Life Becoming Harder for the Elderly in Rural Areas

A heartbreaking article in today's New York Times focused on the plight of elderly people living (often alone) in rural areas. Calling their situation a "plight" is controversial- many of them clearly have chosen their lifestyles by choice. Nonetheless, access to medical care and companionship in aging towns is low. One of the people profiled in the story is a 96 year old man who drives 8 miles each day to have lunch at the senior center in town. However, he worries that he will be unable to pass the test to renew his drivers license, isolating him. The fact that populations have aged to such a degree is something that many might overlook.

In Northwest Nebraska, some counties have median ages of 45-50, more than 10 years older than the national average, and are some of the oldest places in the country. While the news that rural America is starting to die out and age is not exactly new, it's still important to recognize. As Congress debates cuts to healthcare that are likely to disproportionately affect seniors in rural areas, it's important that awareness of these issues grow. While reverse mortgages may be able to help some of these seniors, without the necessary resources and services, financial sustenance no longer becomes the issue.