‘The trauma of the cyclone has changed us forever’: self-reliance, vulnerability and resilience among older Australians in cyclone-prone areas

Abstract

The combination of population ageing and climate change is creating a new threat for many Australian coastal hamlets vulnerable to the impact of tropical cyclones. Increasingly, elderly people are facing future tropical cyclones alone, without support from family and friends, relying instead on already stretched government and authority resources, despite Emergency Management Australia's (EMA) policy expectation that all citizens must be self-reliant. This research explored the future self-reliance and disaster resilience of coastal hamlets through the lens of the Social Cognitive Theory by outlining the findings from focus groups, personal interviews and questionnaires involving participants over 65 years of age, residing in townships previously impacted by Cyclone Larry (in 2006) and Cyclone Yasi (in 2011). Participants recalled a lack of social support following the cyclones, a fear of evacuating their homes, as well as the trauma of recovering from such intense destruction. Respondents were also concerned about the physical, cognitive and financial impacts of ageing on their ability to prepare and recover from future cyclones, frightened that experiences from the past might be repeated in the future, contributing to feelings of isolation, frustration and the loss of community, and a rethinking of ageing in the place of their choice. These considerations impact on the dependence EMA has that all citizens will remain self-reliant when faced with a natural hazard and should be considered when making future policy decisions in relation to more isolated coastal townships.

A scoping review of post‐disaster social support investigations conducted after disasters that struck the Australia and Oceania continent

“…These impacts were particularly felt among low‐income families.26. Astill and Miller () Attempted to understand how elderly people's past experiences of cyclones influenced their current readiness for disasters.Event: Cyclone Larry, March 2006; Cyclone Yasi, February 2011 Country: Australia Age: adults (range: 65–94) Sample size: 36 Sampling: non‐random Diversity: 47 per cent female; other factors unspecifiedMethod: Focus groups, telephone interviews Time: four years after Larry; nine years after Yasi Support themes: a lack of social support following cyclones ; sense of isolation ; people moved away Elderly residents of small communities reported feeling physically isolated after disasters. They recalled a lack of support from authorities, relying on the kindness of strangers ( pattern of neglect ).…”

An Unmitigated Disaster: Shifting from Response and Recovery to Mitigation for an Insurable Future

“…However, in many instances, this is not the case (Eriksen 2014;Sword-Daniels et al 2018). Older people in remote areas of Australia, for example, have been found at higher risk of cyclone impacts due to their physical inability to clear gutters and a lack of social support (Astill and Miller 2016). Australian programs, such as AIDER (Assist Infirm, Disabled and Elderly Residents), provide services that support at risk communities, but resources and geography provide significant barriers to outreach.…”

Necessidades de enfermagem de saúde mental – intervenção na doença mental após desastre ou situação de emergência

“…As intervenções no período pós desastre previnem o transtorno de stresse pós traumático e de ansiedade. Astill & Miller (2018) abordaram as dificuldades numa população idosa tendo verificado a falta de apoio social após os ciclones, o medo de evacuar as suas casas, bem como o trauma de recuperar de uma destruição tão intensa. Os entrevistados também estavam preocupados com os impactos cognitivos e financeiros do envelhecimento na sua capacidade de se preparar e se recuperar de futuros ciclones, temiam que as experiências do passado pudessem se repetir no futuro, contribuindo para sentimentos de isolamento, frustração e perda da comunidade, repensando o local onde querem viver na velhice.…”

“…Os entrevistados também estavam preocupados com os impactos cognitivos e financeiros do envelhecimento na sua capacidade de se preparar e se recuperar de futuros ciclones, temiam que as experiências do passado pudessem se repetir no futuro, contribuindo para sentimentos de isolamento, frustração e perda da comunidade, repensando o local onde querem viver na velhice. As políticas têm que atuar ao nível das populações costeiras mais isoladas no sentido de perceberem quais as que se mantém autossuficientes e onde poderão necessitar de mais ajuda quando confrontados com um perigo natural (Astill & Miller, 2018).…”