Fieldwork experience on the 2021 Ahr valley flood impact on older adults' social and mental health: insights from survey and interviews

Climate change has become a major issue worldwide in recent years, with more and more extreme weather and disasters having a great impact on human health. How flooding affects the most vulnerable sub-groups of society, including older adults, and what implications it has particularly on their mental health and social health, has not yet been comprehensively studied (Botchway et al., 2021). Understanding how flooding affects the psychological and social well-being of older adults is critical for preparedness, response, and recovery efforts in disasters. Therefore, we conducted a field survey in the German Ahr Valley in May and June this year, focusing on the mental health and social health of the local elderly three years after the flood. We conducted questionnaires and conducted group interviews and structured interviews with individual and group doctor volunteers and other stakeholders. We collected about 200 questionnaires and interviewed more than 20 people. The research is in the data analysis stage and the results will be announced in early 2025.