Building Kerala after floods: Don't leave behind the old and vulnerable

The flood situation in Kerala is now bringing attention to relief, rehabilitation and reconstruction of the state as the flood waters recede. While donation funds and goods pour in from all quarters to rebuild Kerala after the devastation, it is imperative that all sections of the society are taken care of while using resources and rebuilding infrastructure.  

Meeting the needs of the vulnerable, be it the poor, older people, the disabled, the migrants and other disadvantaged population of the state, becomes particularly essential as the state flags off plans for providing ready-to-eat dry food, livable homes, clothes, medicines, necessary safety equipment so that people can get back to normal living and deal with whatever is left of their belongings, as well as make provisions for doctors and nurses to be available to tackle and manage health concerns and problems.

All categories of the vulnerable, but older people in particular, need special attention to ensure financial support, provision of essential materials for catering to their shelter, food and health needs besides providing emotional support since Kerala is the leading state in India in terms of population ageing. It is a state with more than 12 percent of elderly population as per the last census and has the largest proportion of older people in the country as well as the highest proportion of the very old elderly, that is, of the 80 plus age population.

In addition it has a high percentage of older women and about 84 per cent of the widows in Kerala are aged above 80 years. The state is also known for having the highest per cent of elderly living households, with rural areas having more than 40 percent of elderly living households as per the Kerala Ageing Survey 2013 conducted by Prof. Irudaya Rajan of the Centre for Development Studies, Thiruvananthapuram.  

The trauma of floods and other calamities on people of any age and on older in particular is well documented from many developed and developing countries, though in India there are still limited studies. However, there is no denying that older people can especially be in serious danger when floods and other disasters occur. Their vulnerability in terms of their changing circumstances, with their long standing illnesses and difficulties, such as various kinds of disabilities as well as bereavement, can put them at risk for poor quality of life.

There is need to better understand older people's lives and strengthen the protection and support for them. It is true that many older people are able to cope by themselves as certain past experiences show with managing disasters but others - including those who are lonely, isolated, ill, living with dementia or reliant on medical equipment - need extra support. While some NGOs in the country and state efforts are towards helping the vulnerable including older people by accessing supplies of food, medicine, and rebuilding damaged homes and possessions, there is still lot to be done to rehabilitate the elderly, the disabled and other vulnerable people in Kerala.

As studies on impact of disasters on vulnerable population reveal older people and other special categories of people in society are generally slow or unaware of how to appropriately react to dangers surrounding them because of natural calamities. They may be unable to feel for various reasons the impending danger and safely evacuate their homes. They are generally less aware of warnings against the rising threat of floods and disasters and at first suspicious of help coming their way for rescue.

They are also reluctant to let go of their belongings whatever they might be. The fear of not be able to return to their home and familiar surroundings is more among them and this unsettling feeling can be particularly traumatic. There are also concerns with their mobility, as often older people and disabled are less able to travel to camps for resettlement or queue for aid. At the same time, they may be pushed aside when there is a scramble for food, water or medical ass-istance. Kerala with high rate and proportion of migration of young people to cities and other countries for work has many older people living alone with extended family becoming less common.  

In rehabilitating older people and other vulnerable sections of the population it is pertinent for the government and other agencies involved with the process to build trust and provide adequate facilities for maintaining a certain standard of life. It is equally essential to remove their isolation, meet their medical and social needs, make provisions for their safety and financial security as well as provide enabling age friendly environments and aid. Emergency and disaster management groups must educate themselves on the needs of older adults and different vulnerable groups of society. There should be no doubt about that the vulnerable population needs extra support in crisis.

The health and social care services which the elderly and other needy sections of the population require must be strengthened in the country with a long term strategy goal so that the impacts of floods and other disasters which are increasingly occurring due to climate change have a minimizing effect on the vulnerable groups in society and they are not left behind or forgotten when Kerala is being reconstructed after the floods.

The writer is an associate professor at Maitreyi College, South Campus, University of Delhi. By training a sociologist, gerontologist, health and development social scientist