Rural Communities in CESW Africa and Latin America: Contexts for Well-being of Older Adults

The UN Decade of Healthy Ageing urges communities to create environments that support older adults. Yet rural communities may be overlooked and have limited capacity to be supportive. A scoping review was undertaken to determine the state of knowledge of elements of rural communities influencing well-being of older adults in CESW Africa and Latin America. Thematic analysis highlighted three community domains: local environments, community relationships and cultural identity. Findings highlight communities’ limited control over external services, infrastructure and formal partnerships that influence well-being of older people. Community capacity to support older persons must be evaluated in light of these constraints.