Rural Health: Access to Care and Services

Lack of access to quality health care has been a long-standing risk for rural Americans. Multiple factors are emerging that may increase this risk in the future. The National Association for Home Care continuously keeps rural access on the radar and supports legislation that will preserve home care access to vulnerable rural areas. Of special interest are the rural elderly. Rural residents older than the age of 65 years represent a large portion of the nation's home care recipients. Although people older than 65 years are living longer, healthier lives, they frequently require quality health care to make that possible. This population is also more likely to have complex medical issues requiring health care interventions. A review of current literature shows that there are many emerging trends posing a significant risk to the future of home care in rural America. This article discusses resources as well as initiatives undertaken to identify successful rural care delivery models.