Older People in Natural Disasters
Belinda Bennett1, Kristina Chelberg1, Queensland University of Technology Brisbane 1Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
Abstract
Older people may be particularly vulnerable during natural disasters. Factors that may affect the vulnerability of older people include social isolation, race, gender, and pre-existing illness or disability. In the period following a natural disaster, loss of housing, and disruption to local, health, and aged care services may add to existing vulnerabilities. However, while older people may be vulnerable in natural disasters, there is also a need to recognise the resilience of many older people, and the important role that older people can play during recovery periods. In the first part of the paper, we analyse the themes of vulnerability and resilience in relation to older people in natural disasters. In the second part of the paper, we consider the World Health Organization’s ‘Older Persons in Emergencies: An Active Ageing Perspective’ (WHO, 2008) which applies WHO’s Active Ageing Policy Framework to older persons in emergencies. The Framework identifies a number of determinants that affect vulnerability and resilience as people age. These determinants are: (1) physical environment; (2) social determinants; (3) economic determinants; (4) health and social service systems; (5) behavioural determinants; (6) personal determinants; (7) gender; and (8) culture. In the final part of the paper, we use a human rights approach to consider the development of laws and policies relating to older people in natural disasters.
Biography
Belinda Bennett – Bio to come
Kristina Chelberg is a socio-legal researcher exploring how health and illness discourses influence legal structures, particularly in the area of dementia and aged care. Kristina holds Degrees in Law and Science, a Masters in Writing, Editing and Publishing from UQ, and is a final year PhD candidate in the Australian Centre for Health Law Research at QUT. She has published in socio-legal and gerontology journals and presented at international and national conferences.