International Rural Aging Project

Preliminary Results-Lifelong Individual Development & Intergenerational Relationships
June 15, 2000

Final Remarks...

A discussion of the increasing diversity and rate of changes impacting rural communities, what significance those changes may have for family and community lifestyles and choices in the 21st century, as well as the policy needs they create. 

• Utilize existing resources – persons/churches

• High touch – Low tech resources

• Tele-medicine/Tele-health – Long distance care giving

• Quality rather than quantity – Improved human understanding

• Promote & maintain independence through active healthy lifestyles –

• Vision

• Hearing

• Literacy

• “Healthy People 2010” for rural aging

• Take into account perspective of older person in rural places

• Develop partnerships with existing local service organizations (i.e. AAA’s, etc)

• Gerontology and geriatrics educational training

• Federal policy should set principles & goals, but allow for local input and control

• Support health education & health promotion

• Eliminate gender, ethnic, racial disparities

• Policies consider multi-generational issues, recognizing the connection between health, education & welfare 

Key Policy Points: 

• Policies need to recognize life course of the community

• Policies need to foster partnerships that bring expertise and resource to serve community needs

• Policies need to consider intergenerational issues, recognizing the connection between health, education & welfare.