African-American Elders: Navigating Health and Wellness during the Jackson Water Crisis

Overview: This study highlights the lived experiences of African American elders during the Jackson, Mississippi water crisis in 2021; moreover, this proposal advances the work of the Aging and Gerontology track because it highlights how diverse elder populations, such as black elders, sustain themselves during periods of crisis.Proposal text: The impact of natural disasters and environmental emergencies such as floods, earthquakes, tornados, hurricanes, power outages, mudslides, and snowstorms have had devastating consequences on the social, economic, and cultural milieu (Raza, Ahmad, Hussain, Wahab, and Barket, 2019). This devastation comes in the forms of loss of life; destruction of personal possessions; and diminished physical and mental health. Although the influence of disasters and environmental emergencies affects everyone, elder populations, especially elders of color, tend to be disproportionately impacted due to a history of racism; physical conditions (i.e., mobility, fragility), and their financial disposition (i.e., fixed incomes) (McInnis-Dittrich, 2020).

Marshall and Mathews (2010) suggest that those administering emergency management strategies must listen keenly to elders in order to ensure that all potential gaps are covered and that roles [during emergency situations] are clearly defined. This means that the elder populations must voice what works and/or who is needed during a crisis, regardless of constructivist perceptions of the elder population. Likewise, Marshall and Mathews (2010) point out that society must move beyond stereotypical constructs about the elderly that is perpetuated by society nationally and internationally.

The city of Jackson, Mississippi has a population160,628 persons. Statistics show that 12.4% are aged 65 and older and that 30% of the senior citizen population in Jackson, Mississippi lives alone (US Census, 2019). This suggests that more than a quarter of senior citizens living in Jackson, Mississippi do not have someone living in the home to assist them with activities of daily living (ADL) such as bathing and dressing or independent activities of daily living (IADL) such as shopping, financial management, transportation, medication, and preparing meals. The inability to carry out these activities has a negative impact on the psychosocial and medical well-being of senior citizens (Guo and Sapra, 2020). Furthermore, any environmental disruptions can also cause senior citizens to be negatively impacted.

African-American elders are at greater risk for decreased well-being during a crisis. In January 2021, the Jackson Water Crisis, coupled with an international pandemic (COVID 19), led the city of Jackson, Mississippi to experience shortages in electricity; bottled and potable water; and other essential supplies. These disruptions left many African-American senior citizens isolated in their homes for weeks with very few resources and little knowledge of how to effectively navigate their own personal health and wellness.

Methods
This qualitative research study, using narrative and phenomenological research design, will explore the lived experiences of African-American elders during the Jackson 2021 Water Crisis. Qualitative research allows the participants to have a voice in mainstream research, whereas their voices have been excluded and/or integrated into majority research studies. A thematic analysis will be conducted to evaluate the data. Lastly, this study will be guided by Pender’s Health Promotion Model/Theory (Srof and Velsor-Friedrich, 2021), which focuses on unique situational factors (i.e., water crisis) that can cause populations to be more in tune and responsive to their health needs; in addition, social work practice implications that support the inclusion of elderly will be addressed.