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Shifting disaster resilience in ageing populations: what can we learn from other countries?
Australia’s future of compounding disasters is projected to intersect with its rapidly ageing population. The Australian Bureau of Statistics projects a near doubling of Australians aged >65 years between 2017 and 2042, a trend observed globally. Japan is widely recognised as a super-ageing and disaster-prone society, leading to distinctive approaches to building disaster resilience. Learning from Japan and other ageing societies can provide insights into the age-related equity and justice that addresses the complexities of disaster resilience and avoids simplistic representations of older adults as an inherently “vulnerable” population group with heightened medical fragilities and evacuation needs.
This presentation aims to share insights about disaster support related to older adults from an international scoping review of 49 English- and 25 Japanese-language academic publications. Using the Recovery Capitals framework and Community Resilience Theory, the review explored how social and community supports were provided for and by older adults and their communities. This includes how various resilience capacities and factors (social, cultural, financial, nature, political, built and human) were influenced before, during and after natural hazards. Our key findings include how vulnerability and capacity were perceived for individuals, communities and the broader society; the salience of social capital as a preparedness and recovery resource; and a need to prioritise holistic, inclusive, and strengths-based approaches.
These findings identify structural drivers of age inequity; policy and program opportunities for age-related disaster resilience; and power-sharing examples. Importantly, it will be emphasised that in an ageing society facing frequent disasters, older adults are not only recipients of support but also engaged in support practices contributing to collective resilience. At the same time, supporters, including individuals and organisations, may experience significant vulnerability. This suggests that resilience planning can move beyond rigid distinctions between “supporters” and “the vulnerable,” recognising their interdependence and the fluidity of these roles.
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