Aging in Community Project
Challenges for Older Adults in Rural North Dakota
Older adults often want to stay in their own homes and communities as long as possible, but access to health care and finding resources that promote health and wellness in rural communities can be challenging.
North Dakota is faced with unique challenges in caring for and about its older residents. Two-thirds of its counties are designated as frontier (less than six residents per mile). A documented shift of the state’s population from rural counties to urban areas has resulted in a higher proportion of older adults in small towns and sparsely populated locations.
Between 2019 and 2029, the state’s population of people 65 and older is projected to increase by 32%. In contract, the working-age population (ages 20 to 64) is projected to decrease from 59% in 2016 to 55% in 2029, placing additional burdens on a critical workforce shortage.
Aging in Community Project
To help older adults stay healthy longer, NDSU Extension has launched the Aging in Community (AIC) Project.
The AIC Project is an initiative to improve the quality of life for older adults who wish to stay in their rural homes and communities. NDSU Extension will work with community stakeholders in two rural communities to identify solutions to rural aging issues.
The project is based on a successful model of community-based care in rural North Dakota, called Community of Care, that has proven to help older adults live with autonomy and dignity. The Community of Care model has been adapted in the two pilot communities and has been evaluated for effectiveness, replicability, and sustainability.
Aging in Community Pilot Sites
The North Dakota AIC project is being piloted in Lisbon and Western Morton County.
Assuring North Dakota is a good place to live and age well is a complex problem needing an integrated and collaborative solution. To address the need for collaboration, each location has identified local stakeholders to serve on a steering committee that will provide input on the development of pilot programs.
Both the rural Morton County and Lisbon area locations are staffed with a program coordinator and volunteer coordinator/program assistant. They are serving older adults and their families with a variety of services, including transportation assistance provided by trained volunteers.
In the Media
In a rural small town, a group of locals steps up to support senior health - NPR
Funding
This initiative is supported in part by a $1,605,000, four-year grant from Margaret A. Cargill Philanthropies. A three-year renewal grant application with expansion plans has been submitted to Margaret A. Cargill Philanthropies.
