CHARM Roadmap: Seniors

According to the California Department of Aging, approximately one third of Lake County residents are over the age of 60, with 28% of that group eligible for Medicaid (Medi-Cal) coverage. The county is affordable for retired residents, and there are resources and programs to support seniors in the area. However, 40% of those over 60 in the county are considered to be “geographically isolated” by the State, and 24% live alone, suggesting that a substantial portion of the senior population experiences at least some level of isolation and disconnect from social activity and information.

Vulnerability to climate-driven events

Older adults are especially vulnerable to climate-driven events (CDEs) due to a combination of intersecting factors.

• Reduced or restricted mobility, limited access to transportation, and chronic health conditions can make it difficult to prepare for or respond to emergencies.
• Many older adults live on fixed incomes, which can constrain their ability to afford adaptive measures like air conditioning, home retrofits, or evacuation costs.
• Housing conditions also play a role, as some live in older or substandard homes- such as manufactured housing and mobile homes- that are more susceptible to extreme heat, flooding, or wind damage.
• These vulnerabilities are further compounded by social isolation and dependence on medications or medical devices that require electricity or refrigeration.

These cross-cutting issues influence the impacts of specific climate-driven events, including:

• Extreme heat- Older adults are more susceptible to heat-related illness due to impaired thermoregulation and cardiovascular strain. Lack of air conditioning or inability to leave overheated homes increases risk.
• Wildfires- Even when not directly threatened by flames, older adults may experience worsened respiratory and cardiovascular health from wildfire smoke. Mobility limitations and housing conditions can hinder safe evacuation.
• Severe storms and flooding- Seniors may face difficulties receiving timely alerts, evacuating safely, or navigating damaged infrastructure. Economic and mobility barriers can delay recovery.
• Power outages- Increasingly frequent due to wildfires, storms, or grid stress during heatwaves, outages pose serious risks to older adults reliant on electrically powered medical devices, refrigeration for medications, or cooling systems to stay safe.

Who works with this community

In Lake County, the County government provides services through the Area Agency on Aging of Lake and Mendocino Counties, In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS), and Adult Protective Services. Senior centers, meal programs, legal assistance, support for health and health insurance, and caregiver support can be accessed through these organizations. County Tribes have services for their members as well – these may be accessed through the Tribes’ social services departments.

35% of interviewees and 22% of survey respondents were over the age of 65.

Selected survey findings

• Information sources used by senior survey respondents:

  • Online news sources (35%)
  • TV (19%)
  • Social media (22%)
  • Printed newspapers (10%)

• Heat wave concerns among senior survey respondents:

  • 52% were somewhat or very concerned about their health during a heat wave
  • 46% were somewhat or very concerned about their ability to stay cool

• During Public Safety Power Shutoffs (PSPS), senior survey respondents lacked:

  • Help making their home more comfortable (22%)
  • An air filter or purifier (15%)
  • A way to keep medication cold (15%)
  • A way to power medical equipment (13%)
    

Community voices

On extreme heat:

“No, I do not [plan to ever turn on the air conditioning]. I'm not going to. No, not ever. I can't afford it by myself... I'm already too close with my bills and what I get from Social Security...I will not turn my air conditioner back on. I'll suffer first.”

On extreme cold:

“I want to say, tell the electric company to lower their bills and make it easier on seniors, because the cost of living is going up faster than their check they get…I deliver to a lot, and it's awful to see that during the hot streaks or the cold streaks, they live without turning on their units because they can't afford the bill they would rather freeze.”

On transportation:

“Because if they're trying to walk and this heat is just crazy, I would, you know, look at my age, you know, nobody say 96 degrees, nobody stops on the main street asking lady, you need a little help?”

On communication:

“There's many people don't have any sophistication, don't even have a cell phone, don't have any kind of skills with computers. These elderly people, that's what the problem is. So you need some place that you have the landline, you call up, and then it'll say, "Okay, today, The Circle [of Native Minds] is open.”

• Provide preparedness education and supplies- Provide culturally and age-appropriate materials that support individual planning, including emergency kits (e.g., batteries, non-perishable food, backup power), emergency plans that include contact lists and evacuation routes, and information on resilience centers, accessible transport, and local emergency services.

• Develop neighborhood-based response systems- Collaborate with community and faith-based organizations to build emergency networks that actively monitor and assist seniors—especially those living alone. Encourage neighborhood-based check-in systems, offer simple communication tools, and ensure local responders know where vulnerable residents live.

• Ensure backup power access for medical equipment- Identify seniors who rely on power-dependent medical devices and support them with backup batteries, solar-powered chargers, or access to off-grid resilience hubs with electricity, refrigeration, and air filtration.

• Engage medical and service providers as resilience partners- Encourage clinics, pharmacies, and home health providers to integrate emergency preparedness into patient care for older adults. This may include distributing resilience checklists, ensuring continuity of medication during disasters, maintaining registries of high-risk patients, and coordinating with emergency planners to support medically fragile seniors.

• Broaden communication strategies- Use multiple formats—landline alerts, text messages, AM/FM radio, door-to-door outreach, and accessible signage—to ensure older adults are informed regardless of their technology use or connectivity.

• Coordinate across agencies and jurisdictions- Strengthen collaboration between Tribal, County, and non-profit partners to share information and align emergency protocols that prioritize senior populations. Maintain up-to-date registries of at-risk seniors and integrate this information into evacuation and wellness check planning.

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