NURS-FPX6618 ASSESSMMENT 3 LATISIA TOOLKIT

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1 Disaster Plan with Guidelines for Implementation Latisia Upshaw Capella University NURS-FPX6618: Leadership in Care Coordination Prof. Jessica Garner January 2023

2 Summary The elderly are undeniably more vulnerable to the impact of public health emergencies and disasters than the rest of the population. The vulnerability of this population has been highlighted by data from recent disasters such as terror attacks, wildfires, avalanches and debris falls, hurricanes, and other extreme weather events. The impact of disasters can be highly disruptive and may even threaten lives. There are numerous anecdotes of higher death rates among older persons caught in disasters. The elderly is at an increased risk of harm and death during emergencies and disasters due to age-related physical condition, disabilities, cognitive decline, negative psychosocial experiences, and pre-existing illnesses. In light of the above factors, disasters and public health emergencies present extraordinarily high and rising threats to the elderly in American society. The increasing frequency of natural and artificial disasters and their impact on a rapidly aging population is considerable. This should be a matter of concern for disaster preparedness agencies and stakeholders. In emergencies, older individuals need priority care. Nevertheless, it is commonly noted that caring for the elderly during a disaster is rarely in focus, and emergency services providers seldom fulfill their unique needs. Studies have pointed out the absence of concern for older people's health needs after disasters in the United States. Regardless of the increased risk of illness and mortality of older victims of disasters, most crisis management plans during or after a disaster do not adequately address their needs and concerns. Usually, the elderly are neither given priority in assessment nor in receiving care. The tool kit for the team presented in the appendix of this document combines the policy, guidelines, and recommendations. References

3 Adelman, D. S., & Legg, T. J. (2010). Caring for Older Adults with Dementia when Disaster Strikes. Journal of Gerontological Nursing , 36 (8), 13–17. https://doi.org/10.3928/00989134-20100701-01 Claver, M., Dobalian, A., Fickel, J. J., Ricci, K. A., & Mallers, M. H. (2013). Comprehensive care for vulnerable elderly veterans during disasters. Archives of Gerontology and Geriatrics , 56 (1), 205–213. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.archger.2012.07.010 Cloyd, E., & Dyer, C. B. (2010). Catastrophic Events and Older Adults. Critical Care Nursing Clinics of North America , 22 (4), 501–513. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ccell.2010.10.003 Díaz-Tamayo, A. M., Escobar-Morantes, J. R., & García-Perdomo, H. A. (2022). Coping Strategies for Exposure to Trauma Situations in First Responders: A Systematic Review. Prehospital and Disaster Medicine , 37 (6), 810–818. https://doi.org/10.1017/s1049023x22001479 Dyer, C. B., Regev, M., Burnett, J., Festa, N., & Cloyd, B. (2008). SWIFT: A Rapid Triage Tool for Vulnerable Older Adults in Disaster Situations. Disaster Medicine and Public Health Preparedness , 2 (S1), S45–S50. https://doi.org/10.1097/dmp.0b013e3181647b81 Johnson, H. L., Ling, C. G., & McBee, E. C. (2014). Multi-disciplinary Care for the Elderly in Disasters: An Integrative Review. Prehospital and Disaster Medicine , 30 (1), 72–79. https://doi.org/10.1017/s1049023x14001241 Sakauye, K. M., Streim, J. E., Kennedy, G. J., Kirwin, P. D., Llorente, M. D., Schultz, S. K., & Srinivasan, S. (2009). AAGP Position Statement: Disaster Preparedness for Older Americans: Critical Issues for the Preservation of Mental Health. The American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry , 17 (11), 916–924. https://doi.org/10.1097/jgp.0b013e3181b4bf20

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4 Appendix Disaster Plan with Guidelines for Implementation: Tool Kit for the Team In the aftermath of Katrina, the American Association for Geriatric Psychiatry’s Disaster Preparedness Taskforce was established to determine and respond to the needs of the elderly after a disaster. The committee emphasizes pre-disaster preparedness, response to a disaster, and long-term care for the elderly, each of which forms a part of this tool kit. Pre-Disaster Planning and Preparedness This component of disaster planning and preparedness is vital for building resilient communities. Healthcare providers should collaborate with older persons, clients, and the community during this phase. The elderly need to be engaged in pre-disaster planning as population-specific experts. Professionals working for the elderly in all care delivery and emergency preparedness aspects should be engaged, including preparing frontline workers. Pre- disaster planning should include facilities for older persons and at-risk adults, volunteers, nurses serving older adults, public health and medical resources, and social services (Cloyd & Dyer, 2010). Pre-disaster planning must be multi-faceted, specific to a population, multi-disciplinary, and factor in biopsychosocial circumstances. The specific needs of the elderly in disaster scenarios should be determined and incorporated into the elements of the disaster management master plan, like mitigation and recovery and acute and long-term support. The American Association for Geriatric Psychiatry’s Disaster Preparedness Taskforce recommends the designation of weak older persons and those with a chronic illness like dementia as a particularly vulnerable group (Sakauye et al., 2009).

5 A vital aspect of sensitizing volunteers and response staff to the needs of the elderly is pre-disaster training. Such a training program should include logistics and resources, ethical and legal considerations, and the biopsychosocial aspects of care (Johnson et al., 2014). A key aspect of pre-disaster education involves building cultural sensitivity. Cultural competency training helps volunteers and response staff to understand the meaning of trauma for an individual and respect cultural values and concerns. Several strategies and tools can be utilized to safeguard and help older persons during a disaster, including involving older adults’ advocates and consulting experts from different fields in training and establishing coalitions (Dyer et al., 2008). Community and state-level disaster management plans must be distributed widely in advance. Disaster Response Rescue and relief operations are vital for vulnerable older persons in the immediate wake of a disaster because a well-coordinated and swift response can save lives. In the immediate aftermath of a disaster, evacuating and sheltering the elderly will require proper coordination of local resources. Sheltering the elderly designated in the vulnerable group (extremely frail, have dementia, requiring dialysis) will need professional advice, nursing, and medical facilities, as well as adequate coordination (Adelman & Legg, 2010). It also needs resources from different quarters. It is helpful to have a public health triage system for older persons and other vulnerable groups during pre- and post-disaster situations (Cloyd & Dyer, 2010). Specific needs other than age, functional capacity, impairments, or capabilities need to be assessed when dealing with the impact of a disaster (Johnson et al., 2014). To FastTrack the process of assessing the needs of vulnerable older adults, this policy requires using a triaging tool created by the Seniors without Family Team (SWIFT). The SWIFT tool assesses older persons with physical and mental health

6 and social or financial needs. It is beneficial to rapidly determine the level of assistance required for vulnerable older persons during disasters (Dyer et al., 2008). It is imperative for all healthcare providers participating in rescue and relief operations early on after a disaster to understand the physical and psychological implications of disaster response. Likewise, volunteers working in emergency care contexts must possess an extensive knowledge base and cultural sensitivity to caring for older persons, especially when dealing with older people with cognitive or neurological impairments. This may require acquiring additional skills through pre-disaster training for first responders and volunteers (Claver et al., 2013). Disaster Recovery and Long-Term Care for the Elderly The needs of vulnerable populations like the elderly linger long after a disastrous event. This policy and guideline recognize this issue and require partners working in these contexts to address the long-term needs of the elderly via conventional care and support systems. A comprehensive evaluation of older people's psychosocial and clinical needs in disasters should be carried out to provide a personalized plan for continuing care and interventions. A long-term plan for caring for elderly disaster victims should be activated once the acute impact of the disaster has been addressed. For this, this policy recommends using the Flex-Model to asses and recommend long-term needs for older adults after a disaster. The disaster plan for long-term care for older adult disaster victims needs to focus on supporting them in dealing with trauma and building resilience. The program must be culturally appropriate, reintegrate, and promote cohesion with a community focus (Díaz-Tamayo et al., 2022).

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NURS-FPX6618 ASSESSMMENT 3 LATISIA TOOLKIT

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