"Everything Changed After The Hurricane"

Faculty researchers from California State University, East Bay, Dr. Mariana Guzzardo from Human Development and Women's Studies and Dr. Alina Engelman from Health Sciences discuss their project focusing on older adults with disabilities and their experiences in the preparation for Hurricane Maria, during the storm, and in its aftermath. Their findings document the post-disaster needs of elderly with disabilities, the ways in which they demonstrate resilience when confronting challenges, and their expectations for the future. Another aspect of Guzzardo and Engelman’s research focuses on the response of existing community-based organizations (NGOs) geared to serving older adults, individuals with disabilities, and individuals with mental illness. In their research, they consider NGOs’ emergency preparedness, their response and recovery efforts, and their needs in the face of a possible future emergency or disaster. The different parts of the research will be integrated to provide a holistic picture of actions taken regarding emergency preparedness, response, as well as the experiences and needs of individuals on the island. The study's findings provide information to enlighten NGOs’ decisions and support them in executing resourceful and competent action in the future. Other collaborators on the project include Dr. Irina Todorova from Northeastern University, Dr. Rosa Guzzardo Tamargo (Linguistics) and Dr. Evelyn Dean-Olmsted (Anthropology), both from the University of Puerto Rico, and Dr. Alicia Rivero-Vergne (Psychology) from Inter American University of Puerto Rico. The photograph included with this announcement was taken by Adriana Parrilla: https://www.adrianaparrilla.com/santamaria.

Please contact Mariana Guzzardo mariana.guzzardo@csueastbay.edu or Alina Engelman alina.engelman@csueastbay.edu if you have any questions about their presentation. 

Presentation recorded on November 8th, 2018 at California State University East Bay.

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