Handbook of Rural Aging

The Handbook of Rural Aging goes beyond the perspective of a narrow range of health professions, disciplines, and community services that serve older adults in rural America to encompass the full range of perspectives and issues impacting the communities in which rural older adults live. Touching on such topics as work and voluntarism, technology, transportation, housing, the environment, social participation, and the delivery of health and community services, this reference work addresses the full breadth and scope of factors impacting the lives of rural elders with contributions from recognized scholars, administrators, and researchers. This Handbook buttresses a widespread movement to garner more attention for rural America in policy matters and decisions, while also elevating awareness of the critical circumstances facing rural elders and those who serve them. Merging demographic, economic, social, cultural, health, environmental, and political perspectives, it will be an essential reference source for library professionals, researchers, educators, students, program and community administrators, and practitioners with a combined interest in rural issues and aging.

Dr. Lenard W. Kaye is Professor of Social Work at the University of Maine School of Social Work and Director of the University of Maine Center on Aging. A prolific writer in the field of health care and aging, he has published more than 175 journal articles and book chapters, and 15 books on specialized topics in aging, including social isolation, home health care, men's health, productive aging, rural practice, family caregiving, support groups for older women, and congregate housing. His recent books include A Man's Guide to Healthy Aging: Stay Smart, Strong, and Active (with Edward Thompson, Jr., 2013) and Social Isolation of Older Adults: Strategies to Bolster Health and Well-Being (with Clifford M. Singer, 2019). Dr. Kaye is lead evaluator for AgingME, Maine's Geriatrics Workforce Enhancement Program and co-director of evaluation of an ACL/DHHS-funded, technology-driven, nutrition enhanced self-management program for older adults with multiple chronic diseases. He is also a co-principal investigator of The Mayer-Rothschild Foundation-supported Designation of Excellence in Person-Centered Long-Term Care initiative. He was the lead organizer of the International Symposium on Safe Medicine and a founding board member of the International Institute for Pharmaceutical Safety; and has managed a series of John Hartford Foundation funded gerontological social work education programs at the University of Maine. Dr. Kaye was the 2010 recipient of the Career Achievement Award of the Association for Gerontology Education in Social Work (AGESW) and has served on the National Advisory Committee for Rural Health and Human Services of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. He is a research scientist at Northern Light Eastern Maine Medical Center and past president of both the Maine and New York State Gerontological Societies. He is the past chair of the National Association of Social Worker's Section on Aging, sits on the editorial boards of the Journal of Gerontological Social Work and Journal of Aging Life Care, and is a fellow of the Gerontological Society of America.

Foreword Introduction A Special Note on COVID-19, Pandemics, and Rural Aging 1. Adult Day Services 2. Advocacy & Activism 3. Age Friendly Communities 4. Aging-in-Place 5. American Indians & Alaska Natives 6. Area Agencies on Aging 7. Asian Americans & Pacific Islanders 8. Bioethics 9. Broadband Service 10. Chronic Disease 11. Community Development 12. Culture 13. Dementia 14. Dementia Friendly Communities 15. Dental & Oral Health 16. Direct Care Workers 17. Disabilities 18. Disasters 19. Drug & Alcohol Addiction 20. Dying, Death, & Bereavement 21. Elder Abuse 22. Elder Law 23. Entitlements & Benefits 24. Evidence-Based Programs 25. Falls & Injuries 26. Family Life 27. Farmers 28. Federal Policy 29. Food Insecurity 30. Geographies & Environments 31. Geriatric Care Management 32. Health Disparities 33. Health Insurance 34. Health Promotion & Wellness 35. Higher Education Institutions 36. Home Health Care 37. Homelessness 38. Housing 39. Immigrants 40. Information Sources 41. Intergenerational Programs 42. Isolation 43. Kinship Care 44. Latina/os 45. Leadership 46. LGBTQ Older Adults 47. Long-Term Care 48. Meals Programs 49. Men & Masculinity 50. Mental & Behavioral Health 51. Mental Health Services 52. Minorities 53. National Rural Health Association 54. Nursing Services 55. Nutrition 56. Philanthropy 57. Physical Activity 58. Politics 59. Poverty 60. Professional Associations & Organizations 61. Religion & Spirituality 62. Research Engagement 63. Retirement 64. Rural Health Clinics 65. Rural Service Networks 66. Senior Centers 67. Social Determinants of Health 68. Social Work Practice 69. Strategic Planning 70. Technology 71. Telehealth Services 72. Theory 73. Transportation 74. Veterans 75. Voluntarism 76. Women 77. Workforce