Guide to

Expanding Mitigation

MAKING THE CONNECTION TO OLDER ADULTS
By 2034, the Census Bureau projects that adults aged 65 and older will outnumber those 

under the age of 18 in the country — a first in U.S. history. Decisions we make now about 

where, how and what to build determine whether our communities will be accessible places 

where people of all ages can thrive during both sunny skies and disasters. Older adults, 

often defined as those aged 60 or 65 and older, are an incredibly diverse population. 

Their needs and life experience vary widely. Keeping this in mind, emergency managers 

should build their community’s resilience alongside and in consideration of older adults. 

Planning for older adults typically focuses on nursing homes and assisted living facilities. 

However, only 2.3% and 1.5% of older adults live in such facilities, respectively. The 

majority live dispersed throughout their communities, often alone. Building resilience 

begins with becoming aware of the range of older adults’ needs and concerns. This may 

include partnering with organizations such as a local branch of the Area Agencies on 

Aging, AARP state offices or religious and civic organizations.

Older adults often have long-term perspectives and longstanding relationships that 

can inform planning efforts. At the same time, older adults have historically been 

disproportionately impacted by disasters. As an inherently resilient population, older adults 

have much to offer to communities, both in steady-state life and in post-disaster recovery. 

This Guide to Expanding Mitigation for Older Adults 

was created in partnership between FEMA and AARP, 

the nation’s largest advocacy organization representing 

the needs of Americans age 50 and older. It highlights 

the value of creating accessible communities for all 

ages. It also recommends ways for community officials 

to include older adults in efforts to reduce risk through 

hazard mitigation. That includes the planning and 

project development, implementation and evaluation 

processes. This guide serves as a starting point for 

community officials to discuss how these partnerships 

in mitigation can create more livable, accessible, 

and resilient communities for all. 

This Guide to Expanding 

Mitigation is part of a 

series highlighting innovative 

and emerging partnerships 

for mitigation. Other related 

guides include information 

on making the connection to 

people with disabilities, equity 

and the whole community.

Photo: Columbus, OH suburbs with rural and natural landscape.

Cover Photo: Older women talking over lunch.

FEMA works with states, local communities, tribes and territories to raise awareness of 

natural hazards and mitigate the risks. Mitigation planning and projects rely on technical data. 

They also require emergency managers, local officials, civic organizations and the private 

sector from across the whole community to work together. Older adults can be a critical 

part of this process. AARP helps older adults through programs like its Livable Communities 

initiative. This supports local leaders in developing more age-friendly communities by: 

• Creating safe, walkable streets and accessible public spaces.

• Expanding age-friendly housing and transportation options. 

• Ensuring access to the services and amenities needed to safely age in place. 

• Fostering opportunities for all residents to participate in community life and decisionmaking processes.

Photo: Couple walking through garden.
Older adults are not a homogenous population. They have diverse lived 

experiences as a result of race, education, health status, disability, and other 

socioeconomic factors. Adults in their sixties have very different needs, 

on average, than adults in their nineties. Age is only one factor among 

many that can increase older adults’ vulnerability to the effects of natural 

hazards. Other characteristics include:

• Impaired mobility, cognition or senses (e.g., vision or hearing impairments). 

• Challenges with physical and mental health.

• Uneven access to resources, such as internet access, income and savings.

• Limited social networks that result in less assistance from friends and family. 

Factors like these can further increase the vulnerability of older adults. 

For example, several barriers prevent older adults from evacuating when 

needed. Many older adults cannot drive and do not have access to reliable, 

accessible public transportation, depend on home-based medical equipment, 

require specialized accessibility supports, or cannot bring pets when 

evacuating. Some older adults are caregivers to spouses or partners with 

one or more vulnerabilities that may also hinder their ability to take timely 

action and remain safe.

Older adults may lack the financial means to temporarily relocate or fear the 

loss of connection to nearby medical or social supports. For those who do 

evacuate or are displaced during disasters, challenges persist in recovery. 

These include financial constraints and complicated administrative processes 

to apply for support, compounded by the mental and emotional toll of living 

through the disaster. Some older adults are not physically able to stand for 

extended periods of time waiting in line for services. Many people can reduce 

their risk before an event by obtaining insurance, preparing their home, 

stockpiling food and medicine or creating a “go kit.” However, even these risk 

reduction efforts can be out of reach for older adults on fixed incomes or with 

limited savings. 

HOW OLDER ADULTS ARE AFFECTED 

BY NATURAL HAZARDS

Older adults are a valuable part of their communities. They often volunteer 

their time, invest in local economies, and contribute their expertise and 

experience to civic efforts. A 2019 AARP study found that more than half 

of adults over 65 had volunteered at least monthly in the previous year. Yet 

older adults, as an age group, also often represent the greatest share of 

deaths from extreme weather events and other natural disasters. For older 

adults who survive, disasters can nevertheless lead to long-lasting effects 

on their health and well-being. Consider the following: 

• Three out of four deaths during Hurricane Katrina in 2005 were older adults 

(60+), even though they represented just 16% of the total population. 

• Most of the victims who lost their lives to the 2018 Camp Fire were older 

adults (60+). 

• Two out of three North Carolinians who died in Hurricane Florence were 

older adults (60+), and almost half were 70 years or older. 

• Adults 65 and older account for 16% of the U.S. population but 80% 

of total COVID deaths.

CASE STUDY: HURRICANE SANDY

The New York Academy of Medicine researched resilience and older 

adults following Hurricane Sandy. They found that older adults had 

not been engaged in emergency planning; as a result, emergency 

services often did not meet older adults’ needs. However, local 

neighborhood institutions were helpful in keeping older adults safe. 

Furthermore, older adults helped the community during the disaster 

and used their professional skills (construction, data management, 

etc.) during recovery. Older adults were especially helpful in 

understanding and meeting the needs of other older adults. 

Photo: A power repair truck assists with clearing debris on a flooded road. Photo: Man cleaning gutters. Photo: Preparing an emergency survival kit.
As a growing segment of the U.S. population, older adults are likely to 

become proportionally more vulnerable due to climate change. A 2021 

study by Climate Central examined the threat to older adults from sea level 

rise in coastal areas. The study compared the physical location of nursing 

homes and assisted living facilities in five states with projected sea levels 

in 2050. The study found that two out of every three beds in Florida’s care 

facilities will potentially be exposed to flooding. Additionally, more older 

adults are living in coastal communities. Coastal homes are at risk of 

flooding due to hurricanes and major storms. Even “nuisance” or “sunny 

day” flooding from high tides that flood streets but not houses can prevent 

older adults from going to doctor appointments or needed support seeking 

services. The pattern of outsized impacts to older adults extends to other 

hazards as well. Rural communities with many older adults suffered higher 

fatality rates than the overall affected population during wildfires in 2019 

and 2020. Longer, hotter summers—especially in places with high heat 

and humidity, and regions where temperatures remain hot at night—also 

contribute to heat illness and premature death, particularly among older 

adults who do not have access to air conditioning and home insulation.

Disasters pose a threat to the financial security of older adults, in addition 

to their health. Many retired Americans live on fixed incomes but have 

substantial equity in their homes. Homes in the wildland urban interface are 

threatened by increasingly severe and frequent wildfires. In coastal areas, 

anticipated sea level rise has depressed property values and increased 

property taxes and insurance. Older adults who own their homes outright 

do not have a lender who may require flood insurance. They may be unable 

to afford insurance or unaware of the importance of it. This adds to the 

risk of losing their accumulated home equity—which may otherwise be a 

significant source of saving for retirement. 

Intense weather and natural disasters affect older adults differently than 

other groups. On average, heat and extreme temperatures are responsible 

for the most weather-related deaths in the U.S. each year. Older adults are 

more vulnerable to heat illness and death due to factors associated with age, 

including a lessened ability to regulate body temperature through sweat and 

blood circulation and weaker cardiovascular systems. Hazardous air quality from 

wildfires exacerbates these age factors, particularly heart and lung conditions. 

Pre-existing health conditions and side effects from medications can put older 

adults at even greater risk. Physical health issues, disrupted routines and 

displacement can adversely impact mental health as well. The effects of climate 

change will likely affect segments of the older adult population unevenly, based 

on such factors as access to income, race, education and overall health.

Photo: River Walk by Skagit River in Washington State.
MITIGATION STRATEGIES FOR MAKING COMMUNITIES 

MORE RESILIENT FOR OLDER ADULTS

The built environment and community systems can be designed to better 

meet the needs of older adults and advance resilience and mitigation. To 

date, most work that considers the impacts that disasters have on older 

adults has focused on preparedness and response, rather than mitigating 

risk. Mitigation is most effective as a community-wide, long-term effort in 

tandem with individual actions to reduce risk. Community-scale decisions 

on housing location, density and design, walkability and transportation 

systems, green space and other neighborhood features have a major 

impact on older adults’ resilience. 

Community-level hazard mitigation and personal preparedness efforts 

are not always labeled as such. Some “complete streets” or “livability” 

programs may not mention either older adults or disasters, but they will 

benefit both. Programs designed to improve water quality also often 

reduce flooding. Many states have programs to help older adults and 

others in need to upgrade air conditioning or insulation. Emergency 

managers should think creatively about potential programs and partners.

Communities that want to become more resilient and “age-friendly” choose 

to plan and build pedestrian-oriented, mixed-use downtowns and town 

centers; safe and accessible transportation options; a variety of housing 

options; and accessible public spaces and amenities—as well as systems 

that address the information and health needs of older adults. Mitigation 

strategies that make communities more accessible to older adults benefit 

everyone and increase community resilience. 

Emergency managers, planners, development officials and other state, local, 

tribal, and territorial officials can: 

• Adopt more resilient and efficient building and land use standards.

• Avoid siting senior housing, nursing and assisted living facilities in hazardprone areas, like floodplains and locations with high wildfire and/or 

earthquake risk.

• Ensure that critical facilities, such as hospitals, have alternative power 

sources and accessible transportation connections. 

• Reduce the risk of natural hazards to Community Lifelines, the most 

important services in the community, which include but are not limited to 

Food, Water, Shelter; Health and Medical; and Transportation. 

• Use nature-based solutions to reduce flood risk and the urban heat island effect, 

creating public parks and open spaces for public gathering and socialization. 

• Educate older adults about the need for flood, earthquake, and other hazard 

insurance that may not be part of a typical homeowners policy, as well as 

the need for coverage for renters. 

• Ensure older adults have access to timely information in a variety of formats, 

accessible transportation sources and assistance if evacuation is required.

• Ensure that emergency shelters are designed for older adults (incorporating 

medical needs, pets, and cognitive or physical limitations).

• Provide cooling centers and/or clean air centers. 

• Partner with faith-based civic organizations, advocacy groups for older 

adults, and health care providers in mitigation planning, project development, 

risk communication and ongoing community engagement. 

• Work with organizations and programs such as Rebuilding Together and 

Habitat for Humanity’s Aging in Place to ensure safe housing for older adults 

at all points of the disaster lifecycle. 

Photo: Man installing fiberglass insulation. Photo: Woman pushing man in wheelchair on pedestrian walkway near water. Photo: California brush fire near houses. Photo: Evacuation Route sign in Florida.
BENEFITS FROM COLLABORATING 

WITH OLDER ADULTS 

Engaging older adults can be challenging, just as it is for other traditionally 

under-represented groups. Potential ways to break down barriers include:

• Make the right connections and build relationships with existing, 

trusted advocates for older adults, such as age-friendly programs 

(including those part of the AARP Network of Age-Friendly States and 

Communities), home-based care organizations, senior housing and 

centers, and assisted living facilities.

• Communicate effectively, in plain language, and through many kinds of 

media. Ensure public information lines (such as 211 or 411 lines) are 

frequently updated. Provide information in a range of languages and 

through a range of formats, including those available to people with 

disabilities. Make sure people can easily receive the information without 

a smartphone or internet access. 

• Identify and include volunteer leaders (who represent the diverse needs 

and backgrounds of the community’s older adults) in planning for 

disaster and mitigating risk (on both individual and community scales). 

Ensure that volunteer or professional leaders account for the range of 

socioeconomic factors, functional and access needs, and language 

preferences by the older adult population.

The importance of connecting preparedness and mitigation efforts with 

community-based advocates for older adults cannot be overstated. 

Engage groups that represent the needs and interest of older adults in the 

mitigation planning and project development process. AARP, for example, 

has promoted preparedness to its members across the United States 

and through many of its state offices for several years. AARP has released 

a Disaster Resilience Tool Kit—written in coordination with FEMA—to inform 

local leaders of new opportunities to strengthen community-wide resilience 

in ways that further protect older adults. Organizations that serve older adults 

can provide data, capacity and expertise to the mitigation planning process. 

They can serve as trusted messengers by using their existing relationships 

and broaden an emergency manager’s reach within a community. 

Opportunities abound to engage these organizations in mitigation: 

• Updating the state, local, tribal or territorial hazard mitigation plan: 

Organizations that serve older adults can contribute data, insights and 

expertise in assessing vulnerabilities and developing mitigation strategies. 

They can illustrate the impacts of natural hazards on adults, identify the critical 

facilities on which they rely, develop strategies and understand local capacity 

that could be leveraged to reduce risk. Engage older adults throughout the 

planning process. They can share stories of past hazard events and contribute 

other hazard information based on their lived experiences. 

• Integrating hazard mitigation into community planning: State, local, tribal, 

or territorial emergency management officials may be invited to contribute 

to or advise on the development of local comprehensive plans or broader 

state planning initiatives, such as climate adaptation or resilience plans. 

Communities and states that have joined AARP’s Network of Age-Friendly 

States and Communities also have age-friendly action plans to augment 

local plans. These plans emphasize the needs of older adults in housing, 

transportation, and other decisions. Several include explicit—but often 

incomplete—information on how to strengthen preparedness and reduce 

the risks to older adults. Include groups that serve older adults, such as 

age-friendly coalitions, in planning processes. Incorporating these voices 

increases equity in the planning process and can translate to a lower need 

for response and recovery.

• Supporting the development of risk reduction strategies: Whether at a 

state, local, tribal or territorial level, organizations that serve older adults 

can contribute data and expertise to help you understand where mitigation 

investment would have the most impact on reducing the risk of natural 

hazards to older adult populations. These partnerships may be helpful 

when advocating or gaining public support for large-scale infrastructure 

projects or communicating the benefit of smaller-scale risk reduction 

measures by households or communities.

Photo: Older women drinking coffee and talking in a cafe.
ORGANIZATIONS AND RESOURCES 

TO ENGAGE OLDER ADULTS 

Overall, a greater integration of emergency professionals and advocates 

for older adults—and an increased focus on mitigation in addition to 

preparedness—will promote community resilience and more livable 

communities. Emergency managers, community planners and other leaders 

should expand their collaborative efforts with organizations that serve 

or advocate for older adults, such as the following: 

• Area Agencies on Aging.

• AARP State Offices, including each AARP State Director. 

• Disability advocacy organizations, such as local centers for independent living. 

• Home health agencies.

• Neighborhood and civic associations, such as the Rotary Club.

• Non-profit community centers like YMCA. 

• Faith-based/religious organizations.

• State agencies, such as State Units on Aging, which develop and administer 

plans that advocate and provide assistance to older adults and their caregivers. 

• FEMA’s Office of Disability Integration and Coordination, which includes a 

regional network of Disability Integration Advisors.

• FEMA’s Office of Equal Rights.

• DHS Center for Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships, which serves 

as a clearinghouse for information, connecting and coordinating with 

faith-based organizations.

AARP and other organizations have developed resources that can begin to help 

emergency managers partner with older adults in mitigation: 

1.AARP resources include:

a. AARP’s Livable Communities website, which includes information on the 

AARP Network of Age-Friendly States and Communities

b. Publications, such as its Disaster Resilience Tool Kit

2. Federal resources include:

a. HUD’s Community Resilience Toolkit

b. FEMA’s Hazard Mitigation Planning Program

c. FEMA’s Guides to Expanding Mitigation

d. FEMA’s Engaging Faith-based and Community Organizations

e. Veteran Affairs’ Toolkit for communities to better integrate homeless 

populations into their disaster preparedness

3. State-based model resources include:

a. New Jersey’s Creating Great Places to Age in New Jersey: 

A Community Guide to Implementing Aging-Friendly Land 

Use Decisions

Photo: Woman reading news on a tablet. Photo: Fisherman on pier. Photo: Couple doing Tai Chi outdoors.
REFERENCES

AARP Policy Book 2021-2022. Chapter 13: Livable Communities. 

https://policybook.aarp.org/policy-book/livable-communities

Climate Central. (2021). Coming Storms: Climate Change and the Rising 

Threat to America’s Coastal Seniors. Princeton, NJ. https://medialibrary.

climatecentral.org/uploads/general/Seniors_and_SLR_-_Full.pdf

Climate Central. (2020). Seniors at Risk: Heat & Climate 

Change. Princeton, NJ. https://ccimgs-2020.s3.amazonaws.

com/2020HeatAndSeniors/2020HeatAndSeniors_Final0623.pdf

Kwan, C., & Walsh, C.A. (2017). Seniors’ disaster resilience: A scoping 

review of the literature. International Journal of Disaster Risk Reduction, 

25, 259-273

New Jersey Future. (2020). Creating Great Places to Age in New 

Jersey: A Community Guide to Implementing Aging-Friendly Land Use 

Decisions. State of New Jersey. https://www.njfuture.org/wp-content/

uploads/2020/11/ImplementationGuide_Nov2020.pdf

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS 

Project Team: Kelly Pflicke, FEMA; Jack Heide, FEMA Region 2; Danielle Arigoni, 

AARP, Jason Tudor, AARP, Gabriella Spitzer, Resilience Action Partners; Melissa 

Herlitz, Resilience Action Partners. 

We thank the following individuals who contributed their time to advance our 

understanding of mitigation and older adults: 

• AARP California: Nancy McPherson, David Azevedo, Michael Murray, 

Rafi Nazarians, and Shea McCaslin.

• AARP Florida: Jeff Johnson and Victoria Funes.

• AARP Louisiana: Bobby Savoie and LaTonya Scott Smith.

• AARP Oregon: Bandana Shrestha.

• American Red Cross: Charley English.

• Build Strong America: Pamela Williams.

• FEMA: Angie Gladwell, Camille Crain, Jeremiah Christopher and Matt Campbell.

• National Fire Protection Association: Don Bliss.

• Palo Alto University: Dr. Lisa M. Brown.

• Puerto Rico University Center for Excellence in Education, Research and 

Service on Developmental Disabilities: Carol Salas. 

• University of Colorado Natural Hazards Center: Dr. Nnenia Marie Campbell.

• Veterans Emergency Management Evaluation Center (VEMEC): Dr. June Gin 

and Dr. Tamar Wyte-Lake.

• Wesley Living: Stacey Orr and Chesley Thomas.

ENGAGE WITH US

Are you a state, local, tribal or territorial official interested in making 

the connection between older adults and hazard mitigation? Are you 

an advocate for older adults and interested in connecting with local 

officials to reduce risk from hazards? Please contact us at FEMAExpandingMitigation@fema.dhs.gov or livable@aarp.org.

Photo: Couple paying bills at home.