Geriatric Mental Health Disaster and Emergency Preparedness

134 Geriatric Mental Health Disaster and Emergency Preparedness
Use Community Resources in Innovative
Ways to Improve Preparedness
Use Community Organizations as
Safe Spaces in Times of Emergency
In times of disaster, workplaces and homes are often not accessible or are
uninhabitable, and communications may be disrupted. Religious and service
organizations, however, are likely to remain open. After September 11,
2001, many people sought refuge—physical and emotional—in these places.
Community organizations may have space to provide, and religious organizations,
in particular, have leaders trained in basic counseling. By recognizing
these organizations as safe spaces during times of emergency, people
would be able to visit and receive basic crisis counseling from community
members, fostering a sense of cohesion and community with others that
could bolster their coping and healing.
House Emergency Supplies in Community
Organizations in Exchange for Teaching Community
Leaders and Other Caregivers How to Use Them
In the event of a disaster causing mass casualties, the hospital system could
be overwhelmed. By housing emergency medical supplies in community
organizations, health providers could be dispatched to communities to conduct
triage and provide basic health services within the community, thus
reducing the stress on the hospital system. Additionally, providing CPR
equipment (like automatic defibrillators) and basic first aid training to
leaders of community organizations could greatly improve their response
efficacy to common health emergencies and empower them to take a more
active role in the community ’s public health efforts.
Include Community Leaders in Emergency Alert
Systems to Improve Information Dissemination
Religious and other community leaders have the power to disseminate information
to masses of people during services, in bulletins, or through
other channels. As a trusted source of information, their messages may be
considered more relevant and salient by neglected or hard-to-reach populations
such as older persons. Including these caregivers in the distribution
list of emergency alert communications would enable them to