Subjective Community Valuation Among Older Adults In Rural Areas

Background and Purpose: Older adults often prioritize aging in place due to long-term residence and strong connections with their neighbors and communities. While many cities and towns have attempted to create neighborhood environments favorable to older adults, it remains unclear whether these community aging initiatives reflect the diverse needs of this population. In particular, the extent to which older adults in rural areas value specific community features for their quality of life is underexplored. This study examined subjective community valuation, measuring different types of physical and social neighborhood environments essential to the lives of diverse older adults in rural areas.

Methods: This study used data from the 2018 AARP Home and Community Preferences Survey, focusing on 236 adults aged 50 and older residing in rural areas across the USA. The sample had a mean age of 65 years and was 55% female. The racial/ethnic composition was 78% White, 13% Black, 6% Hispanic, and 4% other races. The outcome variables were "subjective community valuations," which measure how important specific community features are for maintaining quality of life on a scale from 1 (least important) to 5 (most important). Respondents evaluated seven community features: outdoor space (M = 4.1), housing (M =3.7), transportation (M = 3.4), streets (M = 3.9), social participation (M = 3.4), civic engagement (M = 3.4), and employment (M = 3.6). We included sociodemographic and health-related characteristics (age, sex, race/ethnicity, education, income, living alone, health status, chronic conditions, loneliness, social connection, caregiving, home ownership, and employment), and seven separate multiple regression analyses were used to examine the associations between subjective valuation and diverse older populations.

Results: Women placed significantly higher importance on outdoor space (b = 0.25), streets (b = 0.26), and social participation (b=0.20) compared to men. Black older adults reported higher valuations across most community features than White older adults: outdoor space (b=0.34), transportation (b = 0.53), social participation (b = 0.62), civic engagement (b = 0.59), and employment (b = 0.49). People with disabilities identified outdoor space (b = 0.23) and housing (b = 0.38) as essential to their daily lives, while those experiencing loneliness prioritized social participation (b = 0.05), civic engagement (b = 0.07), and transportation (b = 0.09). Additionally, caregivers reported higher valuations for housing (b = 0.31), transportation (b = 0.48), and employment opportunities (b = 0.53).

Conclusions and Implications: This study contributes to the growing literature identifying the diverse needs of older adults in rural areas for the development of age-inclusive environments. The findings highlight that individuals have varying demands to maintain their quality of life based on their unique circumstances. Specifically, women, Black residents, people with disabilities, those experiencing loneliness, and caregivers have distinct needs. Policymakers and practitioners should develop targeted plans that reflect these diverse demographic and health-related characteristics. Assessing and addressing the specific concerns of older adults can create more opportunities for them to live in favorable, supportive environments.