Older Adults Emergency Preparedness Guide

On behalf of the National Institute on Ageing (NIA) at Toronto Metropolitan University and the Canadian Red Cross, we would like to share new emergency preparedness resources that are available for older adults. The Older Adults Emergency Preparedness Guide has been developed as an additional resource of the 2020 NIA/Red Cross report, Closing the Gaps: Advancing Emergency Preparedness, Response and Recovery for Older Adults.

Here is a list of the resources that can be shared: Full Guide, Quick Guide, Emergency Preparedness for Older Adults website.

In recognition that June is National Seniors Month in Canada, we are pleased to share these resources and request your assistance in sharing them as broadly as possible to people who will benefit from the information.

The 2020 NIA/Red Cross report clearly demonstrated the need to better support emergency preparedness for older Canadians, especially in light of the COVID-19 pandemic. Recent disasters and emergencies such as the deadly storms in Ontario and Quebec that resulted in lengthy power outages, the prolonged heatwaves last year in British Columbia, and the annual seasonal risk of floods and fires are good reminders that emergency preparedness is vital to the health and safety of our communities.

The report also revealed a diverse continuum of capacity amongst older adults, from reduced capacity due to physical and cognitive impairments, to high capacity for active engagement in the community. Older adults themselves should be empowered to reach out and connect with their peers, particularly those who are more vulnerable, supporting each other in anticipating and preparing for disasters. The critical role of caregivers, whether they be partners, family members or friends, must also be recognized and supported.

Our collective goal is to share the Older Adults Emergency Preparedness Guide as broadly as we can. Together we can help prepare older adults for emergencies so they can stay as safe as possible.

We encourage you to share the resources with your networks and on Twitter by tagging @NIAgeing and @RedCrossCanada.

Thank you for your support.

Download full version here.