Seniors: A tale of two populations affected by a disaster

Seniors and elderly populations exposed to disasters may represent pathways towards resilience or vulnerability that are different than younger populations. We examined a senior population, age 65 years and older, displaced or greatly impacted by Hurricane Katrina as part of the Gulf Coast Child and Family Health study, a longitudinal cohort of 1,079 randomly selected households. On average, the seniors had adapted fairly well to the stressors of the displacement and reported a greater degree of recovery and mental well-being than younger populations. When interviewed last, seniors had mental component summary (MCS) scores 5 points higher and a 45% greater odds of reporting recovery than their younger counterparts. This may be explained, in part, by stable sources of health insurance (Medicare) and household income streams (Social Security) that were relatively unaffected by the hurricane. Significantly lower need for financial help with housing, utilities, and food supports this theory. Despite these positive findings, a particular subgroup of seniors appeared to experience another pathway that may represent maladaptation in that they suffered from a constellation of problems such as significantly lower MCS and physical component summary scores (p<0.01), and at least twice the financial need of better-off seniors (p<0.01). This analysis describes these two distinct senior populations and how they compare to a younger population and explores the characteristics that are associated with each trajectory.