Aging in Community is an NDSU Extension project to develop local community- based models to address the needs of older adults and their families in rural North Dakota. The overarching goal was to help support these rural communities in addressing the unique challenges they face in helping older adults age well in their homes and communities. 

Our team was contracted to conduct an evaluation consisting of both process and outcome components. 

• This evaluation serves to assess the progress and success of the Aging in Community (AIC) project in achieving its overall objective to develop and implement programs that help older adults in two rural North Dakota communities feel more confident, safe, and connected aging in their homes and communities. 

• The evaluation was conducted throughout the entire four years of this pilot project, with an initial focus on the process evaluation and then a shift to focusing on the outcome evaluation.

This study was solicited and funded by the North Dakota Legislative Management and conducted in collaboration with NDSU Extension.

There were five primary aims to this study:

• Identify current public and private resources, services, and supports for family caregivers, both public and private, and by region and/or county.

• Identify barriers and challenges family caregivers experience, which includes the need for training, respite care services, medical leave policies, and delegation of tasks to family members and nonmedical aides.

• Identify best practice models for family caregiver support programs from other states.

• Identify emerging practices and technology that can enhance caregiver and patient home supports.

• Provide recommendations to the interim committee.

You can read our final reports by clicking on the images below. 

The main purpose of this study was to explore the relationship between support needs, caregiving decisions, and well-being among older adults in rural areas in collaboration with faculty members at the University of Arkansas, Iowa State University, Kansas State University, Oklahoma State University, North Dakota State University, and Texas Tech University.

This study addresses three main points:

• Factors that relate to the well-being of older adults from rural out-migration regions, including their needs, resources, and roles in assisting others

• Identify individual, family, and community factors that relate to the care choices of older adults

• The extent to which availability of support systems/care options mediate or moderate the association between older adults' needs and their reported well-being.

​​Adults over the age of 65 were recruited from rural counties in the 6 participating states (North Dakota, Arkansas, Iowa, Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas) to complete 30-45 minute telephone interviews from the fall of 2013 until the fall of 2014.

When the COVID-19 pandemic hit in early 2020, Dr. Fuller and Dr. Huseth-Zosel from NDSU's Public Health department wanted to know how the new social distancing precautions and stay-at-home orders would impact older adults over the age of 70. 

We sought to understand how older adults are coping with the pandemic and to explore their experiences, circumstances, and challenges during 2020 and 20201’s time of forced isolation. 

In March of 2020, 76 participants aged 70 and older were recruited from Minnesota and North Dakota to complete a 30 – 45 minute phone interview about their thoughts and experiences with the pandemic, their relationships with family, friends, and neighbors, and their well-being. 

We followed up with participants four times over the course of two years. Participants completed follow-up phone interviews in June 2020, October 2020, April 2021, and April 2022. 

Linked Lives alum Dr. Jonix Owino's mixed methods dissertation investigated aging out of place among aging refugees, particularly with regard to the concepts of quality of life and successful aging.

Published here: 

Owino, J. & Fuller, H. R. (2025). Predictors of quality of life among refugees aging out-of-place. Journal of Cross Cultural Gerontology, 40(2), 179-196. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10823-025-09530-3  

Owino, J., & Fuller, H. R. (2025). Qualitative research on the match/mismatch in perceptions of successful aging and lived experiences among older Burundian refugees in the USA. Journal of International Migration and Integration, Advanced online publication. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12134-025-01253-1 

Owino, J. & Fuller, H. R. (2023). Aging out-of-place: Perceptions of successful aging among aging Burundian refugees in the United States, The Gerontologist, 63(7), 1238-1247. https://doi.org/10.1093/geront/gnad013

Linked Lives alum Dr. Masahiro Toyama's dissertation used the Health and Retirement Study to address age and gender differences among personality, perceived control, and health among Japanese and American adults.

Published here:

Toyama, M., Fuller, H.R., & Hektner, J. (2022). Longitudinal Associations between Conscientiousness and Neuroticism with Perceived Mastery and Constraints for Aging Adults. Research on Aging, 44(1), 83-95. https://doi.org/10.1177/0164027521992892.

Toyama, M., & Fuller, H.R. (2021). The Longitudinal Association of Perceived Control with Functional Health for American and Japanese Aging Adults. The Gerontologist, 61(6), 917-929. https://doi.org/10.1093/geront/gnaa135.