"We expect older adults to be able to prepare and recover from a cyclone as well as younger members of this community": emergency management's expectations of older adults residing in aging, remote hamlets on Australia's cyclone prone coastline
Astill, Sandra, and Miller, Evonne (2018) "We expect older adults to be able to prepare and recover from a cyclone as well as younger members of this community": emergency management's expectations of older adults residing in aging, remote hamlets on Australia's cyclone prone coastline. Disaster Medicine and Public Health Preparedness, 12 (1). pp. 14-18.
DOI: 10.1017/dmp.2017.33
View at Publisher Website: http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/dmp.2017.33
To investigate the extent to which older residents feel they can remain "self-reliant" during future natural disasters and to compare the findings with the viewpoints of local policy-makers and with those charged with caring for the elderly both on a day-to-day basis and in times of crisis.
This study used an array of non-probability snowballing techniques to seek the participation of senior citizens over the age of 65 years, emergency services officers, community health carers, and local government disaster managers located in aging, remote, coastal Australian communities vulnerable to cyclones and storm surges. All respondents participated in either a face-to-face personal interview or a focus group, with senior citizens also completing a self-administered questionnaire.
This research found a discrepancy between policy expectations and the experiences of both the elderly and those who care for them, as well as a lack of understanding with regard to the term "self-reliant."
These results highlight the inability of older adults in aging, remote, coastal Australian communities to remain "self-reliant" in the future, impacting both disaster management policies and the future capacity of these communities to remain resilient. (Disaster Med Public Health Preparedness. 2017;page 1 of 5)
Article (Research - C1)
aging populations, natural hazards, cyclones, self-reliant, emergency management policies
11 MEDICAL AND HEALTH SCIENCES > 1117 Public Health and Health Services > 111702 Aged Health Care @ 50%
16 STUDIES IN HUMAN SOCIETY > 1604 Human Geography > 160404 Urban and Regional Studies (excl Planning) @ 25%
16 STUDIES IN HUMAN SOCIETY > 1699 Other Studies in Human Society > 169999 Studies in Human Society not elsewhere classified @ 25%
96 ENVIRONMENT > 9610 Natural Hazards > 961099 Natural Hazards not elsewhere classified @ 50%
92 HEALTH > 9205 Specific Population Health (excl. Indigenous Health) > 920502 Health Related to Ageing @ 50%