Supporting older military veterans in the rural US
Quality in Ageing and Older Adults
ISSN: 1471-7794
Article publication date: 15 October 2018
Issue publication date: 3 December 2018
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to provide an overview of rural older veterans in the US and discuss how the US Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is increasing access to health care for older veterans in rural areas.
Design/methodology/approach
This is a descriptive paper summarizing population and program data about rural veterans.
Findings
VA provides a variety of health care services and benefits for older veterans to support health, independence, and quality of life. With the creation of the Veterans Health Administration Office of Rural Health (ORH) in 2006, the needs of rural veterans, who are on average older than urban veterans, are receiving greater attention and support. ORH and VA have implemented several programs to specifically improve access to health care for rural veterans and to improve quality of care for older veterans in rural areas.
Originality/value
This paper is one of the first to describe how VA is addressing the health care needs of older, rural veterans.
Keywords
Citation
Hicken, B. and Parry, K. (2018), "Supporting older military veterans in the rural US", Quality in Ageing and Older Adults, Vol. 19 No. 4, pp. 286-297. https://doi.org/10.1108/QAOA-04-2018-0017
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
Copyright © Published 2018