Geriatric Mental Health Disaster and Emergency Preparedness

Chapter 12 Complementary and Alternative Approaches 237
workers can participate, and resources and support can be shared. Civic
disaster rituals include parades and anniversary commemorations.
It is important to distinguish between ritual and habit. Ritual is an act
that is value added and imbued with meaning and conscious intention via
the senses and symbols. The sensory and symbolic experience of ritual integrates
theatrical elements such as storytelling, dance, music, performance,
singing, and oral reading.
Benefits and Types of Rituals for Disaster
As developed by Transitional Keys (Sherman & Weiner, 2004), there are
rituals of loss, turning point, and celebration. The benefits of rituals include
the following:
1. Relief and comfort in times of anxiety
2. Integration and healing in times of loss
3. Order and clarity in times of change
4. Continuity and community during times of crisis
Rituals that are particularly valuable at times of disaster include rituals
of loss and grief, hope and resolution, relief for first responders and
health care providers, commemoration and anniversaries, and renewal and
self-care. The anniversary of a disaster or traumatic event can provide an
opportunity to move toward emotional healing from anger, lack of meaning,
sadness, and despair.
The Ritual Toolkit
The toolkit provides the necessary elements to develop and perform rituals
in a variety of settings and situations. Objects may include stones,
colored cloth, a bowl of water, bread, a vase with flowers, candles, oils,
shells, personal photographs, bubbles, a ball, affirmations, pine cones,
candies, and music.
A ritual toolkit consists of objects selected for their symbolic meaning
and things to stimulate the senses and memory. Though the items in the
ritual toolkit may be ordinary, they endow a simple activity with meaning.
When developing your own ritual toolkit, consider the culture and needs
of the participants and the variety of rituals that will be conducted. Activities
using the toolkit include blessings to build community, toasts for
renewal, ripping cloth to symbolize grief, releasing negativity through