{"id":{"repo_id":"vt","oai_identifier":"oai:vtechworks.lib.vt.edu:10919/34220"},"canonical_url":"https://search.dev.ndltd.org/etd/vt/oai:vtechworks.lib.vt.edu:10919/34220","repository":{"repo_id":"vt","name":"Virginia Tech","base_url":"https://vtechworks.lib.vt.edu/oai/request"},"display":{"title":"Community Connections and Sense of Community among Older Adults","abstract":"Many older adults are electing to age in place within their communities. Even though they may be frequent consumers of community programs and services, their role as contributors to community well-being should not be overlooked. Sense of community is a core dimension of well-being because the connections associated with sense of community are important for everyday life. The model in this study was developed to explore the effects of community connections (community capacity, ease of making connections, active participation in the community, and informal supports) and demographic variables on sense of community. A probability sample of 1,499 adults 65 years and older that resided in rural areas responded to questions concerning their sense of community and community connections. Using multiple regression analysis, results indicate that community capacity, ease of connecting with others in the community, and having an informal support network are significant in predicting sense of community. Nonsignificant associations were found with regard to participation in community activities, age, sex, health status, and length of time living in the county. These findings suggest that key dimensions of aging (age, sex, health status) are less relevant when addressing sense of community when compared to associations and connections. Factors that predict sense of community may be amenable to community-level interventions, thus allowing for the development of sense of community among community members, which could ultimately lead to their participation as community resources.","abstract_html":"Many older adults are electing to age in place within their communities. Even though they may be frequent consumers of community programs and services, their role as contributors to community well-being should not be overlooked. Sense of community is a core dimension of well-being because the connections associated with sense of community are important for everyday life. The model in this study was developed to explore the effects of community connections (community capacity, ease of making connections, active participation in the community, and informal supports) and demographic variables on sense of community. A probability sample of 1,499 adults 65 years and older that resided in rural areas responded to questions concerning their sense of community and community connections. Using multiple regression analysis, results indicate that community capacity, ease of connecting with others in the community, and having an informal support network are significant in predicting sense of community. Nonsignificant associations were found with regard to participation in community activities, age, sex, health status, and length of time living in the county. These findings suggest that key dimensions of aging (age, sex, health status) are less relevant when addressing sense of community when compared to associations and connections. Factors that predict sense of community may be amenable to community-level interventions, thus allowing for the development of sense of community among community members, which could ultimately lead to their participation as community resources.","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Brossoie, Nancy"],"institution":"Virginia Tech","degree_name":"Master of Science","degree_level":"masters","degree_discipline":"Human Development","degree_department":"Human Development","school":null,"contributors":[],"advisors":[],"committee_chairs":["Mancini, Jay A."],"committee_members":["Roberto, Karen A.","Blieszner, Rosemary"],"year":2003,"date_issued":"2003-05-05","date_published":"2003-05-05","updated_at":"2026-07-22T22:19:24Z","subjects":["community connections","sense of community","older adults","community capacity"],"languages":[],"rights":["In Copyright"],"rights_urls":["http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/"],"identifier_entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier.other","label":"Dc Identifier Other","values":["etd-07282003-203531"],"render_values":[{"text":"etd-07282003-203531","href":null,"code":true}]}]},"links":{"outbound_url":"http://hdl.handle.net/10919/34220","outbound_label":"Handle","outbound_source":"dc:identifier.uri"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:contributor.committeechair","label":"Committee Chair","values":["Mancini, Jay A."]},{"key":"dc:contributor.committeemember","label":"Committee Member","values":["Roberto, Karen A.","Blieszner, Rosemary"]},{"key":"dc:contributor.department","label":"Department","values":["Human Development"]},{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["Brossoie, Nancy"]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"dc:date.accessioned","label":"Dc Date Accessioned","values":["2014-03-14T20:42:07Z"]},{"key":"dc:date.available","label":"Dc Date Available","values":["2014-03-14T20:42:07Z","2004-08-19"]},{"key":"dc:date.issued","label":"Date","values":["2003-05-05"]},{"key":"dc:publisher","label":"Institution","values":["Virginia Tech"]},{"key":"dc:type","label":"Dc Type","values":["Thesis"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_discipline","label":"Discipline","values":["Human Development"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_level","label":"Degree Level","values":["masters"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_name","label":"Degree Name","values":["Master of Science"]},{"key":"thesis:institution_name","label":"Thesis Institution Name","values":["Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University"]}]},{"id":"subjects_keywords","label":"Subjects and Keywords","entries":[{"key":"dc:subject","label":"Dc Subject","values":["community connections","sense of community","older adults","community capacity"]}]},{"id":"language_rights","label":"Language and Rights","entries":[{"key":"dc:rights","label":"Dc Rights","values":["In Copyright"]},{"key":"dc:rights.uri","label":"Rights URI","values":["http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/"]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier.other","label":"Dc Identifier Other","values":["etd-07282003-203531"]},{"key":"dc:identifier.uri","label":"Identifier URI","values":["http://hdl.handle.net/10919/34220"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description.abstract","label":"Abstract","values":["Many older adults are electing to age in place within their communities. Even though they may be frequent consumers of community programs and services, their role as contributors to community well-being should not be overlooked. Sense of community is a core dimension of well-being because the connections associated with sense of community are important for everyday life. The model in this study was developed to explore the effects of community connections (community capacity, ease of making connections, active participation in the community, and informal supports) and demographic variables on sense of community. A probability sample of 1,499 adults 65 years and older that resided in rural areas responded to questions concerning their sense of community and community connections. Using multiple regression analysis, results indicate that community capacity, ease of connecting with others in the community, and having an informal support network are significant in predicting sense of community. Nonsignificant associations were found with regard to participation in community activities, age, sex, health status, and length of time living in the county. These findings suggest that key dimensions of aging (age, sex, health status) are less relevant when addressing sense of community when compared to associations and connections. Factors that predict sense of community may be amenable to community-level interventions, thus allowing for the development of sense of community among community members, which could ultimately lead to their participation as community resources."]},{"key":"dc:description.degree","label":"Dc Description Degree","values":["Master of Science"]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["Community Connections and Sense of Community among Older Adults"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:contributor.committeechair":["Mancini, Jay A."],"dc:contributor.committeemember":["Roberto, Karen A.","Blieszner, Rosemary"],"dc:contributor.department":["Human Development"],"dc:creator":["Brossoie, Nancy"],"dc:date.accessioned":["2014-03-14T20:42:07Z"],"dc:date.available":["2014-03-14T20:42:07Z","2004-08-19"],"dc:date.issued":["2003-05-05"],"dc:description.abstract":["Many older adults are electing to age in place within their communities. Even though they may be frequent consumers of community programs and services, their role as contributors to community well-being should not be overlooked. Sense of community is a core dimension of well-being because the connections associated with sense of community are important for everyday life. The model in this study was developed to explore the effects of community connections (community capacity, ease of making connections, active participation in the community, and informal supports) and demographic variables on sense of community. A probability sample of 1,499 adults 65 years and older that resided in rural areas responded to questions concerning their sense of community and community connections. Using multiple regression analysis, results indicate that community capacity, ease of connecting with others in the community, and having an informal support network are significant in predicting sense of community. Nonsignificant associations were found with regard to participation in community activities, age, sex, health status, and length of time living in the county. These findings suggest that key dimensions of aging (age, sex, health status) are less relevant when addressing sense of community when compared to associations and connections. Factors that predict sense of community may be amenable to community-level interventions, thus allowing for the development of sense of community among community members, which could ultimately lead to their participation as community resources."],"dc:description.degree":["Master of Science"],"dc:identifier.other":["etd-07282003-203531"],"dc:identifier.uri":["http://hdl.handle.net/10919/34220"],"dc:publisher":["Virginia Tech"],"dc:rights":["In Copyright"],"dc:rights.uri":["http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/"],"dc:subject":["community connections","sense of community","older adults","community capacity"],"dc:title":["Community Connections and Sense of Community among Older Adults"],"dc:type":["Thesis"],"thesis:degree_discipline":["Human Development"],"thesis:degree_level":["masters"],"thesis:degree_name":["Master of Science"],"thesis:institution_name":["Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University"]},"updated_at":"2026-07-22T22:19:24Z"}