When disaster strikes, older adults can face challenges that extend far beyond the immediate danger. A hurricane, wildfire, flood or heat wave can interrupt medical care, separate people from caregivers and social networks, and magnify health and mobility problems that existed long before the emergency began.

That broader picture is the focus of “Complex Emergencies and the Effects on Older Populations,” the opening editorial in the October 2026 special issue of the Journal of Applied Gerontology. Author and guest editor Lindsay Peterson, PhD, examines how disasters affect older adults in the United States, Puerto Rico and China, including those receiving care at home and in the community, assisted living communities and nursing homes.

Drawing together findings from 12 studies, the special issue shows that disaster vulnerability often develops over a lifetime. Researchers examine how childhood adversity, extreme heat, air pollution and multiple losses following hurricanes can affect cognitive function, mental health and daily functioning in later life. The studies suggest that the effects of disasters cannot always be understood by examining a single emergency in isolation.

Disasters can also disrupt the services older adults depend on. Research highlighted in the editorial found interruptions to home health and therapy services extending beyond the main disaster zone. Meanwhile, differences in staffing, organizational structure and resident involvement can leave assisted living communities and nursing homes with very different levels of preparedness.

Individual preparedness remains another concern. Even older adults with chronic illnesses or previous disaster experience may not have plans for maintaining medical care during a power outage or emergency. At the same time, resilience, hope, self-efficacy, caregiving relationships and access to reliable information can help strengthen preparedness and recovery.

“Motivation alone is not enough,” Peterson, of the University of South Florida School of Aging Studies, said. “Older adults need information that is timely, relevant, and meets their needs and life circumstances.” She added that stronger support is needed from emergency management agencies, healthcare providers, home care services and long-term care facilities.

Guest editor Lisa M. Brown, PhD, ABPP, of Palo Alto University, stressed that the consequences can also be psychological. Disasters may separate older adults from familiar routines, relationships and caregivers, with effects that continue long after the immediate crisis. Including mental health, caregiver support and trauma-informed care in emergency planning, she said, can help older adults, families and care staff cope during both the crisis and recovery.

The editorial calls for disaster planning to become part of routine clinical care, stronger emergency capacity in assisted living and nursing homes, and community programmes tailored to local circumstances, particularly in rural areas. Taken together, the research suggests that protecting older adults requires more than preparing for the next storm, fire or heat wave. It means strengthening the healthcare, caregiving, social and information systems they rely on before disaster strikes.

More information: Lindsay Peterson et al, Complex Emergencies and the Effects on Older Populations, Journal of Applied Gerontology. DOI: 10.1177/07334648261472656

Journal information: Journal of Applied Gerontology Provided by SAGE