LTSS Center researchers are evaluating the effectiveness and sustainability of Rural Aging Action Networks as part of a three–year national collaborative led by Lutheran Services in America to connect underserved and isolated older adults to services and supports in their homes and communities of choice.
The LeadingAge LTSS Center @UMass Boston is partnering with Lutheran Services in America over the next two and a half years to evaluate Rural Aging Action Network, the national collaborative led by Lutheran Services in America to expand sustainable community-based services and supports for older adults who are underserved in rural communities of Minnesota, Montana, North Dakota, and South Dakota.
Lutheran Services in America is a national network of 300 health and human services organizations that reaches one in 50 people in the United States each year.
This three-year collaborative (2022-2024) leverages the long-standing commitment and community presence of Lutheran social ministries in rural communities. Under the guidance of Lutheran Services in America, Rural Aging Action Network expands services for older adults and family caregivers by tapping into the unique resources in focal communities to provide services to surrounding rural areas.
“This important work capitalizes on the collective knowledge, expertise, and established trust and presence of our member organizations in rural communities and—together, through this collaboration—creates a stronger community of care for rural aging,” said Alesia Frerichs, president and CEO of Lutheran Services in America.
Lutheran Services in America selected five of its member organizations in its network to participate in the national collaborative and lead Rural Aging Action Networks in select rural communities. Lutheran Services in America leads these trusted nonprofit providers of services in a collaborative learning environment as each mobilizes its community partners, utilizes the distinctive assets in their communities, and addresses key barriers to care that older adults and caregivers face in rural communities. The organizations and communities participating in this work include:
- St. John’s United in Ravalli & Richland Counties, MT.
- Lutheran Social Service of Minnesota in Traverse County, MN.
- Lutheran Social Services of South Dakota in Charles Mix & Douglas Counties, SD.
- Missouri Slope Lutheran Care Center in McLean County, ND.
- Immanuel Lutheran Communities in Flathead County, MT.
ABOUT THE LTSS CENTER EVALUATION
The proposed study is a process evaluation of whether each of the Rural Aging Action Networks achieved the following project outcomes:
- Address Gaps in Care: Older adults will have improved awareness and access to supports and services to address their gaps in care.
- Strengthen Caregiver Capacity and Pipeline: Caregivers and community partners will grow in their capacity to address gaps in care for older adults by learning about available integrated supports and services.
- Optimize Sustainable Solutions: Rural Aging Action Networks will be effective and sustainable in addressing gaps in care for older adults.
The LTSS Center is providing continuous evaluation of the Rural Aging Action Network Collaborative led by Lutheran Services in America. The center will conduct analyses using information on Rural Aging Action Networks collected through content analysis and will use client- and community-level data to determine how each network was implemented, how gaps in care were met, how the approach is being sustained, and lessons learned.
The evaluation includes focus groups conducted by the LTSS Center to understand the perceptions of older adults, caregivers, and community partners regarding the effectiveness of each Rural Aging Action Network in addressing the needs of the community. Focus groups will assess the awareness among older adults and their unpaid caregivers about the availability of supports and services for older adults and satisfaction with those services.
The LTSS Center will also partner with Lutheran Services in America to develop a Replicability Toolkit that will share learnings and provide guidance for other rural communities interested in developing a Rural Aging Action Network to expand community-based services and supports for underserved older adults.