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Abstract #161591

Sonda Oppewal, PhD, RN and Beth Lamanna, WHNP, MPH, RN. Public Health Nursing, The University of North Carolina Chapel Hill, Carrington Hall, CB #7460, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-7460, 919-843-6169, soppewal@email.unc.edu

Findings suggest that disaster events occur currently with greater frequency, older adults are particularly vulnerable to adverse consequences following disasters, and, even though health care professionals are considered key personnel for disaster response and recovery, few are personally prepared for a disaster. The purpose of this presentation is to help provide public health workers with tools to better prepare themselves and their older clients for disasters. A population-focused approach will be used to provide specific examples and resources that can be used to help older adults become better prepared by targeting individual/family, systems, and community levels. Individual/family level strategies will focus on reviewing best practices for helping older adults and their caregivers develop a disaster plan and for preparing and maintaining an emergency kit or disaster bag. Systems level strategies will focus on establishing routine methods in primary care settings to assess client preparedness, and for assuring resources needed to develop or improve agency disaster plans and to better prepare employees. Strategies at the community level will focus on ways to change community attitudes, norms, and practices so that community members, and particularly vulnerable populations, are prepared for disasters. Specific examples will also be given to help public health workers apply this framework in academic and practice settings with the intent of promoting the health of older adults.

Learning Objectives:

• Discuss reasons why public health workers need to help older adults prepare for disasters.
• Describe strategies to help older adults with disaster preparedness at individual/family, systems, and community levels.
• Apply a public health framework to help older adults prepare for disasters in academic and practice settings.

Keywords: Disasters, Elderly

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Any relevant financial relationships? No
Any institutionally-contracted trials related to this submission?

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.