Psychosocial problems observed in older adults after disaster.

Abstract

Natural disasters are large-scale catastrophic events that seriously disrupt the functioning of a community or society. The frequency and severity of disasters are increasing and involve widespread human, material, economic, or environmental impacts that exceed the ability of the society affected by them to cope using its resources. In addition, disasters significantly affect the physical, emotional, and psychological health of individuals and cause numerous deaths, injuries, and economic losses. One of the most vulnerable groups to the negative effects of disasters is the elderly. The increase in the elderly population worldwide brings with it the problems specific to this period and the service needs for these problems. The population consists of older adults, who are among the most vulnerable groups to the negative effects of natural disasters. During the social traumatisation process triggered by natural disasters, elderly people experience intense feelings of anxiety, fear, anger, helplessness, loneliness, hopelessness, futurelessness, and insecurity. Reactions such as unresponsiveness, alienation, inability to focus, and inability to remember are normal during this process. The normality of these feelings and responses in the acute period, which can last up to 3 months, will give way to abnormality unless the necessary physical and psychosocial conditions are provided. When the necessary psychosocial conditions are not provided, elderly individuals who experience a disaster may experience mental problems such as post-traumatic stress disorder, depression, somatisation disorder, anxiety disorders, and substance use disorders. In this context, providing the necessary psychosocial support for older adults to cope with psychosocial problems after a disaster and facilitating access to this support is very important in terms of adapting to the post-disaster period.