A Thematic Analysis of Disaster Resilience through the Lens of Typhoon Haiyan’s Older Filipino Adult Survivors

Abstract

Disaster can lead to stressful crises and life stress among individuals. One of the most vulnerable age groups to post-traumatic stress are older adults. As such, this study explored older Filipino adults’ living experiences pertaining to disaster during Typhoon Haiyan, highlighting the problems they encounter after the disaster and identifying factors that contribute to their disaster resilience. The researchers used a thematic analysis in the study among 11 older adults as participants. Three main themes were unveiled upon the analysis of the data: 1) feelings of powerlessness and selflessness within the self; 2) Individuals with positive and negative outlook, over time, slowly influence a positive outcome; and 3) accepting responsibility for one’s personal decisions and actions. Older adults’ immediate reaction after a disaster is the feeling of powerlessness. However, whether they have positive or negative outlooks about life, over time, these perspectives slowly influence a positive outcome, which leads to these older adults take hold on their responsibility as part of their personal decisions and actions to move forward. Gerontologists may suggest that older adults consider social support activities if they are receptive to them and may benefit from such activities, which can provide social contact, reduce alienation and isolation, and increase a sense of belonging, and life meaning.