A Scoping Review: Social Participation as a Cornerstone of Successful Aging in Place among Rural Older Adults

Abstract

Despite obstacles, many rural-dwelling older adults report that positive aspects of rural residence, such as attachment to community, social participation, and familiarity, create a sense of belonging that far outweighs the negative. By being part of a community where they are known and they know people, rural elders continue to find meaning, the key to achieving successful aging in this last stage of life. This scoping review explored factors influencing social participation and, through it, successful aging among rural-dwelling older adults. We sought to answer the question: what factors enhance or detract from the ability of rural-dwelling older adults to engage in social participation in rural communities? The scoping review resulted in 19 articles that highlight the importance of supports to enable older people to spend time with others, including their pets, engage in volunteer and community activities, and help maintain their home and care for their pets. Overall, the lack of services, including local health care facilities, was less important than the attachment to place and social capital associated with aging in place.

Multidimensional and Physical Frailty in Elderly People: Participation in Senior Organizations Does Not Prevent Social Frailty and Most Prevalent Psychological Deficits

“…The necessity to deal with daily needs and various kinds of problems may extract some layers of energy in the elderly people, and it is connected to the aforementioned purposeful life and having a task in life. This is directly related to the idea of aging-in-place, the ideology promoted worldwide by the World Health Organization (28)(29)(30)(31)(32). Senior organizations may constitute a critical ingredient for this ideology; however, the present study shows that social and psychological aspects are not sufficiently covered by the current form of these organizations.…”

Social Activities and Health-Related Quality of Life in Rural Older Adults in South Korea: A 4-Year Longitudinal Analysis

“…In general, living in a rural area often limits a person's access to resources that are critical to health, such as education, jobs, or clinics and hospital facilities [23,24]. Moreover, rural areas in many countries experience more pronounced population ageing and are likely to have higher rates of poverty and greater rates of chronic diseases than urban areas [3,24]. Thus, rural health for promoting safety and a healthy life would be vital among the rural population characterized by the ageing farming population [4,22].…”

Social Participation and Functional Decline: A Comparative Study of Rural and Urban Older People, Using Japan Gerontological Evaluation Study Longitudinal Data

“…Moreover, participation in local community organizations was only protective against decline in rural older people in this study. In the scoping review by Carver et al [41], older people who lived in rural areas had many opportunities to engage in community-association activities, and through such social participation, a sense of belonging was created. They suggested that such social participation is important for achieving successful aging in rural areas.…”