Importance of aged individuals in disaster situations

The concentration of elderly citizens in the area is an ambiguous factor. On one hand, as underlined in the already mentioned practice in Sri Lanka, senior citizens are a "weight" and, due to their high degree of illiteracy, empowerment actions are hardly conceivable. On the other hand (WMO 2016, for reference see original source document), senior citizens represent a living "memory" of previous disasters in their area of residence and can give a positive contribution to the empowerment of citizens in the same area (particularly in the prevention and preparedness phases). Moreover, if they are retired and in good physical condition, senior citizens are often part of social volunteerism. This dualism of senior citizens has been well underlined also in the two Stakeholder Assemblies held in the CARISMAND project in Bucharest and Rome.

Note: See source document for full reference.

Cultural Factors: Age-related roles, Individual/collective memory

Hazards: Man-made non-intentional hazards or emergency situations, Man-made intentional hazards, Natural hazards

Disaster Phases: All disaster phases, Prevention, Preparedness, Recovery, Response

Types of Actors Concerned: Non-active citizens

Recommendations:

• Use local knowledge, collective memory and shared cultural values to improve disaster preparedness, response and recovery
• Foster the adoption of a culture of disaster prevention and resilience by informing and motivating citizens to take action