Abstract:

The aging population in rural & remote regions of Australia faces considerable social disadvantage, requiring health & welfare services, which is compounded as agencies cut back on their assistance. As in other nations, rural populations in Australia have proportionately more older citizens & fewer economic resources. Demographic trends show that the issue of aging in rural & remote areas will become increasingly important to policy planners. Successful approaches may be observed in retirement communities in the US & experiences with rural medical recruitment & community aged care packages in Australia. Often, strategies designed to assist the rural disadvantaged compete with other strategies designed to achieve cost-effectiveness. Conceptualizing rural community sustainability that encompasess all social needs beyond agricultural sustainability could provide a foundation for future social policy to meet the needs of the rural aged.