Disaster Preparedness Intervention for Older Adults (Seniors' Positive Involvement in Community Emergencies):...

Area of Science:

• Gerontology
• Public Health
• Emergency Management

Background:

• Older adults are a significant population needing disaster support but often lack preparedness and community engagement.
• Existing research highlights a gap in high-quality studies addressing disaster resilience in older populations.

Purpose of the Study:

• To implement a 4-phase intervention designed to improve disaster mitigation, preparedness, response, and recovery for community-dwelling older adults.
• Objectives include enhancing mobility, reducing fall risks, increasing disaster knowledge, refining community emergency plans, and boosting self-efficacy in disaster recovery.

Main Methods:

• A 10-month community-based study in a Midwestern urban/suburban location involving seminars, critical incident packets, and home-based mobility/balance exercises.
• Interventions address mitigation (home visits), preparedness (seminars, resource packets), response (city plan amendments), and recovery (self-efficacy building).
• Data collection utilizes accelerometers, fall risk assessments, surveys (FEMA Household, disaster engagement), pain inventory, and self-efficacy scales, with statistical analysis comparing pre- and post-intervention data.

Main Results:

• Intervention funding began July 2023, with enrollment ongoing since November 2023.
• Data collection is scheduled to conclude by July 2025, with study results anticipated in early 2025.

Conclusions:

• The intervention aims to enhance older adult safety, promote aging in place, and foster community involvement during disasters.
• Successful outcomes could lead to future studies on sustainability and outreach, serving as a model for similar initiatives.