Life experiences of elderly individuals after the February 6 earthquakes: The Diyarbakır province example

Natural disasters are considered challenging life events in terms of their consequences. Considering that the negative effects of an earthquake can be observed in every individual who experiences it, it is anticipated that older adults, who are part of vulnerable groups, may be more severely affected. Therefore, this study focuses on the earthquake experiences of older adults aged 60 and above who lived in the central area of Diyarbakır and experienced the earthquakes of February 6. The aim of this study is to reveal the earthquake experiences of the elderly and to offer solutions from a social services perspective. Designed in accordance with the phenomenological approach, which is one of the qualitative research methods, this study used a semi-structured interview form consisting of 25 short-answer questions and 11 open-ended questions, and in-depth interviews were conducted with 10 female and 9 male participants. The data obtained from the participants were analyzed using the qualitative data analysis program MAXQDA 24. As a result of the analysis, four main themes emerged: "Experiences During the Earthquake," "Post-Earthquake Process," "Criticisms of Local and Central Governments," "Expectations," and "Solution Proposals." Based on the themes and categories, the results and recommendations sections were developed within the framework of the ecosystem approach, Max Neef's hierarchy of needs, and the pressure-resistant application approach, which form the theoretical foundation of the study. According to the data obtained from the research, it is observed that the elderly face many problems during and after earthquakes. These problems related to the elderly's earthquake experience vary depending on their socio-demographic characteristics, health conditions, and economic problems. Elderly individuals were unable to exhibit the necessary escape behavior during the earthquake due to health issues, could not stay in suitable conditions in shelter areas after the earthquake, and had to cope with the negative effects of living alone both during and after the earthquake. In this struggle, characteristics such as family relationships, marital status, and social roles were found to act as protective factors. Criticisms have emerged regarding the inadequacy of measures taken by local and central governments regarding the earthquake experiences of the elderly, lack of oversight, urban planning practices, and failure to provide necessary support. Additionally, there is an expectation for the construction of earthquake-resistant, elderly-friendly homes. Considering the future proportion of the elderly population, it is essential to implement elderly-friendly policies both at the general level and specifically in the context of natural disasters.