Staying Healthy During Emergencies and

Disasters: Planning for Communities and Families

A presentation by the Public Health Office of Preparedness

Facilitator: April A. Cleveland

Agenda and Housekeeping • 12:00-12:20: Introductions/Workshop Overview• 12:20-12:30: Introduction of Topics

– Dimensions of Health – Palliative Care

•  12:30-1:30: In-depth Discussion – Dimensions of Health

•  1:30-1:45: Break •  1:45-2:00: Death and Dying

– What Can You Do Now? •  2:00-2:50: Activity:

– Household Assessment Tool – Organization Assessment Tool – Discussion

•  2:50-3:00: Overview: Disaster Planning Template •  3:00-3:15: Questions/Comments/Concerns• 3:15-3:45: Evaluation/Wrap-up

Housekeeping items:

• Folder contents.• Restroom locations.• Fire exit.• Cell phone, etc. on vibrate please.

Objectives for Today’s Workshop

Examine dimensions of health, including palliative care.

Evaluate provided tools:Organizational Assessment Tool.Household Assessment Tool.Disaster Planning Template.

Network and share ideas with Public Health Preparedness and other workshop participants.

General Reasons for Disaster Planning

Scope of disaster is unpredictable.Duration of disaster is unpredictable.

A catastrophe, such as a natural disaster, versus

An ongoing event, such as biological outbreak.

Planning lessens uncertainty of how to respond.

Scope of Disaster in JapanScope of Disaster in Joplin, Missouri

Implications for Your Organization

Potential damage to facilities.

Potential harm to members.

Risk of interrupted sacred traditions, services, social gatherings, holidays, etc.

Why Your Organization?Among the competing voices in the media and the general public, you are

a unique and powerful link in community leadership!

Trusted leadership. Knowledge of community and members’ values and needs. Hope, health, and healing is often specific to communities. Unique ability to plan for your members and community.

What are the different dimensions of our health? What does palliative care

mean to you?

Dimensions of Health and Palliative Care

Environmental

Intellectual &

Occupational

Emotional

Spiritual

Physical

Social

Health &

Wellness

What? Value of a multi-dimensional

health model: Promotes quality of life,

healing, and effective care giving.

Suggests resources for palliative care.

Who? Anyone who wants to learn

and apply these concepts. Community organizations

can play integral role. May want to cooperate with

other organizations to meet needs.

Potential Vulnerabilities

Potential vulnerabilities:Low-income individuals and families. Non-English speakers or those with other barriers to communication. Homeless individuals and families.Shut-in or home-bound individuals.Need for specialized medical care. Need of care-giving or assistance. Transportation barriers.

Persons with Non-Typical Functional Needs

Physical HealthOptimum quality of life, not just absence of disease.Prevention vs. Treatment.Reliance on pharmaceuticals and professional medical services.Implications for your organization:

Vulnerabilities: people with non-typical functional needs.Assets: people with needed skills or resources.Unique characteristics.

Physical Health QuestionsWhen you think of physical health and your organization and members, what are some considerations that come to mind?

What role do you see your organization playing during an emergency or disaster to be a resource for your members?

Do you use community resources to meet these needs? What would happen if those resources were limited or unavailable during a disaster?

Emotional Health

Freedom and ability to express emotions.Closely linked to physical health.Prevention vs. treatment.Reliance on pharmaceuticals or professional services.Potential for escalation of emotional health issues during disaster.

Emotional Health Questions

Can you think of specific emotional health issues that your members might face?

How could your organization be an emotional health resource during a disaster?

How could pre-planning be an emotional health resource?

Social Health

Ability to have positive interactions with others.

Social support and health outcomes.

Disasters and impact on social health.

Social Health Questions

What social support does your organization provide as well as receive from its members?

How would you include social support in a disaster plan?

What are alternative ways to stay connected during an emergency or disaster?

Intellectual & Occupational Health

Common sense, creativity, and general knowledge.Provide sense of purpose and control. Use of intellectual stimulation as a resource for:

Comfort and pain management. Responding to situation with problem-solving.

Public Health Office of Preparedness and other community organizations are great sources of information.

Intellectual & Occupational Health Questions

How would you and your members use your common sense, knowledge, and creativity planning for and responding to a disaster?

How will you make sure the members and staff of your organization understand your plan and how to use it?

What could you do prior to a disaster to ensure you are able to share or gather information during a disaster?

Environmental Health

The way that health is affected by surroundings.

Safety and hygiene.

Strategic presence of positive elements and removal of unpleasant or upsetting elements.

Environmental Health Questions

How would you describe the environment of your organization?

How does it contribute to the well-being of your members?

How would it contribute to the well-being of your members during a disaster?

Spiritual Health

A person’s guiding force in life.Freedom to honor values, beliefs and that which brings you peace.Needed more than ever in disaster for hope, power to heal, and then resilience in recovery. May be honored by traditions or ceremonies or activities.

Spiritual Health Questions

What values and beliefs are important to your organization?

How could an emergency or disaster impact your ability to honor your beliefs, traditions, ceremonies, or activities?

Would you need to plan for alternative strategies?

Could an emergency or disaster bring about new spiritual concerns?

Let’s Take a Break!

15 minutes please.

Death and DyingStrong need for support.

Potential limitations on movement.Infrastructure damage.Contagious diseases.

Catastrophe or disaster could cause mass fatality event, with many more needing comfort and counsel.

Footage Capturing Scope of Disaster : Japan

Death and Dying Questions

How could you comfort those who suffer the loss of loved one or provider during a disaster? Does your organization play a role in specific end-of-life rituals?

Could you imagine how a disaster could affect your end-of-rituals and your ability to do them?

How could your organization respond to a mass fatality event?

What Can You do Now?

Plan: we’re about to practice. Empower members with information about your organization’s plan. Familiarize yourself with state and county organizations and trainings: Delaware Medical Reserve Corps, Interpreter Corps, Citizens Corp, Citizen Emergency Response Training (CERT), and other trainings offered by various organizations. Maintain your communication with Public Health and consider forming other community partnerships.

Activity: Household Assessment Tool

Identifies your household’s assets, characteristics and vulnerabilities in terms of:

Members/OccupationsExpertise/CultureSpace and facilitiesMaterials and EquipmentTransportationPartnerships

Choose one section and assess your household to the best of your ability.

10 minutes 5 minutes

Activity: Organization Assessment Tool

Identifies organization’s assets, characteristics and vulnerabilities in terms of:

Membership/PersonnelExpertiseSpace and facilitiesCulture/Values/TraditionsPartnershipsMaterials and Equipment

Choose one section and assess your organization to the best of your ability.

10 minutes 5 minutes

Disaster Planning TemplateMeant to be used as a guide when you create your plan.

Consider what you identified using the Organization Assessment Tool.

Can you use information from the Household Assessment Tools?

No two plans will look the same.

Contact InformationMy contact information:April Cleveland 302-223-1720april.cleveland@state.de.us

Wiki web site:http://delawarepreparedness.wikispaces.com/

Public Health: Office of Preparedness100 Sunnyside Rd.Smyrna, DE 19977302-223-1720

We look forward to partnering with you to help you plan and prepare to stay

healthy during emergencies and disasters!

Thank you!

Please Consider…

Was the information presented today helpful to you and your organization?Could your organization use the tools that were shared?How could the information presented affect the plans you already have in place?Can you think of at least one step you can take towards creating/revising your plan after today’s workshop?What can we do for you now?