Overview

Restoring community strength following devastation of natural disasters requires focused and enduring commitment. The most pressing recovery priorities are universal: meeting urgent health needs, securing safe shelter, accessing food and water, re-establishing communication and transport connections, and resuming social and economic networks. Older people bring particular strengths and vulnerabilities to their communities in disaster recovery. This Australian report draws on national and international research and policy to describe those strengths and vulnerabilities, and proposes corresponding practical, community-level actions that can be incorporated into recovery plans and actions. These actions have potential to mitigate the negative individual health and wellbeing impacts wrought by disasters thus expediting the recovery process and deepening community resilience.