Cyclone elderly facing tough times

Of the 2.4 million affected by Cyclone Nargis, about 700,000 people are over 55, many of whom lost everything in the storm, according to a survey by the NGO HelpAge International, with the most vulnerable highly dependent on family and wider communities.

Despite that, access to emergency relief is limited, with fewer than 10 percent saying they had received any attention directed at older people as part of the relief effort.

“There aren’t many people my age left in the village. So far I haven't received anything provided only for older people,” Kyin Hla, who lost his wife in the storm.

“Older people are often the missing element in relief and rehabilitation efforts,” confirmed Richard Blewitt, chief executive of HelpAge International.

Although the Post-Nargis Joint Assessment (PONJA), report compiled by the Myanmar government, Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and the UN - which details the needs of affected communities and households – makes special mention of their vulnerabilities, it fails to spell out the specific interventions needed.

Ensuring that the particular challenges and needs of this group of persons are addressed is critical to ensuring a successful relief and recovery programme for all the affected population.

“Ensuring that the particular challenges and needs of this group of persons are addressed is critical to ensuring a successful relief and recovery programme for all the affected population,” Blewitt said.

Many older survivors rely on food provided by relief organisations or relatives and community leaders such as monks.

Most are reliant on the food supplies of international NGOs (50 percent) and local NGOs (9 percent), the HelpAge report states.

Close to 80 percent of respondents lost their homes in the category four storm, while more than half report having no productive assets to sustain themselves. Many lost their partners or primary caregivers.

Before Nargis, Kyin Hla owned 15 acres of land and was largely self-sufficient. But after losing everything in the storm - including his wife, two children and 18 buffaloes - Kyin Hla moved to a monastery in Yangon so he could look after his orphaned grandson.

The monastery provides food and shelter for them, while a senior monk takes care of his grandson's education.

“This allows us to economise our living costs,” he said, one of several coping strategies many elderly survivors have now adopted.

Coping strategies

Thirty-five percent of those surveyed cited cutting down or skipping meals (32 percent), not eating at all on some days (11 percent), or going to relatives' homes (15 percent).

Photo: cm/IRIN

Despite their vulnerability, the needs of Myanmar's cylone elderly has yet to be properly addressed

Though older people in Myanmar receive a considerable amount of respect in their communities, and live with their immediate family members, 7 percent reported to be living alone now.

Those elderly who had no children at all faced a particularly tough time, leaving them with a strong sense of insecurity.

“The older people that don’t have any son or daughter face difficulties,” Aung Thu, a team leader with HelpAge confirmed.

Adding to their plight is the devastating impact the cyclone has had on their overall health.

Before Nargis, 30 percent of respondents did not suffer from any significant illness, against 2 percent after the storm, the survey stated.

Aung Thu recalled meeting three women aged from 72 to 86 years on one of his mobile healthcare trips to the affected area.

“The youngest of the three women had severe lung problems, but was caring for her two older sisters,” he said.

He later learned that the woman had passed away after failing to receive the treatment she needed.

“The two old ladies are now living with a niece in the village. I wonder how long the other two will survive,” he asked.

cm/ds/mw