emergency readiness and response: the status of area agencies on aging

Robert L. (Bob) McFalls, M.Div.Chief Operating Officer

National Association of Area Agencies on AgingAIRS Conference

May 24, 2010Rochester, New York

Acknowledgments

Funding for this project provided through AoA grant 90AM3126 to n4a

Survey development, data collection, analysis and figure development conducted by Scripps Gerontology Center

For further information:Abigail Morgan, Program Manager, n4a

(amorgan@n4a.org)Robert McFalls, C.O.O., n4a (rmcfalls@n4a.org)National Association of Area Agencies on Aging,

Washington, D.C.http://www.n4a.org/pdf/Emergency2009Final.pdf

Plan for TodayBackgroundSurvey of Area Agencies on Aging

(AAAs)FindingsImplications & Challenges for the

Aging Services Network

Older Adults and EmergenciesDisproportional death rates in Katrina (64% of

deaths age 65+)Less likely to be willing to evacuateAdults 55+ least personally prepared for

disasterHigh reliance on first respondersA third of those with a disability or caring for

someone with a disability would need extra helpChronic conditions may be worsened in an

emergency Medications, medical care present challenges

How do we think about disasters?

Disaster is “when routines…are seriously disrupted and when unplanned courses of action have to be undertaken to cope with the crisis” (Quarentelli, 2000).

“there is no such thing as a “natural” disaster. In every phase and aspect of a disaster…the difference between who lives and who dies is to a greater or lesser extent a social calculus “(Smith, 2006).

Preparedness prevents emergencies from becoming disasters.

AAA preparedness involves services to older adults and preparedness as a business entity

Hazards/Disaster CatalystsDam FailureEarthquakeFire or WildfireFloodHazardous MaterialHeatHurricaneLandslide

Nuclear Power Plant Emergency

Pandemic InfluenzaTerrorismThunderstormTornadoTsunamiVolcanoWinter Storm

States with Federal Major Disaster Declarations, 2008

One Two Three

Assessing Preparedness of AAAsPurpose-Developed Survey

n4a Advisory CouncilAAA DirectorsAoA Project ManagersAoA Office of Preparedness and Response

Focus onWhat programs/policies/provisions they had in

placeWhat elements were covered in their emergency

plansPerceptions about or experience with their plansNeeds for the future

AAA SurveyInternet Survey—May 2009All 629 AAAs invited to participate via e-mail

Survey in the field 3 weeks58.6% response rate (N=369)

Findings—Plan Participation

Three-quarters are part of one emergency plan (local, SUA, other statewide)

About 2/3 (64.5%) are part of a local planAbout 1/3 (33.9%) are part of an SUA planOnly 7 out of 100 (7.3 %) did not have a plan

What does the plan include?

Challenges for Future PlansCollaborations with nursing homes

and assisted living facilities (only about ¼ have this)

Planning for pets (less than 20% have this)

Plans for obtaining essential back-up supplies (over half, but not all have this)

Of 11 plan elements, average was 5

Communications in a Disaster

Important Locations

Business Practices

Maintaining Services

Maintaining Services (cont.)

Experience with DisastersAbout one-quarter (90 AAAs) had been

part of federally declared disasterHow well did their systems work?Only 3 out of 90 rated their plans as

“least effective”Over half said their plans were

“effective”(52.4%)Only 2 said their plans were “most

effective”

Confidence Among those with No Recent ExperienceHow confident are you about your

organization’s capacity to respond? (n=366)

Over 1 in 10 (11.5%) were not at all confident

Over half (53%) were somewhat confident

Over 1/3 were confident (28.1%) or very confident (7.4%)

Challenges for the FutureAAAs would like training/technical assistance in

the following:Process for obtaining immediate $$ to respondBest practices for different types of disastersEstablishing external communication systemsEstablishing roles and responsibilities with their

partners and other local organizationsProcesses for tracking disaster-related expenses

Strengths of AAA Preparedness

Highly involved in planningMultiple components to their plansAlmost all (only 8 do not) review

their plans at least yearlySurvey process had an educational

element

Questions?Abigail Morgan, amorgan@n4a.org Robert McFalls, rmcfalls@n4a.org

www.n4a.org/programs/annual-survey www.scrippsaging.org