Being Elderly in Disasters: Problems Experienced by the Elderly Affected by the February 6th Earthquake

The difficulties experienced by elderly adults after an earthquake have not been sufficiently examined. This qualitative study, involving 36 adults aged 65 and above, aims to address the problems faced by elderly adults immediately following the earthquake that occurred on February 6, 2023, in Turkey. Using the content analysis method, elderly adults living in different cities who experienced the February 6th Turkey earthquake were interviewed and the post-earthquake problems were examined together with the perspectives of the participants. The findings reveal that elderly adults had difficulties especially in basic needs (shelter, food, clean water, medicine), disadvantages associated with aging (mobility issues), and health problems (panic attacks, fear, anxiety, etc.) after the earthquake. The study also highlights that social unity and solidarity plays a supportive role in coping with these problems.