A massive 7.0 magnitude earthquake struck Haiti on 12 January 2010.

The country’s worst quake in two centuries hit south of the capital Port-au-Prince, and triggered multiple aftershocks.

At least 3.5 million people have been affected directly or indirectly by this tragedy. The death toll is estimated to be 230,000, but it could be higher.

800,000 people (7% of the population) are over 60. They are particularly at risk as they are further weakened by physical, social, and economic vulnerabilities related to age.

Our experience shows that older people are often left out of relief efforts. We are working to ensure that all older people affected can access help.

What is HelpAge doing?

HelpAge now has a permanent office in Port-au-Prince to ensure that long term redevelopment in Haiti includes older people and their specific needs.

We work through local partners. This allows us to use local resources, which maintains long term capacity and reduces dependency.

Six months on, what have we achieved?

We have:

• Responded to the most urgent needs of 24,000 older people and their families.
• Provided staff salaries and equipment to one ward of a privately-run, state-owned hospital (CENSHOP). It now has an emergency medical facility for older people, 30 beds, and access to laboratories and operating theatres.
• Distributed food, temporary shelters, medical supplies and nursing care to seven older people’s care homes in Port-au-Prince, Petit Goave and Leogane. The most prominent of these has been the Municipal Nursing Home or “Asile Communale”, which was badly damaged in the earthquake.
• Supported and trained local organisations focusing on older people's care, such as the Institute for the Study of Integrated Care (IPESI). The Institute provided homecare and training of carers prior to the earthquake, but its training facility was totally destroyed. Surviving staff have been working with HelpAge to track older people at risk and provide them with food, well-being kits and temporary shelters.
• Given food, shelters and other essential items to 3,000 older people.

• Organised recreational day trips for older people to benefit their mental health.

• Created special “protection and health zones for vulnerable people” in new camps.

• Given counselling to 200 older people in camps, through our partner ALA Domincana.
• Distributed thousands of “wellbeing kits” and food to older people in camps in Petionville and Leogane.

• Run public information campaigns to target older people and their families.

Looking ahead:

The UK Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC), announced that it has raised £101 million which has so far funded emergency assistance to 1.2 million people. Age UK, HelpAge’s sister organisation, is a member of the DEC.

HelpAge’s response in Haiti has also been funded by the US AARP (through HelpAge USA) and HelpAge Germany. 

DEC funding will be spent over three years in total, rather than the usual two, but many member agencies such as HelpAge will stay on well beyond that using funding from other sources.