National Rural Health Association: Policy Briefs on the Older Americans Act and on Community Health Workers & Rural Age-Friendly Care
The National Rural Health Association (NRHA) has published two new policy briefs on the "Older Americans Act: Greatest Economic and Social Needs of Rural Older Adults" and on "Community Health Workers and Rural Age-Friendly Care."
NRHA has compiled resources for rural communities and their providers, including NRHA policy papers and partner organizations' policy papers, to support rural communities and providers in raising awareness and advancing age-friendly care.
The new policy briefs are:
- "Older Americans Act: Greatest Economic and Social Needs of Rural Older Adults," which discusses how the reauthorization of the Older Americans Act (OAA) provides a significant opportunity to address systemic inequities and enhance the quality of life for older adults in rural communities. Authors Kathy Greenlee, Abby Cox, L. Carter Florence, Josh Protas and Rebecca Yeboah address the OAA Reauthorization Act of 2025; analyze the economic, social and systematic challenges; and propose policy recommendations and actions.
- "Community Health Workers and Rural Age-Friendly Care," which discusses community health workers (CHWs) and their role in delivering age-friendly care in rural America. Authors Elizabeth Eckstrom, Denise A. Hernadez, Lindsay Miller, Elizabeth Foster, Rebecca Yeboah and Alexandra Amaya explain age-friendly care and the 4Ms, the role of CHWs, the challenges of implementing CHW programs, and proposed policy recommendations and actions.
Read the policy briefs.
View all 2025 NRHA Policy Papers.
Learn more about the National Rural Age-Friendly Initiative.
Learn more about NRHA.
Learn more about JAHF's co-support of NRHA.
