Critical review: synthesis and recommendations for research, education, and policy

This paper briefly critiques each of four papers presented at the symposium, relates how these papers contribute additional information on the realities of rural older women, and the implications for future research, policy, and outreach. The critique points out that the realities of rural women's lives can best be understood through their lens in combination with objective observations. Further, most of the conflictual findings in this literature can be attributed to a lack of melding of findings across diverse studies. It is concluded that effective research, policy, and outreach must be predicated on culturally sensitive interpretations of older rural women's realities.