The Environmental Context of Poverty Among Older Residents of Economically Endangered Kansas Towns

Abstract

This article reports results of a field study of the impact of acute and chronic economic stressors on elderly residents of four economically threatened small towns in Kansas. Guided by a conceptual model of environmental stress, risks and benefits associated with everyday life m these towns for older residents are explored for four issues: health risks, the health/housing dialectic, maintaining psychological control, and risks to community identity. Psychological and behavioral strategies employed by older residents as well as communities to deal with changes in these areas are illustrated. It is suggested that community intervention models (e.g., community development, empowerment, triage, or hospice) attempting to stabilize, rejuvenate, or resurrect economically endangered towns must consider a variety of context-specific needs and resources within and between communities. Recommendations for intervention are offeredfor rural practitioners (health professionals, community planners, housing experts) and policymakers.