Geriatric Mental Health Disaster and Emergency Preparedness

5
National and Cross-National
Models of Geriatric
Disaster Preparedness:
The Canadian Context
TRISH DRYDEN AND LYNDA ATACK
Concerns have emerged worldwide about the heightened vulnerability of
older persons in natural and man-made disasters (HelpAge International,
2006). The Canadian Disaster Database (Public Safety Canada, 2007), maintained
online by Public Safety Canada, lists detailed information on over
700 natural, technological, and conflict events that have directly affected
Canadians over the past century. Relatively recent disasters such as a Quebec
ice storm, which caused power outages for more than 30 days in some
areas; floods in Manitoba and Quebec; and a firestorm in British Columbia
highlight the risks older persons encounter in emergency situations
(Plouffe, 2008).
In this chapter, we draw on Statistics Canada data to provide a snapshot
of the current older adult population in Canada, review the impact
of three disasters on older Canadians, and describe governmental,
community-based, and academic initiatives under way in Canada. This
broad perspective reflects a combination of literature review and the results
of key informant interviews conducted with emergency preparedness
coordinators, academics, consultants, and policy analysts in aging and
disaster management as we prepared the chapter (see Chapter Acknowledgments
for the names of these informants). These experts provided important
observations on planning and disaster management, education,
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