Provider/client views: health-care needs of the rural elderly

Health-care providers perceived the following issues as influencing service use among rural elderly: financial restraints, eligibility requirements, values, geographic location, coordination of services, transportation, knowledge of normal aging, and family education. The elderly cited the following as influencing their acceptance of services: self-perceptions, fear of dependence, lifetime skills, finances, and maintaining dignity. More research is necessary to determine the "true" needs of older adults in rural areas so that service provision can effectively be modified to meet existing and future needs.