Seniors
Senior citizens today are a sturdy, reliable generation. There is every reason to be proud. The ability to survive everything - the Great Depression, the world wars, and the threat of nuclear holocaust – proves strength and resiliency.
However, when disaster strikes, it is not uncommon to feel frightened, overwhelmed, and vulnerable. These feelings of helplessness may cause increased fear.
Older adults often have a difficult time coping with tragedy because many have faced a previous trauma or disaster in the past. This puts older adults at greater risk of experiencing post-traumatic stress disorder, depression, or anxiety following events like the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001 . By understanding common reactions and ways to cope with trauma, it will be easier for older adults to overcome the grief, fear, and confusion following a disaster.
Coping with personal trauma is a process that each person moves through differently. It helps to know that many feelings and behaviors are quite normal under the circumstances. This is the first step towards healing and moving forward.
Some Common Reactions to Disaster
- Disbelief and shock
- Fear and anxiety about the future
- Disorientation, apathy and emotional numbing
- Irritability and anger
- Sadness and depression
- Feeling powerless
- Over- or under-eating
- Difficulty making decisions
- Crying for "no apparent reason"
- Headaches and stomach problems
- Difficulty sleeping
- Excessive alcohol or drug use
You may experience all or only a few of these responses. Over time, these symptoms and difficulties should begin to decrease, as you refocus attention on your daily activities. However, everyone experiences stress differently so do not compare your progress with other people's or judge their reactions and emotions.
Ways to Cope
- Talk about the experience and how you are feeling. Expressing your thoughts with others gives you the opportunity to relieve stress, reduce anxiety and realize that other people share your feelings.
- Communicate with loved ones often. Communicating with family and friends following a disaster helps increase feelings of safety and security.
- Take care of yourself physically. If exercise is a regular part of your routine, continue to exercise. It is also important to eat well, drink plenty of water and rest.
- Be around others. Isolation and loneliness can increase the degree to which you experience symptoms. If you do not have a local network of family or friends to visit with often, find a place where you can be with people.
- Volunteer at a local nonprofit, offer to speak at local schools about historical events you have experienced, contact local churches or senior centers to see if they are holding any activities of interest to you, or call your doctor or local mental health center to see if there is an older adults support group in your area that you could attend. If you are unable to drive, do not hesitate to ask for a ride, look into reduced special taxi fares for senior citizens, or take public transportation, if you are able.
- Do things you enjoy. If you have put things aside that you normally enjoy, get involved in those activities now. Go for that walk, plant flowers or play cards with your friends.
- Write about significant experiences in your life and how they have affected you. Journaling gives you the opportunity to express your feelings in your own words and at your own pace. It is also an opportunity for you to share pieces of your life with future generations.
It is important to return to your usual routine at your own pace; however, if your symptoms do not seem to be subsiding or if they appear to be getting worse, you may want to speak with a mental health professional. If you have already been diagnosed with a mental health disorder or if you find you are distressed about traumatic events from your past, you may want to meet with a mental health professional as a precautionary measure. To find a mental health professional in your community, contact your primary care physician, a local mental health center or your area Mental Health Association.
In addition to the common reactions listed above, Flashbacks and/or Difficult Memories are common for:
- Those who have lived through an era of military conflict
- Those who had family members in the military or who lost loves ones during war time or other disasters
- Those who experienced civil war, international conflict, or other disasters in their county of origin
- Veterans who have frequent memories of their military experience
Some Common Responses to Flashbacks and/or Difficult Memories:
- Anger and Resentment
- Guilt
- Physical Symptoms
- Depression
- Difficulty Maintaining Normal Routines
Strategies for people experiencing flashbacks and/or difficult memories
- Consider limiting your exposure to television coverage. Though watching television coverage of terrorist / military action may be compelling, increased viewing can raise stress levels. Monitor yourself for signs of anger, rage, depression, anxiety, etc., and take a time-out from the coverage to allow yourself to recover from these feelings.
- As much as possible, keep up with a daily schedule and routines, and try to incorporate positive activities into your day, even for brief periods of time.
- Keep up with your physical needs - exercise, eat, sleep.
- Feel what you feel. It is normal to feel a range of emotions. Having these feelings is to be expected - how you deal with them is most important.
- Slow down and give yourself time and space to deal with what has happened.
- Pace yourself. Each individual has his or her own pace in dealing with traumatic incidents, and it is important to listen to and honor your own pace. Count on feeling angry, but temper your actions with wisdom. Try to stay calm and avoid reacting with impulsive anger toward any group or persons. Consider the long-term consequences of these actions for the overall benefit of our country.
- Talk with someone close to you who might understand what you are going through.
- If you are not feeling like talking, studies suggest that writing in a journal may be helpful in dealing with intense feelings.
- While it may feel more natural to avoid other veterans as a way to avoid reminders of military veterans as a way to avoid reminders of military involvement, studies show that seeking support with other veterans can be very helpful at times when stress is increasing. This can be done through the VA, Vet Centers, and veteran's service organizations.
-
Seeking assistance from your medical doctor or a mental
health professional who is skilled in trauma is recommended
if:
- You are experiencing any symptoms that are causing significant distress, significant changes in relationships, or are impairing functioning at work.
- You are self-medicating with alcohol or drugs.
- You are unable to find relief with the strategies listed above
Children in your Life
If you are in regular contact with children, consider following the guidelines below:
- Honestly and openly answer any questions that children in your life may have. Safety is of primary concern for them. Reassure them that adults are working hard to make our society safe.
- During this traumatic time, kids will be looking to adults, and especially you as a role model, to help them understand and cope with their feelings. Show them the positive role model that you want them to be in handling a national crisis.
For further information and online sources of support, see Information on Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder in Children and Adolescents .
Stay active in your community
- Support your neighbors, friends, families, and fellow veterans.
- Talk to trusted others - talking can help digest painful feelings.
- Expect that you may have fantasies of revenge. Transform these feelings into positive actions (e.g., donate blood, give money to the Red Cross, volunteer, donate to a food bank). Encourage others to do the same.
- Support your neighbors, friends, families, and fellow veterans.
- Avoid blaming people who may be associated with a particular religious or ethnic group. Increasing anger and blame of others has been shown to result in more debilitating symptoms in veterans, rather than to decrease their distress, depression, and PTSD symptoms.
- Demonstrate patience help your neighbor in our time of need.
IN SUMMARY - Keep in mind the following guidelines:
Build on your strengths:
- Sustain your social networks
- Keep up regular contact with friends and family
- Partake in activities at community centers, religious institutions, etc.
- Nurture your relationships through visits, sharing meals, and mutual support - When possible, stick to your routine
- Maintain healthy eating and exercise schedule
- Write in a journal
- Stay clear of watching too much television coverage
- Avoid isolation
- Care for others by volunteering your services
- If you donate money or goods to charity, give to an agency involved in genuine relief efforts - beware of scams.
Older adults recovering from a disaster benefit from:
- Talking about feelings.
- Sharing experiences with other disaster victims can help with lonely feelings.
- Acknowledging our feelings helps us recover.
- Remembering that physical reactions to a disaster are normal.
- Asking for what we need helps to heal us.
- Healing at one's own pace.
- Focusing on our strengths and abilities will help.
- Becoming involved in the disaster recovery process and helping others to heal can be beneficial to one's own recovery.
- Knowing it is OK to ask for help including financial, emotional, and medical assistance.
- Seeking assistance is a step toward recovery and independence.
- Accepting help from community programs is healthy.
Older adults are a generation of survivors and with the proper support will become even stronger and more capable of facing future challenges.
If you continue to feel overwhelmed, anxious, or distressed over time, seek the services of a mental health professional.
Planning for an Emergency or Disaster
Preparing for emergency situations is important. The key is to have a plan already in place, well before an emergency happens. According to the American Red Cross, a three-day supply of food and water, as well as a well-stocked first aid kit are essential. The food should require no preparation, cooking, or refrigeration. For people who have a g-tube or who are on special diets, at least a one-week supply of the formula or the special food should be available. When figuring on how much water, consider one gallon of water per person per day. This takes into account using the water for drinking and cleaning. In addition, keep a disaster supply kit containing flashlights, a battery operated radio, and tools. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security provides recommendations for creating a kit called Make a Kit: Spe cial Needs Items. The American Red Cross also offers an on-line book called Disaster Preparedness for People with Disabilities that provides a comprehensive guide offering information, checklists, and resources.
SPECIAL NEEDS ITEMS
Remember the special needs of your family members. Seniors need the same planning as everyone else, and sometimes a little more, to be prepared for disasters of any kind. It is important to keep extra supplies on hand in the event there is no way to get more supplies for a few days.
Some items you may need would include:
- List of medications including dosage (include any allergies)
- Extra pair of eyeglasses
- Hearing-aid batteries
- Extra wheelchair batteries
- Style and serial numbers of medical devices (such as pacemakers)
- Copies of medical insurance and/or Medicare cards
- List of doctors and emergency contacts who should be notified if you are hurt
Planning Tips for Seniors
- Plan how you will evacuate or signal for help
- Create a support network to help in an emergency
- Tell these people where you keep your emergency supplies
- Plan emergency procedures with home health care agencies or personal care workers
- Teach others how to operate necessary equipment
- Label equipment like wheelchairs, canes or walkers
- Give one member of your support network a key to your house or apartment.
- Contact your city or town government's emergency information management office. Many local offices have ways to help people with disabilities in a sudden emergency, if they know who you are. In Massachusetts, you may contact the Statewide Emergency Telecommunications Board at 781.944.9113, or (http://www.mass.gov/e911/core.htm) and ask about their 9-1-1 disability indicator program.
- Wear medical alert tags or bracelets to help identify your disability or health condition.
- If you need dialysis or other life sustaining treatment, know the location and availability of more than one facility where you can get treatment
- Show others how to operate your wheelchair or equipment
- Know the size and weight of your wheelchair, in addition to whether or not it is collapsible, in case it has to be transported
For more information, see the Being Prepared section of this website: http://www.mass.gov/samh/being_prepared/index.html
The information on this Web site is presented for educational purposes only. It is not a substitute for informed medical advice or training. Do not use this information to diagnose or treat a mental health problem without consulting a qualified health or mental health care provider.
All information contained on these pages is in the public domain unless explicit notice is given to the contrary, and may be copied and distributed without restriction.
The information included in Coping with a Disaster - Information for Older Adults has been adapted from the following resources. For further information contact the Agencies listed below.
Resources
American Society on Aging
Elders in Disasters: Psychological Issues
American Red Cross
Disaster Preparedness for Seniors by Seniors
National Center for Post Traumatic Stress Disorder
How Terrorist
Attacks May Affect Veterans
For more information call 1 802 296
6300 or
send Email to ncptsd@ncptsd.org
1800-AGE-INFO
Resources for Massachusetts Elders
National Mental Health Association
Coping with Disaster: Tips for Older Adults
The National Mental
Health Association (NMHA) has several resources available to help
cope with disasters including Talking with Kids, Helping You Cope
and Return to Work, and fact sheets on post-traumatic stress disorder,
depression, coping with loss and other topics. To obtain this information,
visit http://www.nmha.org or
call the toll-free line 800-969-NMHA (6642).
United States Department of Health and Human Services Substance
Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
SAMHSA's National
Mental Health Information Center
The Center For Mental Health Services
Managing Anxiety
in times of Crisis - A Guide for Older Adults
