Social support
For recovery through the restoration of emotional well-being it is necessary that survivors are linked to social support. Where people have good social support prior to an adverse experience they are generally more willing to accept and reciprocate this type of help.
There are various forms of support that benefit survivors including emotional support, supportive touch (while being mindful of cultural and gender sensitivities) and empathy.
Feeling connected and needed, a sense of self-worth and confidence in being able to overcome difficulties; sustained support from others that is reliably available, meaningful advice and guidance that increases survivors’ understanding that their reactions are normal; physical assistance helping restore homes and helping with practical tasks. Lastly, providing material assistance, such as food, clothing, and somewhere to live.
Helping survivors make these connections as soon as is practically possible is vital as this significantly aids recovery. Ensuring this type of support is readily available means survivors obtain a valuable understanding of what to do to maximise their recovery.
Employing the survivors’ abilities to do as much as possible for themselves also helps restore their capacity for:
- Practical problem solving.
- Emotional understanding and acceptance.
- Sharing of experiences and concerns.
- Clarifying reactions.
- Sharing information about how best to cope.
Reuniting survivors with those who are closest to them such as a spouse, partners, children and parents and other loved ones is crucial. Making use of all channels of communication, phone, email, internet data base, need to be facilitated. In addition other sources of support via clubs and organisations that survivors belong to are also sources of help that can aid survivors’ recovery.
Utilise people who can provide support. Children who are on their own may benefit from being with others of their own age and an older young person or an older person may be able to offer meaningful diversion. Playing simple games using art materials pencils and paper, using newspapers to make paper balls to throw at a target or to blow using straws as a means of trying to calm distressed feelings is also useful.
Carry out activities suggested by children and young people, encourage group activities such as drawing together taking turns to add to the image.
Responders need to be aware that there may be some survivors who find it difficult to seek or accept help and that there may be authentic reasons for this, including:
- Feelings of guilt.
- Disorientation.
- Fearing loss of control.
- Fearing what may happen if they accept help.
- Many other concerns.
These concerns will need to be addressed to help them move on.
For survivors who may withdraw or feel isolated helping them consider the available options about the type of support they want; who they would feel able to approach regarding this; choosing the time and place to discuss this can have a positive bearing on the outcome. Enabling a survivor to be of help to others can also help their motivation to be more actively involved from there on.
Responders can direct people who want to help others by directing them to contact community services such as volunteer organisations to aid children or older people. Link them to an individual who may need support. The focus should be helping them to identify how best they can help through adopting a practical and problem solving approach rather than entering into discussions about disaster experiences.
Children and young people need to be encouraged to speak to their parents or carers about how they feel so they know and understand how they can help them.
Parents and carers also need to be encouraged to spend time with their children doing activities that they enjoy together. Older sisters and brothers can help calm their younger sisters or brothers by spending time with them.
Working with others doing cleaning, repairs or other chores can also help make a significant contribution within the community.
Responders can also demonstrate effective support through their behaviour and way of relating to others. Relating empowering, empathic, reflective and supportive response to others. See below for examples:
- I can see why you’re feeling so…
- I am sorry that I don’t have the right words to say but I can stay with you if you need me to.
- I wonder if you have any thoughts about what you could do to make things any better for you and your family?
Some things to think about
- For those involved in organising responses and resources in the event of a major incident, how will responders be informed about what and how survivors can access the available resources?