action plan S-9Conclusion S-9

Assessment of Racial Disparities in Mortality Rates Among Older Adults Living in US Rural vs Urban Counties From 1968 to 2016

“…23 Thus, limited access to health care services in rural areas may be associated with increases in racial disparities in health outcomes and mortality in these communities. These increases in racial disparities may also be associated with an aging rural population 24 with a higher prevalence of chronic disease, 4 a shortage of primary care practitioners, 25 and the closure of a large number of rural hospitals within the last 2 decades. More than 200 rural hospitals closed between 1990 and 2000, 13 and an additional 160 rural hospitals closed from 2005 to 2019.…”

Past, present, and continued need for provider status legislation: Navigating clinical practice with significant sustainability barriers

“…Moreover, the proportion of older adults residing in underserved communities ranges from 25% to 58%, depending on the area . In rural settings, this shortage has become particularly dire, prompting government incentives for providers willing to practice in these underserved areas.…”

Telepharmacy and Quality of Medication Use in Rural Areas, 2013–2019

“…Across the United States, rural populations are decreasing and growing older ( 1 ). As a result, local businesses close in many small rural towns, and pharmacies that dispense medications to older adults are at risk of closing ( 2 ).…”