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Seniors During Emergencies: Vulnerable Yet Resilient
Everybody is vulnerable in an
emergency or disaster, but some people, such as
children, seniors and persons with a disability are
more vulnerable than others.
Courtesy The Canadian Health Network
Seniors can be particularly at risk during
catastrophic events. The good news is that they also
bring enormous contributions to emergency
preparation and assistance.
The
following headlines show how several recent
disasters have been particularly hard—in some cases,
devastating—for seniors:
-
Spring 2003 - SARS crisis in Toronto
throws thousands of seniors in long-term care
into mandatory isolation.
-
Summer 2003 - France experiences terrible
heat wave with devastating effect on seniors.
Many elderly Parisians die.
-
August 2003 - Massive blackout in many
parts of eastern North America leaves thousands
of seniors alone and in the dark.
-
Summer 2005 - Hurricane Katrina cripples
New Orleans—75% of deaths are seniors.
Disasters are increasing around the world
Over
the last ten years, the world has experienced more
frequent and intense disasters, natural and
man-made, with devastating effects. A paper from the
2005 World Conference on Disaster Reduction states
that the last ten years have seen 478,100 people
killed, more than 2.5 billion people affected and
about US$ 690 billion in economic losses.
Recent natural disasters include the earthquakes in
Indonesia and Pakistan, Hurricane Katrina and the
tsunami in South Asia. In Canada, we have also
experienced our share of natural disasters, such as
the forest fires in British Columbia and the ice
storm in Eastern Ontario and Quebec. Other types of
disasters include environmental spills, nuclear
accidents, power failures, terrorism and health
emergencies such as the projected flu pandemic.
Seniors: a diverse group—that's
getting bigger
Around the world, our population is aging rapidly.
One out of every ten persons is now 60 years or
above; by 2050, one out of five will be 60 years or
older; and by 2150, one out of three persons will be
60 years or older. In Canada, it is projected that
by the year 2031, 23% of the population will be over
age 65.
The
term seniors covers a large number of people aged 65
and over, with as much variation of abilities,
circumstances and level of independence as in the
Canadian population as a whole. Individual ability
varies a lot and may not have much to do with
calendar age. Some people do not function very well
at age 60, while others are active and involved at
90.
What
can happen to seniors during emergencies?
Despite the growth in the number and proportion of
older persons in our society, some seniors face
specific challenges that become more difficult
during emergency situations:
Physical challenges
Many seniors have physical disabilities or
conditions that affect their mobility and agility.
The Division of Aging and Seniors states that by age
85, about one half of Canadians experience at least
one disability in relation to sight, hearing,
cognition, mobility or manual dexterity.
During an emergency, it may be difficult, or even
impossible, for some seniors to evacuate quickly if
they use wheelchairs or walkers. Those who have
trouble hearing, seeing or understanding may miss
emergency instructions. Special measures may be
needed to ensure seniors evacuate safely and receive
adequate care during this period.
Living situation
Many seniors live apart from their families. For
those who are isolated and lack social networks, an
emergency could mean that they could be without
help.
For
example, if transportation and communications
systems break down during an emergency, and regular
homecare services suddenly stop, seniors without
family or community supports may be left stranded
without food or medical care and not knowing how to
get help. In this respect, there is an important
need to identify and link seniors to emergency
health and social services before disasters so that
adequate assistance will be available.
Economic hardship
Seniors with low incomes are particularly at risk.
According to a recent report by the National
Advisory Council on Aging, a number of Canadian
seniors are living on or near the poverty line,
particularly those living alone, women over age 80,
visible minorities and immigrants. Many of these
seniors are dependent on supports such as social
assistance, housing, food, prescription medications
and drop-in programs.
During an emergency, these types of supports may be
unavailable for a period of time and this group of
seniors has fewer options for temporary care, such
as moving to another community or to a hotel.
Seniors may thus be in particular need for emergency
health and emergency social services, although we
know from past disasters they are often reluctant to
access available services and become vulnerable in
this way as well.
Place in society
Research coordinated through
HelpAge International shows that, despite
international protocols, seniors are given low
priority and little attention during emergencies.
"Old people can be invisible. In some cases this
invisibility is based on ignorance, lack of
information," says Alex Kalache of the World Health
Organization (WHO).
Seniors also bring many strengths to emergencies
Not
all seniors are vulnerable. Indeed, most seniors
bring a wealth of life experience that can help both
them and their communities prepare for and respond
to emergencies and catastrophic events. They often
have an emotional resiliency that comes from having
lived through life's ups and downs.
"Seniors can be leaders during disasters," says Kym
Martin at the Centre for Emergency Preparedness and
Response, Public Health Agency of Canada. "They can
provide both leadership and capacity during
emergencies."
Her
colleague, Dr. Dave Hutton, agrees. "Seniors have a
lot of capacities, experience and wisdom as a group
within the community."
What seniors can offer
Skills and time
Many seniors bring a wealth of knowledge and skills
that can help communities rebuild and recover after
emergencies and disasters. Seniors serve as
volunteers with organizations where they might
prepare and deliver food, provide transportation
services for less able seniors, or even help rebuild
homes after events like floods or hurricanes.
Community networks
The
Vanier Institute of the Family states that 19%
of seniors participate in formal volunteer work and
23% provide unpaid care to other seniors. Many are
involved in local organizations that reach a broad
section of the community. Seniors also report a
strong sense of belonging to their local
communities. Through their networks, seniors can
help to distribute food, check on housebound
neighbours, and provide transportation to health
care and other services.
Perspective
According to Dianne Scoffield, Emergency Management
Program Co-ordinator at the Ontario Ministry of
Community and Social Services, "Seniors have
experienced so much in life, they are less apt to be
alarmist than younger people. For example, some
seniors can remember the last pandemic."
Engaging seniors in the planning process
To
protect seniors and the broader community from the
effects of a catastrophic event, we need to focus on
building healthy communities in which seniors play
an active role in planning and decision-making.
Dr.
Dave Hutton of the Public Health Agency of Canada
talks about the importance of including seniors
right from the beginning. "If we just come to
seniors and say 'it's time to prepare for the next
emergency', this is not nearly as effective as if we
ask them to be part of the planning process."
Val
Alcock believes that communities need to begin by
identifying who the seniors are in each
neighbourhood, so that they can be reached in case
of emergency. For example, where she lives in
Nanaimo, B.C. there is a
Telephone Visiting Society that not only helps
to address loneliness, but also could connect people
in case of an emergency.
Most
people agree that communicating with a group as
diverse as seniors will require a multi-faceted
approach. Some seniors use the Internet regularly,
while others never touch a computer. An effective
approach to engage seniors will not be a one size
fits all. Rather, it will reflect the contributions
and needs of the seniors who live in a particular
community.
Canada is playing a leadership role
Canada is placing increasing emphasis on seniors and
emergency preparedness. Working with international
partners, this work recognizes that preparing
seniors and other vulnerable populations is a key
factor to prepare for and respond to disasters and
other emergencies.
Alex
Kalache of the World Health Organization commends
Canada for the role it has played: "More natural
disasters and more older people who are more
vulnerable mean that we need more policies to
protect them. This is where Canada has had the
vision... to prevent problems for a population that
is vulnerable while respecting the resiliency of
seniors."
This
spring, the Public Health Agency of Canada, through
its Division of Aging and Seniors, was awarded the
International Award for 2006 annual award of
Help the Aged, a British charity fighting to
free disadvantaged older people in the United
Kingdom and overseas from poverty, isolation and
neglect.
The
award was presented by the Queen and accepted by
Margaret Gillis, Director of the Agency's Division
of Aging and Seniors, as part of the celebrations to
honour the Queen's 80th birthday.
Margaret Gillis notes that "to be effective, we must
work with diverse organizations that serve seniors,
including from governmental, health, social and
voluntary sectors. Working with Canadian and
international partners helps us build our
understanding and learn from past experiences."
According to Alex Kalache, "The country that
champions the aging cause at the dawn of the 21st
century will show vision and leadership in public
health globally for years to come. I acknowledge
gratefully that as far as WHO stands, Canada is
firmly playing such a role."
What seniors can do to prepare for an
emergency
Public Safety and Emergency
Preparedness Canada has
comprehensive information to help all Canadians
prepare for emergencies and disaster, including
how to prepare your home and what to put in an
emergency kit.
Checklists
When Disaster Strikes,
a new resource from Canada's
The Division of Aging and Seniors,
Public Health Agency of Canada,
also identifies practical steps Canadians can take
to prepare for an emergency.
The
State of Florida, a participant at the Toronto
meeting, has experienced numerous hurricane-related
disasters over the past several years. Their key
message is that seniors should plan to be on their
own for at least three days after a disaster.
The
Florida checklist includes items aimed more
specifically at seniors:
-
adult incontinent supplies
-
heavy gloves- especially for wheelchair users
-
supplies for pets and/or service animal, if
required.
©
Canadian Health Network. All rights reserved.
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