Trauma and Adversity: Factors Impacting Vulnerability and Resilience Among Older Disaster Survivors | Zendy

Molly Davis | Zendy; Nikki Bellamy | Zendy

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Trauma and Adversity: Factors Impacting Vulnerability and Resilience Among Older Disaster Survivors

Author(s) -

Molly Davis,

Nikki Bellamy

Publication year - 2020

Publication title -

innovation in aging

Language(s) - English

Resource type - Journals

ISSN - 2399-5300

DOI - 10.1093/geroni/igaa057.1983

Subject(s) - vulnerability (computing) , psychological resilience , natural disaster , traumatic stress , resilience (materials science) , psychology , clinical psychology , computer security , social psychology , geography , physics , meteorology , computer science , thermodynamics

Most would agree that older adults represent a highly vulnerable group prior to, during and post disaster. Age-related vulnerabilities often lead into an increased risk for traumatic experiences and post-traumatic stress symptoms after a disaster. Trauma informed principles offer a possible way to reduce the vulnerability of older adults after a disaster. For example, utilizing the trauma informed question “what has happened to you” shifts the focus from a deficit approach and allows for a deeper understanding of the impact of traumatic life experiences on current functioning and reaction to the disaster. It is this understanding of trauma’s impact that may have a role in how older adult disaster survivors view, respond, and recover after a natural disaster (Seery et.al. 2010; Iacoviello & Charney, 2014). In addition, understanding the role of lifetime adversity provides critical insights for disaster planning, reducing vulnerability and promoting resilience among older disaster survivors.

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