Disaster Stress And Older Adults

TRENTON, N.J. — Many survivors of Hurricane Sandy find themselves under additional stress these days. But disaster-related anxiety can be especially high in older adults, particularly those living on their own or isolated from friends and family.

Because of their age and other unique circumstances, older adults often react much differently than younger people to catastrophic events. It’s not uncommon after a disaster for them to become withdrawn, agitated, disoriented and confused.

Family members, friends, neighbors and caregivers should be aware of this and be ready to safeguard both their physical and mental health. Be on the lookout for the following symptoms of senior stress:

  • Fear of losing their independence because of disaster-related injury or loss of their residence. This can be the biggest trauma that older people face after a disaster.
  • Problems talking to people and answering questions. Difficulties in communicating after a disaster can be increased by factors such as slower thought processes related to age, problems with seeing and hearing, and reduced mobility.
  • “Welfare” stigma. Many older adults are cautious about or even unwilling to accept government help because they have always “paid their way.” Their reluctance to accept assistance can be compounded by a lack of knowledge about government services for which they may be eligible.
  • Memories or flashbacks of other events in their lives when they were traumatized or suffered severe losses.
  • Anxiety caused by poor reading skills and inadequate command of the English language.
  • Worry about limited financial resources and having enough time to rebuild their homes.
  • Fear of being put in an institution because they cannot return to a home that was destroyed by the disaster.
  • Withdrawal and isolation from family and friends.
  • In severe cases, seniors also may undergo personality changes in the wake of a disaster.

Because older people may be on medication for health conditions, it’s important to ensure they are medically stable before deciding that any of the above symptoms are due to emotional stress.

It’s also important to keep in mind that seniors have decades of experience and strengths gained from facing previous disasters and adversity.

Those who live or work with older adults who have been adversely affected by Hurricane Sandy can take a number of steps to monitor and improve their mental health:

  • Provide consistent verbal reassurance.
  • Assist them in recovering personal possessions.
  • Help them re-establish contact with their family, friends and social networks.
  • Help them find a suitable residential relocation until they can return to their own home, ideally in familiar surroundings with friends or acquaintances.
  • Make frequent home visits and arrange for others to visit them.
  • Ensure medical and financial assistance.
  • Provide transportation to the doctor, grocery store, etc.
  • Re-establish and monitor their nutritional and medication needs.

Older people or their family and friends seeking additional information about stress counseling and services should contact their local mental health agencies. The New Jersey Department of Human Services is coordinating statewide efforts to help individuals and communities manage the emotional impact of the storm. Crisis counselors are currently providing support and assisting in FEMA Disaster Recovery Centers as needed. 

In addition to providing face-to-face disaster crisis counseling, the state provides informational materials about coping, and it has partnered with the Mental Health Association in New Jersey to offer assistance through a toll free helpline: 877-294-4357 (also applies for VRS or 711-Relay users) or TTY 877-294-4356. More information about disaster-related stress can be found at the website: www.state.nj.us/humanservices/dmhs/disaster/.

POSSIBLE PHOTOS: See following links

Red Cross provides assistance for Hurricane Sandy survivors (ID: 60611)

http://www.fema.gov/photolibrary/photo_details.do?id=60611

Community Relations Specialists speak with Sandy Survivors (ID: 60564)

http://www.fema.gov/photolibrary/photo_details.do?id=60564

FEMA Community Relations Specialists assist residents in New Jersey (ID: 60443)

http://www.fema.gov/photolibrary/photo_details.do?id=60443

FEMA’s mission is to support our citizens and first responders to ensure that as a nation we work together to build, sustain, and improve our capability to prepare for, protect against, respond to, recover from, and mitigate all hazards.

Follow FEMA online at www.fema.gov/blog, www.twitter.com/fema, www.facebook.com/fema, and www.youtube.com/fema.  Also, follow Administrator Craig Fugate’s activities at www.twitter.com/craigatfema. 

The social media links provided are for reference only. FEMA does not endorse any non-government websites, companies or applications.

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Disaster Stress And Older Adults

FEMA’s Community Relations Teams Are Reaching Out to Connecticut’s Disaster Survivors

HARTFORD, Conn. – Teams of federal disaster recovery professionals are reaching out to Connecticut residents along the disaster-stricken coast to make sure survivors know what help is available and how to get it.

FEMA’s Community Relations teams advise homeowners, renters, business owners, eligible nonprofit agencies and faith-based organizations how to register for disaster assistance and can provide registration access when there is no other source available. They also help identify people with disabilities, those with access and functional needs, seniors and people with limited English proficiency.

Registering with FEMA is the most important step to securing assistance.

“We want people to know that they can register online, by smartphone or a toll-free phone call, and the sooner they register, the sooner we might be able to help,” said Federal Coordinating Officer Albert Lewis.

Easily identified by FEMA photo ID badges, Community Relations representatives seek out any location where people affected by the disaster might be found. They provide information about access to recovery resources, as well as the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA), which offers low-interest disaster loans for homeowners, renters and businesses of all sizes.

Disaster Recovery Centers in designated counties offer one-on-one assistance, information on recovery resources, SBA low-interest loans, flood insurance and mitigation.

Online registration is available anytime at www.DisasterAssistance.gov. If you have a web-enabled device, enter m.fema.gov in the web browser. You can also register by calling FEMA at 800-621-3362. If you use a TTY, call 800-462-7585; or, use 711 or Video Relay Service to call 800-621-3362. Multilingual operators are available.

For assistance from SBA call 800-659-2955, or visit www.sba.gov/sandy.

Disaster recovery assistance is available without regard to race, color, religion, nationality, sex, age, disability, English proficiency or economic status. If you or someone you know has been discriminated against, call FEMA toll-free at 800-621-FEMA (3362). For TTY call 800-462-7585.

The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) is the federal government’s primary source of money for the long-term rebuilding of disaster-damaged private property. SBA helps homeowners, renters, businesses of all sizes, and private nonprofit organizations fund repairs or rebuilding efforts and covers the cost of replacing lost or disaster-damaged personal property. These disaster loans cover losses not fully compensated by insurance or other recoveries and do not duplicate benefits of other agencies or organizations.

FEMA’s mission is to support our citizens and first responders to ensure that as a nation we work together to build, sustain, and improve our capability to prepare for, protect against, respond to, recover from, and mitigate all hazards.

 

 

 

 

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FEMA’s Community Relations Teams Are Reaching Out to Connecticut’s Disaster Survivors