Emergency Management Information Project for Regional and Rural Seniors: Increasing Consumer Advocacy Recall in Disaster Situations

Emergency Management Information Project for Regional and Rural Seniors: Increasing Consumer Advocacy Recall in Disaster Situations

Aim: To implement and evaluate a medical emergency toolkit in regional Australia. The project aims to improve health literacy, and self-preparedness of Seniors and local disaster management staff.
Background: The Australian weather is unpredictable with severe storms, floods, and fire. Preparedness for weather events is complex in regional areas of Australia as distance between towns is vast3. Australia is adopting a person-centred disaster preparedness approach for Seniors in local government areas2,3. The emergency medical information toolkit prepares Seniors with accessible health information for use during flood, fire, and evacuation. Volunteering Queensland (2018) identified a low awareness of disaster planning in Seniors and high expectations that family, friends and emergency services would initiate support during a disaster2. The Southeast Queensland disaster preparedness report (2022) highlighted 45% of households have an emergency kit and 58% an emergency plan1.
Method: A co-designed approach using participatory action research was used to implement and evaluate a self-preparedness education toolkit to local Seniors and education of disaster management coordination staff. A mixed method approach involved a survey with Seniors and in-depth qualitative interviews with disaster management staff to gain an understanding of consumer and staff experience of self-preparedness.
Results: Data analysis revealed the value of empowering Seniors in conversations and education, and the tools to enable self-preparedness within the limitations of chronic disease management, frailty, and choice. Conversation starters from Seniors with neighbours, family and local disaster teams identified a need for more collective planning that self-empowered Seniors to self-prepare health and well-being needs.
Conclusion: Seniors with medical conditions are easily compromised by the events of a disaster. Emergency response teams need to prioritise and value greater consultation with seniors in self-preparation programs. Empowering seniors to address their own needs instils a voice essential to promote autonomy and respect.
1.Queensland Government (2022). Get ready Queensland summaries. www.getready.qld.gov.au
2.Volunteering Queensland, Disaster Preparedness for Older People: Final Report (2018).
3.Bonnan-White, J. (2017). Independent living senior communities in disaster: Self efficacy and trust in responding agencies. Journal of Homeland Security and Emergency Management.

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