Aging in a Rural Community
Aging in a Rural Community
Wanda W. Jones
Webster University
Introduction
Living and aging in a rural community has many challenges. The aging of America in rural communities has gone from being the prominent lifestyle of American citizens to approximately a quarter of the country living in rural areas. Because elders prefer to remain in their homes and age in place, living in rural communities presents barriers that are not easily overcome. Transportation is a critical component of aging in place. In addition to providing access, the task of even providing affordable health and supportive serves in rural areas can be overwhelming and even non-existent. Even in all the obstacles to aging in place in a rural community, many of the aged adults find joy, peace and oneness with nature in remaining.
The United States is seeing a significant increase in citizens aged 65+ which is anticipated to double between 2003 and 2030 from 36 million to 72 million (Collins, 2011). This massive increase is due to the generation of those people born between 1946 and 1964, and referred to as the Baby Boomer generation (Collins, 2011). One fifth of those aged 65 and over are living in rural areas (Sun, 2011) and that is expected to increase (Peterson, Bazemore, Bragg, Xierali, & Warshaw, 2011).
The U.S. Census defines a rural area as having a population of 2,500 or less and an urban area having populations of 2,500 or more (Bulter, 2006), “population density must be less than 500 people per square mile” (Bulter & Cohen, The Importance of Nature in the Well-Being of Rural Elders, 2010). A review of the U.S. Census reveals that the first census in 1790, 95% of the population resided in rural areas. In 1890, a hundred years later, the population in rural areas had changed to two-thirds and only one quarter of the population lived in rural areas in 1990 (Bulter, 2006). The rural population of older adults (14.7%) are more than the older adults (11.9%) living in
Wanda W. Jones
Webster University
Introduction
Living and aging in a rural community has many challenges. The aging of America in rural communities has gone from being the prominent lifestyle of American citizens to approximately a quarter of the country living in rural areas. Because elders prefer to remain in their homes and age in place, living in rural communities presents barriers that are not easily overcome. Transportation is a critical component of aging in place. In addition to providing access, the task of even providing affordable health and supportive serves in rural areas can be overwhelming and even non-existent. Even in all the obstacles to aging in place in a rural community, many of the aged adults find joy, peace and oneness with nature in remaining.
The United States is seeing a significant increase in citizens aged 65+ which is anticipated to double between 2003 and 2030 from 36 million to 72 million (Collins, 2011). This massive increase is due to the generation of those people born between 1946 and 1964, and referred to as the Baby Boomer generation (Collins, 2011). One fifth of those aged 65 and over are living in rural areas (Sun, 2011) and that is expected to increase (Peterson, Bazemore, Bragg, Xierali, & Warshaw, 2011).
The U.S. Census defines a rural area as having a population of 2,500 or less and an urban area having populations of 2,500 or more (Bulter, 2006), “population density must be less than 500 people per square mile” (Bulter & Cohen, The Importance of Nature in the Well-Being of Rural Elders, 2010). A review of the U.S. Census reveals that the first census in 1790, 95% of the population resided in rural areas. In 1890, a hundred years later, the population in rural areas had changed to two-thirds and only one quarter of the population lived in rural areas in 1990 (Bulter, 2006). The rural population of older adults (14.7%) are more than the older adults (11.9%) living in
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