Geriatric Mental Health Disaster and Emergency Preparedness

Chapter 13 The Interdisciplinary Treatment Team 251
known about the best methods for building health care workers’ skills in
interdisciplinary teamwork. This is particularly true in geriatric mental
health and especially so in the context of disasters.
OVERVIEW
A plethora of research exists regarding the health effects of disasters and
emergencies on exposed individuals, particularly children and younger
adults. Recently, the field of disaster research has experienced an increased
interest in the health effects of disasters on older people and those
who care for them (American Association for Geriatric Psychiatry [AAGP]
Disaster Task Force, 2009; Herman, 1997; Reeves & Sully, 2007; Rothschild,
2006). In fact, the American Association for Geriatric Psychiatry
(AAGP) recently produced a consumer brochure that focuses on mental
health issues for older adults and strategies for older persons and caregivers
regarding preparing for and coping with disaster (AAGP Disaster Task
Force).
In chapter 6 in this volume, Sully, Wandrag, and Riddell indicate that
strategies such as narrative and reflective practice techniques can be used
by interdisciplinary teams to effectively prepare for disaster situations and
manage team members’ stress during disasters. Using such strategies can
empower the interdisciplinary team to anticipate events during disasters
while maintaining a client-centered focus. The authors provide a model of
reflective practice that demonstrates how teams can plan for the inevitable
crises that arise during disasters.
The purpose of this chapter is to describe interdisciplinary teamwork
methods that have been incorporated into a model interdisciplinary team
training program applied to geriatric mental health disaster preparedness.
This chapter provides a summary of the interdisciplinary team process—
team development, team management, and team maintenance—and
strategies for team training in geriatric mental health and disaster preparedness.
Definition of Terms
Team
“A group with a specific task or tasks, the accomplishment of which requires
the interdependent and collaborative efforts of its members”
(Baldwin & Tsukuda, 1984, p. 421).