Emergency Preparedness Among Older Immigrants and Refugees: Communication Preferences and Trusted Information Sources

Background and Purpose:

The number of adults aged 65 and older in the United States (U.S.) is predicted to double to 98 million in 2060. Disasters and extreme weather events, fueled by anthropogenic climate change, threaten the well-being and health of all populations, with especially severe outcomes for older adults. Additionally, older immigrants and refugees in the U.S. face unique challenges across multiple social and situational contexts, such as transportation, language, and socioeconomic barriers, contributing to lower informational access. A lack of understanding about how immigrants and refugees receive information about and prepare for weather-related emergencies limits the effectiveness of current preparedness initiatives by local and federal agencies. This study aimed to (1) Identify where older immigrants and refugees get information about weather-related emergencies, (2) Explore the role trusted information sources play in weather-related emergency preparedness, and (3) Understand what supports older immigrants and refugees need to prepare for weather-related emergencies.

Methods:

This qualitative study adopted a convenience sampling of Senior Companions (55+) attending a monthly in-service training. The Senior Companions Program of Catholic Social Services pairs low-income older adults (55+) with home-bound older adults to reduce the social isolation of both groups. Eleven focus groups were conducted (in English, Nepali, Tigrinya, Kinyarwanda, Somali, Amharic, Mandarin Chinese, Russian, and Khmer) with adults aged 62 and older in a large metropolitan Midwestern U.S. city. Grounded theory and the constant comparative method informed the analysis of interviewees’ narratives.

Results:

Forty percent of the participants (N = 56) were immigrants and refugees. All participants had annual incomes below $15,000, and a majority (86%) reported living alone. Television, radio, phone alerts, and school notifications were predominant information sources as reported by the participants. Participants emphasized the importance of receiving communication in their native language, translation services, and simple visuals conveying preparedness information. Participants stressed the importance of reliable information sources and personal judgment in determining information trustworthiness. When asked about motivation to prepare for extreme weather, participants underscored the desire to avoid getting hurt or sick. Specifically, participants identified the need for better access to air quality information during pollution events. Participants suggested that the government should provide safe spaces for those without secure homes. Participants also emphasized the importance of home visits to address isolation and assistance with medication pick-up during emergencies.

Conclusions and Implications:

The findings from this study lend further insights into unique informational and communication needs and priorities among older refugees and immigrants related to increasing extreme weather events. These findings have important implications for targeted programming efforts to converge on issues of climate action and emergency planning. For social workers, these findings offer key takeaways for a culturally responsive research and practice approach that centers the unique needs of older adults, particularly from refugee and immigrant backgrounds, meeting them where they are.