Geriatric Mental Health Disaster and Emergency Preparedness

Chapter 8 Self-Help Tools for Older Persons and Their Caregivers 151
Computer classes at community colleges and other community-based educational
programs are effective resources for older persons to acquire
computer and Internet skills.
SUMMARY
Many tools designed to aid older persons in planning for as well as surviving
crises and then rebuilding their lives already exist. New tools are
always welcome additions to the armamentarium because of the need for
appropriate cultural, ethnic, and language-specific content. Because of
health literacy concerns for some older persons, particularly those of lower
income, tools such as picture boards, which do not rely on written language,
are helpful. The color coding of terrorist attack threat levels — with green,
blue, yellow, orange, and red indicating increasing levels of threat — is an
excellent example of a pictorial display, but even this does not work for
color-blind individuals.
Emergency preparedness, like so many other public health programs,
is a constantly evolving system of threats and responses. As our knowledge
and sophistication about disasters and emergencies change, so must our
tools to respond properly. Self-help tools must be easy to use by affected
individuals or by informal, untrained, or minimally trained caregivers. Selfhelp
tools should be designed in consultation with older persons. Finally,
self-help tools need to be as universal as possible. The catch phrases
for the creation of new self-help tools in emergency preparedness must
be to stay constantly vigilant to new threats and opportunities, to involve
older people in the process, and to promote their self-confidence and independence.
REFERENCES
Acierno, R., Ruggiero, K. J., Kilpatrick, D. G., Resnick, H. S., & Galea, S. (2006). Risk and
protective factors for psychopathology among older versus younger adults after the
2004 Florida hurricanes. The American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, 14, 1051–1059.
Acierno, R., Ruggiero, K. J., Galea, S., Resnick, H. S., Koenen, K., Roitzsch, J., et al.
(2007 ). Psychological sequelae resulting from the 2004 Florida hurricanes: Implications
for postdisaster intervention. American Journal of Public Health, 97 (Suppl. 1),
S103 – 108.
Alexander, G. C., Larkin, G. L., & Wynia, M. K. (2006). Physicians’ preparedness for bioterrorism
and other public health priorities. Academic Emergency Medicine, 13 (11),
1238 –1241.