Geriatric Mental Health Disaster and Emergency Preparedness

236 Geriatric Mental Health Disaster and Emergency Preparedness
together ” ( Encarta World English Dictionary, 2009). We use this translation
of the term because we are fitting together the changes that occur
within a person during a transitional experience. Ritual is an activity that
weaves the metaphysical with the physical to bring meaning to one’s life.
Ritual is especially valuable at times of disaster and crisis, when healing
rituals can provide comfort and restoration both during the immediacy
of the disaster and later, when commemorating the tragedy. As noted by
Myerhoff (1978), rites of passage in later life can minimize the existential
uncertainty and anxiety of growing older and of transition. For older persons
and their caregivers, ritual can play a significant role in restoring
wellness and overall health and well-being, especially during and after a
disaster.
Neuroscience reveals that human beings are hardwired to engage in
ritual. Neurobiologists D’Aquili and Laughlin (1996) explain the connection
between myth and ritual. They argue that given the structure of the
brain, human beings construct myths to explain their world and exhibit
these explanations through ceremonial ritual. This condition was evident
during and after September 11, 2001, by the spontaneous expressions of
grief that occurred. Within hours of the disaster, people came together randomly
and in official community gatherings to share flags, photographs,
flowers, toys, and candles.
Ritual has a transformative healing power that can restore wholeness,
healing, and hope after disaster. It is particularly valuable for older persons
and their caregivers, who may be facing psychosocial issues of aging coupled
with the familiar disaster issues of anxiety, fear, depression, trauma,
and stress. Through ritual, the needs of the older person can be met on
an individual level and within the community. One of ritual’s powerful aspects
is that it functions as a frame. By focusing on a slice of reality, ritual
gives reality definition and attributes it with a special meaning. In
so doing , it becomes a way to symbolically link events and changes with
meaning and integration.
The word ritual , often used synonymously with the word ceremony ,
evokes a variety of images and associations. There are religious, secular, everyday,
social, and civic rituals, all of which may be relevant during times
of disaster. An example of a religious disaster ritual is a memorial service
for those who have died. Silent processions or candlelight parades are examples
of secular disaster rituals. Everyday rituals may include a moment
of reflection with your morning coffee or tea or a daily walk for renewal.
Social rituals might include organizing a series of suppers at the local library
where families can gather, civic leaders and local mental health care