Older people and disaster preparedness : a literature review

Abstract

Anecdotally, older people are considered to be vulnerable to emergency events, from the preparation phase, through the response, and into the recovery phase. This article provides an overview of disaster research literature concerning older people, in the context of vulnerability. In light of the current focus on building resilience and the Council of Australian Governments (COAG) endorsed National Strategy for Disaster Resilience, it is timely to consider how the emergency management sector understands and engages with potentially vulnerable groups to build their resilience.