Caregiving In Context: How Compound Disaster Exposure Shapes Preparedness Among Older Adults

Background and Purpose:
Older adults are disproportionately vulnerable to disasters due to functional limitations, chronic conditions, and social isolation, yet their preparedness remains uneven and insufficiently understood. Existing research often focuses on single disaster events, overlooking the cumulative impact of multiple exposures and the role of caregiving in later life. Drawing on Protection Motivation Theory, this study examines whether compound disaster exposure (i.e., experiencing multiple hazard events within a year) is associated with higher levels of preparedness among older adults and whether caregiving responsibilities moderate this relationship. The study also explores psychosocial mechanisms, including self-efficacy, information seeking, and financial preparedness, that may explain variation in preparedness behaviors.

Methods:
This study used pooled cross-sectional data from the 2022 and 2023 Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) National Household Survey (N = 4,075) and focused on respondents aged 60 and older. Perceived preparedness was dichotomized to indicate whether individuals were well-prepared. The primary independent variable was compound disaster exposure, defined as experiencing two or more disaster types within the past year. Caregiving status was included as a moderator. Multivariable logistic regression models were estimated to examine the association between compound exposure and preparedness, adjusting for demographic, socioeconomic, and psychosocial covariates. Interaction terms were used to test moderation effects. Predicted probabilities were computed to visualize differences across caregiving and exposure groups.

Results:
Approximately 34.8% of older adults reported experiencing compound disaster exposure. Results from multivariable logistic regression analyses indicate that compound exposure was significantly associated with higher odds of being well-prepared (OR = 1.62, 95% CI: 1.26–2.07, p < .001) after adjusting for covariates. Caregiving responsibilities significantly moderated this relationship (OR = 3.31, 95% CI: 1.61–6.83, p < .01), with caregivers experiencing compound exposure reporting the highest levels of preparedness. Psychosocial factors, particularly self-efficacy (OR = 1.50, p < .001), information seeking (OR = 1.09, p < .01), and financial preparedness (OR = 1.14, p < .001), were also independently associated with preparedness. Predicted probability analyses further demonstrated that caregiving amplifies the positive association between compound exposure and preparedness.

Conclusions and Implications:
Findings suggest that compound disaster exposure functions as a cumulative risk signal that can motivate preparedness behaviors among older adults. Importantly, caregiving appears to act as a situational amplifier, strengthening preparedness under conditions of elevated risk. These results extend Protection Motivation Theory by highlighting the dual role of caregiving as both a source of strain and a motivator for protective action in later life. From a social work perspective, integrating preparedness supports into services for older caregivers may enhance resilience in aging populations. Policy and practice efforts should consider targeting high-risk, multi-exposure populations and leveraging caregiving roles to promote adaptive preparedness behaviors.