Meaningful Living in Rural Communities: Pathways to Productive Aging

Prairie Doc Perspective Week of March 8th, 2026
Meaningful Living in Rural Communities: Pathways to Productive Aging
By: Whitney Lucas Molitor, Ph.D., OTD, OTR/L, BCG and Allison Naber, Ph.D., OTD, OTR/L
Living in rural communities offers unique opportunities to promote successful aging. Incorporating a purposeful lifestyle, developing social connections and engaging in daily physical activity is essential to achieving positive health outcomes and quality of life.
Finding purpose includes exploring the activities you already engage in and being open to new possibilities. Engaging in motivating activities provides a framework for a purposeful life. The selected activities can promote health, foster a sense of identity and give a sense of purpose in life while aligning with personal values and interests. While some daily activities are performed without much thought, identifying others may require careful exploration. 
In rural communities, consideration of the physical context is also essential. The American Occupational Therapy Association provides a framework that incorporates reflection on personal values, interests and prior life experiences. This approach, along with establishing priorities and goals, can be a valuable way to explore daily activities and create new opportunities for engagement that enhance purpose in daily life. To align life purpose with a rural context, it is essential to incorporate outdoor activities, find creative ways to connect with family and friends and explore opportunities with local groups. Activities can be modified to support evolving interests, abilities and desires. 
Establishing and maintaining strong social connections is critical to promoting healthy aging in rural communities. Older adults in rural areas may experience social isolation due to limited opportunities for interaction. This can be due to changes in overall health, technology barriers (limited internet access or limited computer or smartphone skills) or physical barriers (limited community mobility or driving restrictions). Social isolation can pose physical, psychological and behavioral health risks. Engaging in meaningful activities with others can help build relationships, find purpose or fulfillment and develop new hobbies or skills. Educational programs or groups are an excellent way to explore new leisure activities or learn strategies to improve health and well-being. Reaching out to family or friends, visiting your local senior center, attending community events, or joining a club can all provide a sense of connection, purpose and well-being.
In addition to staying socially connected, developing a regular physical activity routine is essential for older rural adults. Adults over 65 should set goals to strengthen their muscles and improve their balance by engaging in at least 150 minutes of moderate physical activity per week. Moderate physical activity increases breathing and heart rate, but you should still be able to talk while active. Beneficial activities include brisk walking, dancing, riding a stationary bike or NuStep, using weights or resistive exercise bands, gardening or participating in water aerobics. Consider setting a goal to move your body for 30 minutes each day to reduce sedentary time. Sedentary activities include watching TV, reading, sitting or lying down. Prolonged sedentary behavior increases the risk of poorer health outcomes among older adults. Intentionally participating in meaningful activities throughout the day will reduce time spent sedentary. Reduce sedentary behavior by standing during commercial breaks, walking around your home after a meal or stretching after reading the paper or playing cards. Incorporating the strategies mentioned in this article can promote well-being and enhance quality of life.


Whitney Lucas Molitor, Ph.D., OTD, OTR/L, BCG, is department chair and associate professor in the Department of Occupational Therapy at the University of South Dakota. Lucas Molitor is a licensed occupational therapist in Iowa and South Dakota. Her research interests include health promotion and productive aging. Allison Naber, Ph.D., OTD, OTR/L, is the academic fieldwork coordinator and an associate professor in The Department of Occupational Therapy at the University of South Dakota. Naber is a licensed occupational therapist in Minnesota and South Dakota. Her research interests include occupational performance and life balance, particularly as they relate to healthy aging. Follow The Prairie Doc® at www.prairiedoc.org, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and Tik Tok. Prairie Doc Programming includes On Call with the Prairie Doc®, a medical Q&A show (most Thursdays at 7pm, YouTube and streaming on Facebook), 2 podcasts, and a Radio program (on SDPB, Sundays at 6am and 1pm).