Older people as assets in disaster preparedness, response and recovery: lessons from regional Australia

Abstract

This article reports on findings from a qualitative research study on natural disaster preparedness in ‘at risk’ population groups in regional Australia, and in particular on findings highlighting the key, and often unrecognised, role played by many older people in developing and maintaining local informal networks, activated repeatedly before, during and after natural disasters. The article outlines major themes in recent literature on community resilience and social capital in disaster preparedness, response and recovery, the design and implementation of the current study in which, 17 focus groups were held with ‘at risk’ groups across three communities and findings in relation to the role of older people. The implications from these findings are discussed in the context of community-based disaster preparedness strategies. Findings point to older people as critical, community assets in local neighbourhoods, contributing both their experience and relationship-building capacity to prepare themselves for natural disasters. In addition, there was clear evidence of older people sharing resources and experience in support of others of all ages in responding to and recovering from natural disasters. Older people in the research were found both to generate and mobilise social capital at a local level in disaster preparedness, response and recovery.

Prevalence and risk factors of post-traumatic stress disorder among elderly survivors six months after the 2008 Wenchuan earthquake in China

“…Older persons are particularly vulnerable to the adverse effects of disasters such as earthquakes. They may be at higher risk because of an accumulation of personal losses, decreased cognitive capacity, chronic illnesses, physical disability, social isolation, poor financial circumstances, limited access to resources, and communication difficulties in using modern technologies [6]. These chronic stressors may severely compromise psychological coping mechanisms, trigger memories of earlier traumatic experiences [7], and place the elderly at high risk for being emotionally overwhelmed following a destructive earthquake.…”

COVID-19, Mental Health and Aging: A Need for New Knowledge to Bridge Science and Service

“…Research has documented the important social capital, perspective and wisdom provided by these individuals in the form of their experience and pre-existing social networks. 7,11 Thus, older adults may have important lessons to teach COVID-19 sufferers, as well as healthcare professionals from all age groups. Simply put, a new body of knowledge needs to be generated to capture the wide impact of the pandemic on mental health and wellness.…”

Health Care Student Perceptions of Societal Vulnerability to Disasters in the Context of Population Aging

“…13,14 Older adults have been found to mobilize and generate social capital to aid recovery efforts, and their wisdom, resilience, and resources have proven effective in assisting vulnerable community members. [15][16][17] At the same time, however, vulnerable older persons are also recognized as being at greater risk of harm during and after disasters and suffer greater morbidity and mortality than younger persons. 13,18 Typically, this is due to the prevalence of one or more geriatric syndromes and lack of immediate disaster relief and caregiver assistance.…”