The UN Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNISDR) and Help Age International, a Non-Governmental Organisation, launched a series of surveys to learn more about how elderly people cope with disasters. While one survey is targeting older people directly to solicit their views, another one is directed at governments and other agencies on the inclusion of older people in disaster management planning. The surveys are available in English, French and Spanish.
Preventionweb quoted UNISDR Head Margareta Wahlström: “This year’s International Day for Disaster Reduction on October 13 will focus on older people, including their needs and what they contribute to better planning and understanding of disaster risk in their communities. We know from grim experience in both developed and developing countries that older persons often die in disproportionate numbers in disaster events.”
