Extreme Weather Events and Vulnerability of Older People

This book examines the critical intersection of demographic ageing and climate change in Bangladesh, including comparison with other Asia countries. Located in the dynamic delta system of Southeast Asia, Bangladesh is constantly exposed to extreme weather events, the frequency and intensity of which are exacerbated by climate change. Although these disasters affect the entire population, this book argues that older people are at a distinct and disproportionate risk due to their reduced ability to adapt to severe climate-related shocks. Drawing on extensive qualitative field research, the book provides a detailed account of the vulnerability of older adults in a coastal sub-district in Bangladesh. The analysis draws on in-depth interviews with older men and women, whose narratives provide a powerful perspective on life before, during, and after catastrophic weather events. These accounts reveal an ongoing cycle of vulnerability in which cyclones and floods not only destroy material assets such as homes and livelihoods but also cause profound physical and psychological trauma. The resulting disruption of social support networks, loss of income, and forced migration to survive further exacerbate their insecurity. The study identifies several major causes of vulnerability, including the geophysical exposure of the coastal region, the prevalence of non-resilient housing, profound income insecurity, and a high degree of dependence on family support systems. The analysis carefully distinguishes between formal state initiatives, such as the Old Age Allowance, and informal support systems rooted in community and kinship. It shows how formal programmes can strengthen financial stability and ensure access to essentials, while informal networks provide immediate support and practical assistance in the aftermath of a disaster. By synthesising the concepts of exposure, sensitivity, and adaptation, this book offers evidence-based insights into one of the critical challenges of our time. The findings and recommendations are essential for researchers, policy makers and practitioners in the fields of gerontology, disaster management, and climate adaptation, and are an important resource for efforts to protect vulnerable older populations in Bangladesh and other climate-affected regions around the world, in particular in other Asian countries.

Dr Md Isahaque Ali is a Social researcher specialising in the social dimensions of climate change and ageing. His work is based on extensive field research and focuses on the lived experiences of marginalised populations in disaster-prone coastal areas of Bangladesh. He received his PhD from the School of Social Sciences at Monash University, Australia. His professional background includes working as an Assistant Professor of Social Welfare at a Government College affiliated with the National University, Bangladesh. His research interests include social protection, development policy, climate change adaptation, and the rights of vulnerable groups, including older adults and children.

Dharma Arunachalam is a Professor of Sociology and a social demographer in the School of Social Sciences, Monash University, Australia. His current research focuses on migration, identity, intermarriage, and integration in Australia, and family formation in India and Australia. His recent publications include a co-authored monograph, Identity and Belonging among Chinese Australians (Springer, 2023), and a co-edited volume, Creating Social Cohesion in an Interdependent World: Experiences of Australia and Japan (Palgrave Macmillan, 2016).

Helen Forbes-Mewett is a Professor of Sociology in the School of Social Sciences at Monash University and a Senior Fellow of the International Education Association of Australia (IEAA). Her interdisciplinary research addresses critical issues of human security, resilient communities, migration, cultural diversity, and social integration, focusing on vulnerable populations. In 2022, she was awarded the A. Noam Chomsky North Star Medal of Lifetime Achievement. She is a prolific author with five books, including International Student Security (Cambridge University Press, 2010), The New Security: Individual, Community and Cultural Experiences (Palgrave Macmillan, 2019), and Vulnerability in a Mobile World (Emerald, 2020). Her recent work examines the social impacts of disasters, including the experiences of international students during the COVID-19 pandemic and community resilience in the aftermath of bushfires.