Professional associations can nurture interdisciplinary partnerships to better serve rural-dwelling older adults

Abstract

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to present a case study that illustrates how professional associations can provide the context for development of formal and informal interdisciplinary collaboration and promote advancement and dissemination of useful knowledge among disciplines and across geographic boundaries. This paper reports the work of the Rural Aging Special Interest Group of the Gerontological Society of America to develop and disseminate approaches that leverage existing resources to address the challenges of providing services to rural – dwelling older adults. It describes the challenges and the roles of networks in developing and supporting these partnerships to better meet the challenges. Design/methodology/approach This paper describes how interdisciplinary partnerships can enhance existing resources to better meet the unique needs of rural older adults and describes an example of how a professional association facilitated the process of creation and dissemination of knowledge about this approach. An overview of the process is provided with additional information relating partnerships to improving programs and services for rural older adults. Findings While addressing the unique needs of rural older adults can sometimes prove challenging, a number of entities have developed successful interdisciplinary partnerships that have expanded resources and improved effectiveness in addressing these challenges. Originality/value This paper illustrates how a professional association can play a key role in supporting creative interdisciplinary and international problem solving.