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Elderly Vulnerability to Heat Waves: Solutions

The document discusses the increasing vulnerability of the elderly population to heat waves exacerbated by climate change, highlighting that 80% of heat wave deaths occur among those over 60. It proposes macro-level policy changes through FEMA to address systemic gaps in disaster response and micro-level community-based interventions to monitor and support elderly individuals during extreme heat events. The recommendations aim to reduce heat-related mortality and improve community connections while ensuring timely aid for the elderly during heat waves.

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kamreaj
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11 views9 pages

Elderly Vulnerability to Heat Waves: Solutions

The document discusses the increasing vulnerability of the elderly population to heat waves exacerbated by climate change, highlighting that 80% of heat wave deaths occur among those over 60. It proposes macro-level policy changes through FEMA to address systemic gaps in disaster response and micro-level community-based interventions to monitor and support elderly individuals during extreme heat events. The recommendations aim to reduce heat-related mortality and improve community connections while ensuring timely aid for the elderly during heat waves.

Uploaded by

kamreaj
Copyright
© All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

1

Environmental Justice Project: Part Two

Jolie Royal, Kamrea Johnson & Victoria Stone

Graduate School of Social Work, University of Texas – Arlington

SOCW 5310, Environmental Justice & Green Social Work

November 24, 2024


2

Environmental Justice Project: Part Two

Recap

Heat waves are a piece of climate change that should concern everyone. Worsening heat

waves are impacting every location on Earth (Perkins-Kirkpatrick & Lewis, 2018). They have

ever-expanding heat domes, are lasting longer, and are becoming hotter than they ever have been

(Perkins-Kirkpatrick & Lewis, 2018). Additionally, not all populations are affected to the same

degree by heat waves. Elderly people are a particularly vulnerable population that require special

consideration to protect their health and well-being (Leap et al., 2024).

A recent study demonstrated that the burden of heat waves falls most on our elderly, with

80% of heat wave deaths happening to those over 60 years old (Dutchen, 2021). This is because

the elderly are more likely to have higher levels of health problems and chronic disease than

other groups. Elderly people also are more likely to take medications that cause heat sensitivity

(Layton et al., 2020), but every elderly person will likely struggle with thermoregulation more

than younger adults and thus have more severe reactions to heat waves than other groups

(Kenney & Hespel, 2006). Elderly people have inherent physical disadvantages in heat waves

that are multiplied by social factors such as income (Leap et al., 2024).

Practice and Policy Recommendations

The elderly are vulnerable due to socioeconomic and biological factors, therefore

practices and policy recommendations on both the micro and macro levels will be critical to

reduce elderly mortality from heat waves.


3

Macro-Level Recommendation

According to the National Association of Social Workers (NASW), macro social work

focuses on change at the systemic level by advocating for vulnerable populations at the local and

global level (NASW, n.d.). There are many practical solutions for fighting the high elderly

mortality rate during heat waves. The best solution to address this concern is by analyzing and

resolving some of the gaps in the systems that we already have in place. Heat waves are a major

disaster related concern; the organization responsible for addressing these concerns is the Federal

Emergency Management Agency, also known as FEMA.

FEMA is federally funded by The Disaster Relief Fund, appropriated by Congress to help

Americans prepare for, respond to, recover from, and mitigate impacts of natural disasters

(Hernandez, 2024). In 2021, FEMA released our nation’s strategic emergency response plan that

cited three goals; the first being to instill equity as a foundation of emergency management, the

second being leading communities in climate resilience, and the final being promoting and

sustaining a ready and FEMA prepared nation (FEMA, 2021).

FEMA Recommendations

FEMA’s Public Assistance Program provides many grants available to local governments

that could be used to recover and mitigate disaster damage such as extreme heat. One problem

with the program is recipients can only receive funds through declaration of the Stanford Act,

which currently does not account for extreme heat or heat waves. According to an article

released by the Congressional Research Services (CRS), historically, most of the Stafford Act

declarations that have provided aid were for sudden onset hazards from hurricanes which caused

structural damages (CRS, 2024). Our findings have shown an amendment needed to account for
4

climate change, regarding extreme heat and heat waves to adequately prepare for what is already

happening. This amendment can benefit Americans at all levels.

FEMA offers another public assistance program known as the Hazard Mitigation Assistance

(HMA) program, which provides funding for eligible activities that reduce or eliminate long-

term risk to people and property from future disasters (FEMA, 2024) (CRS, 2024). FEMA has

nine HMA programs, one of which is the Building Resilient Infrastructures and Communities

(BRIC) grant program that supports the implementation of hazard mitigation projects to reduce

risk factors (FEMA, 2024). This new initiative is another program only authorized by the

declaration of the Stafford Act. Our previous recommendation would help achieve the overall

goal of this program. An amendment change can help disenfranchised communities at the micro

level.

Micro-Level Recommendation

A micro level recommendation is community-based disaster services. Established

community-based organizations can employee community health workers to provide case

management services to mitigate disaster relief. Through already established community-driven

programs, employed through FEMA grants workers, volunteers and local organizations can

check on elderly individuals during heatwaves through monitoring, a requirement of a

community-based plan. The rationale of intense monitoring of individuals over the age of 60

during excessive heat warnings by a community-based service is that elderly individuals are

disproportionately vulnerable during extreme heat, and the program develops a system that

supports and checks on the well-being of the elderly population.

Population Focused
5

These programs have been shown to assist marginalized communities at the micro level

(Moya et al., 2018). Social support is a factor that can impact health risks that are tied to high

heat (Heidrich et al., 2022). Having a community health worker or volunteer to check in on

elders and communicate their environment and how they are handling can show early signs of

risks of declining health. A study where a community developed a program that checked on their

elderly population during elevated temperatures showed reduced heat-related mortality rates

(Hasan et al., 2021). An example of successfully implementing a community-based program to

help elders was in Chicago’s 1995 heatwave. This program mostly involved volunteers checking

on the elderly through phone calls and home visits (Fouillet et al., 2006). This is credited with

helping to reduce the number of elderly fatalities. On the other hand, past failed community-

based programs typically have cited similar causes such as the lack of resources (funding and

materials) and low participation (recruitment and high demand) (Bassil & Cole, 2010).

The program could have tasks to aid their local elders, such as visitations, running a call

line, and delivering resources like fans and water (Siegler et al, 2015). This recommendation

aims to aid in reducing heat-related mortality among the elderly population. Additional goals and

perks that could stem from this plan are increased connection in the community and more

awareness on the topic.

Conclusion

The elderly qualify as a special population and are acknowledged as such (National

Association of Social Workers, 2015). The evidence-based recommendations act as an urgent

call to action to combat the unequal burden they face in heat waves. The macro level FEMA

recommendation will increase support for heat waves to maximize aid systems already in place.

The micro level recommendation will utilize case management via community programs to
6

protect the elderly and personally care for them. Together, this approach will vastly increase

access to services and get elderly people aid sooner during heat waves.
7

References

Bassil, K. L., & Cole, D. C. (2010). Effectiveness of public health interventions in reducing

morbidity and mortality during heat episodes: a structured review. International journal

of environmental research and public health, 7(3), 991–1001.

[Link]

Brown, J. T., & Richardson, D. J. (2015, April 16). FEMA’s Public Assistance Grant Program:

Background and Considerations for Congress. Congressional Research Service.

[Link]

Conrad-Amlicke, G. (n.d.). Careers. NASW, National Association of Social Workers.

[Link]

Understanding-Micro-Mezzo-and-Macro-Social-Work-Practice

Dutchen, S. (2021, August). The Effects of Heat on Older Adults: When Heat Intensifies, Older

Adults Weaken — But They Don’t Have To. Harvard Medicine Magazine.

[Link]

%20than%2080%20percent%20of%20the%20estimated%2012%2C000,fatalities

%20among%20older%20adults%20are%20expected%20to%20grow.

2022–2026 FEMA strategic plan. [Link]. (n.d.-a). [Link]


plan

Fouillet, A., Rey, G., Laurent, F., Bellec, S., & Le Tertre, A. (2006). Excess mortality related to

the August 2003 heat wave in France. The International Journal of Biometeorology,

50(4), 271-278. [Link]


8

Hasan, F., Marsia, S., Patel, K., Agrawal, P., & Razzak, J. A. (2021). Effective Community-

Based Interventions for the Prevention and Management of Heat-Related Illnesses: A

Scoping Review. International journal of environmental research and public health,

18(16), 8362. [Link]

Heidrich, O., De Vito, S. B., & McEvoy, D. (2022). The role of passive cooling in improving

urban resilience to climate change: Insights from housing and neighborhood design.

Environmental Science & Policy, 135, 107-116.

[Link]

Kenney, W. L., & Hespel, P. (2006). Thermoregulation and exercise in the heat: Implications for

the aging population. Journal of Aging and Physical Activity, 14(4), 378–393.

[Link]

Leap, S., Soled, D., Sampath, V., & Nadeau, K. (2024, July). Effects of Extreme Weather on

Health in Underserved Communities. Annals of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology,

volume 133(1), 20–27. [Link]

Moya, E. M., Chavez-Baray, S. M., Martinez, O., Mattera, B., & Adcox, C. (2018). Bridging the

Gap Between Micro and Macro Practice to Address Homelessness in the U.S.-Mexico

Border Region: Implications for Practitioners and Community Stakeholders. Reflections

(Long Beach, Calif.), 24(1), 102–118.

National Association of Social Workers. (2015). Social work speaks: National Association of

Social Workers policy statements, 2015–2017. NASW Press.


9

Perkins-Kirkpatrick, S. E., & Lewis, S. C. (2018, February 14). Study finds heat waves trends

are accelerating worldwide. [Link].

[Link]

Siegler, E. L., Lama, S. D., Knight, M. G., Laureano, E., & Reid, M. C. (2015). Community-

Based Supports and Services for Older Adults: A Primer for Clinicians. Journal of

geriatrics, 2015, 678625. [Link]

Summary of FEMA hazard mitigation assistance (HMA) programs. [Link]. (n.d.).

[Link]

programs

Common questions

Powered by AI

Social factors exacerbate the effects of heat waves on elderly individuals by influencing their access to resources and support systems. Low income can limit the ability to afford cooling, transportation, and health services, while social isolation diminishes observational oversight that could detect health decline early . The lack of robust community networks often leaves this population without necessary interventions and exacerbates health vulnerabilities further .

Macro-level social work strategies aim to instigate systemic changes by advocating for policy amendments and utilizing federal aid programs like FEMA's Public Assistance and Hazard Mitigation Assistance (HMA) to enhance community resilience against heat waves . In contrast, micro-level strategies focus on direct community engagement, often through localized disaster services and health interventions, to provide immediate, personalized support to the elderly population during heat waves .

Community-based programs have been effective in reducing heat-related mortality among the elderly when they involve robust support systems such as phone calls and home visits, as demonstrated in Chicago's 1995 heatwave . However, shortcomings often arise due to limited resources, insufficient funding, little participation, and high demand for services, which decreases program effectiveness and sustainability .

FEMA has addressed challenges in aiding climate-related disasters by framing strategic goals to instill equity and lead resilience efforts while promoting readiness against natural events. Although specific challenges remain, such as constraints under the Stafford Act, FEMA’s programs like the BRIC aim to enable local governments to develop infrastructure that mitigates risks from recurring and severe heatwaves .

Policy recommendations to enhance protection for the elderly during heat waves include amending existing disaster response frameworks like the Stafford Act to consider extreme heat and expanding FEMA's funding capabilities. This would improve systemic responses through programs like BRIC and HMA, and reinforce community-based supports to ensure immediate, personalized care for vulnerable elderly populations during such events .

The Congressional Research Service suggests that historically, the Stafford Act has been applied mostly to sudden-onset hazards like hurricanes rather than gradual ones like extreme heat . It recommends amendments to better accommodate climate change realities, particularly the inclusion of heat waves, to ensure systematic aid that addresses current climate challenges more effectively .

Community-based disaster services play a vital role in managing heat wave impacts on the elderly by employing community health workers to perform intensive monitoring and offer case management services. These programs can reduce heat-related mortality by having local organizations and volunteers check on elderly individuals during heat waves, providing necessary resources, and supporting their well-being through increased social connectivity .

Elderly populations uniquely suffer from heat waves due to both biological and socioeconomic factors. Biologically, they have higher levels of health issues and chronic diseases, and are more likely to take medications that cause heat sensitivity, impairing thermoregulation more than in younger adults . Socioeconomically, factors like low income can exacerbate these vulnerabilities, increasing mortality rates during heatwaves, which are notably higher among those over 60 years of age .

The BRIC program plays a critical role in disaster mitigation for heat waves by funding infrastructure projects that reduce long-term risk to people and properties. It encourages community-wide resilience building by promoting actions that address climate change effects, including extreme heat, though funding is contingent on declaration requirements under the Stafford Act .

Amending the Stafford Act is recommended to incorporate extreme heat events because current aid and funding under the Act primarily cater to sudden onset hazards like hurricanes that cause tangible structural damage . Since extreme heat is a recurrent and increasingly severe climate change phenomenon, an amendment would facilitate better preparedness and mitigation for heat waves through federal funding and programs like the Hazard Mitigation Assistance (HMA), thereby benefiting all communities, especially marginalized ones .

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