Supporting older adults after the earthquake

Help provided to older adults in the aftermath of the Christchurch earthquake needs to be sensitive to their particular age-related needs, psychology researcher Robyn Tuohy says.

Older people may not ask for help, and downplay their own health and wellbeing after a disaster, Ms Tuohy says. “They may not want to bother others at this time; yet their own social networks may already have been lessened because family and friends whom they could usually expect to call for help from may be victims of the same disaster.”

Ms Tuohy is PhD student in the School of Psychology. Her master’s thesis investigated the effect on older people of the 2007 Northland floods. Ms Tuohy says the same sorts of concerns and issues will be found in the recovery phase of any natural disaster.

Older adults living independently in the community may have particular physical and cognitive health challenges that needed to be addressed in the recovery phase of the disaster, she says. “Able bodied people can manoeuvre, manage and be creative, but for some older adults this may not be possible. A disaster can push older adults beyond their everyday ability to cope.”

Medical care, social and emotional support all have to be maintained as does practical support at a time when older people were also trying to cope without basic services like power and water. They may be feeling even more cut off than other parts of the population.

Research from the World Heath Organisation shows that older adults suffered disproportionately more in a disaster, she says. Social support plays an important role in disaster recovery, and can help protect older adults against the negative impact of stress on health and wellbeing. Social support can help older adults regain a sense of control and mastery after the disaster.

Practical support could include help with cleaning, shopping or providing meals and transport. Emotional social support could simply involved visiting older people or talking to them on the telephone.

Older residents may also need someone to help them with processes like preparing insurance claims that involved taking photographs to document their losses. “Providing advocacy assistance that enables older adults to make early contact with insurance companies and develop a good rapport with the assessors will positively influence recovery.”

Help to save and protect treasured possessions, photos and other memorabilia can be very important for psychosocial wellbeing in old age, she says. “Significant items in an older person’s life can provide a sense of connection with the past through the meanings they have for each owner.”