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Geriatric Mental Health Disaster and Emergency Preparedness

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234 <strong>Geriatric</strong> <strong>Mental</strong> <strong>Health</strong> <strong>Disaster</strong> <strong>and</strong> <strong>Emergency</strong> <strong>Preparedness</strong><br />

“Your will<br />

is my will”<br />

LISTEN<br />

with pen<br />

in h<strong>and</strong><br />

“Fill me with<br />

love” <strong>and</strong><br />

inspirations<br />

“Count<br />

your<br />

blessings,”<br />

give<br />

Thanks<br />

<strong>and</strong> Praise<br />

Select your<br />

favorite<br />

Inspirations,<br />

Prayers, etc.<br />

for each<br />

5-minute<br />

segment<br />

Ask for<br />

needs of<br />

yourself<br />

<strong>and</strong> others<br />

Sing of<br />

Love<br />

Request<br />

Protection <strong>and</strong><br />

Guidance<br />

Forgive<br />

yourself<br />

<strong>and</strong> others<br />

Figure 12.1 The prayer wheel.<br />

From “The Effectiveness of a Spiritually-Based Intervention to Alleviate Subsyndromal Anxiety<br />

<strong>and</strong> Minor Depression Among Older Adults,” by D. Rajagopal, E. MacKenzie, C. Bailey,<br />

<strong>and</strong> R. Lavizzo-Mourey, 2002, Journal of Religion <strong>and</strong> <strong>Health</strong>, 41, pp. 153–166. Copyright ©<br />

2002 by Springer Netherl<strong>and</strong>s. Reproduced with permission.<br />

<strong>and</strong> forgiveness might be useful immediately after a disaster, while topics<br />

such as joy, imagination, <strong>and</strong> vision would have a place in later months following<br />

a disaster crisis.<br />

Sharing meals is another spiritual ritual that can bring focus to older<br />

disaster victims. Gathering to eat <strong>and</strong> beginning the meal with a poem or<br />

reflection about the disaster, or remembering those who have been affected<br />

dramatically by the disaster, acknowledges the current situation. At<br />

the same time, there is normalization through participation in a routine<br />

activity such as meal sharing. Posting pictures <strong>and</strong> mementos helped many

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