This proposal seeks funding for a one year pilot project to investigate the effects of fundamental social changes in rural areas on the elderly and their local social networks. Shifts in the midwest economy have produced dramatic social and economic changes in rural communities that extend well beyond the immediate fiscal downturn associated with the farm crisis of the mid-1980s. Emigration of younger, working-aged people out of rural areas in search of adequate employment opportunities is well documented. As a result, rural communities are increasingly populated by the more economically depressed segment of young and middle aged workers who are unable to move, and the elderly who choose to retire in communities where they have spent much of their lives. The combination of economic distress and population decline has produced a diminished support network in rural areas. Formal supports such as physical health care, mental health care, and other social services are unavailable in many rural localities and, thus, are particularly difficult for the elderly to access. Similarly, informal components of the support system such as the church, neighbors, and friends may be less capable of responding due to decreased numbers and resources as well as increased demands. The proposed research will analyze the effectiveness of social networks in a rural community context in meeting the health, well-being, and general needs of the elderly. Particular emphasis will be placed upon testing hypotheses regarding the implications of the changing rural community for the maintenance of informal and formal social network support of the elderly and the subsequent health and well-being outcomes. Three rural communities varying in size, proximity to formal health and mental health services, economic base, and proportion of population over the age of 65, will be selected for this study. Findings from comparative analyses will be useful to human services professionals working with the rural elderly and those interested in social networks in rural communities.
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