Bringing Kindness to the World – The Humanitarian Side of Disaster Restoration
Facing a natural or an accidental disaster at home can be quite challenging. Such disasters can make you feel helpless despite all the precautionary measures and preparations. Some peopl can even temporarily lose their home. They can also temporarily or permanently lose their belongings. In such a scenario, it can be easy for one to become a victim of guilt and regret.
However, it doesn’t have to be that way. Millions of homes worldwide suffer damage all the time and for various reasons. When a disaster strikes and damages a home, the residents might feel lonely or as if they’re the only people going through this particular hardship. Therefore, if you or your loved one has suffered damage to their home due to a disaster, it’s important to remember that you are not alone.
Furthermore, the following five tips can also make the whole process a little easier:
Relocate to a Safe Place
Damage to one’s home can turn it into an unsafe place. Homes that aren’t livable shouldn’t be lived in. You or people close to you might think that one can live in their home during the home restoration process, but nobody should. Disaster restoration of a home can result in further wear and tear of the house, making a few walls collapse.
The residents should be moved right after the disaster and before the home restoration begins. Living in a damaged house can only lead to loss of health or life. It can also lead to further damage to the house as the home may have suffered structural damage that can cause walls or floors to collapse under pressure.
Take Time to Mourn the Losses
Letting the family grieve over the damage is an important step. While it’s true that many people go through such a hardship, it doesn’t deny the fact that it is quite challenging to go through. It can feel even more difficult if kids are involved.
Young children can have an especially hard time understanding what happened, what’s going on, and how to act in the situation. Their confusion can lead to tantrums or questions that can be difficult for the adults to handle or answer.
Sit down any young children in the household and simplify the situation for them. Children can also feel the loss even if they cannot understand the concept themselves or express this emotion. They can feel strange in the home after the disaster restoration is finished too.
If it’s a natural disaster that damaged the home, other families and children could be going through a similar struggle. Children can find it easier to discuss the situation with their peers. If children aren’t talking to elders in the family, encourage children to open up to their friends or express themselves through writing or art.
Focus on Getting Medical Help
As home restoration begins, the family should focus on getting appropriate medical help or continuing the help they receive. Disasters can often result in severe health complications even if things look fine on the surface.
It is likely for family members to suffer from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder or PTSD. Seeking out mental health professionals who can treat the family altogether or individual family members can work wonders. It can help them come to terms with what happened and cope up with the current situation.
Continue Life
It is of utmost importance that the affected family pick up and continue their lives as soon as possible. Going back to school and work can help people feel normal again. A traumatic event such as that of experiencing disastrous home damage can make one feel dissociated from reality. However, getting back to daily life activities can bring some structure and disciple to people’s lives and help them cope with it.
Although, going back to regular life shouldn’t be forced. If someone doesn’t feel like getting back to normal life, there could be some underlying psychological issues. Get all family members appropriate medical attention for as long as they need it.
Consult about Damaged Belongings
Disasters don’t just affect the structure of a home but can greatly affect the belongings as well. Many people lose precious belongings in disasters, and those experiencing disastrous home damage should mentally prepare themselves for the same.
However, the degree to which these belongings suffer damage can vary greatly. In any case, family members should discuss whether they want to salvage or renew certain belongings. They should also discuss finances or the processes of getting important documents re-issued. Families should take their time and make a priority list for the recovery of belongings after the disaster.
Adults in the family should also inform children about damage to their belongings. As children can have a hard time letting go of their favorite toys or other belongings, finding similar things to those they lost can help them cope up with the whole process significantly.
Finally, convincing the family to hire professionals for home restoration is essential. Even if family members are skilled construction professionals themselves, restoring one’s own home after a disaster can be an emotionally draining process. Many restoration services nationwide, such as the 911 Restoration of Brevard County, provide complete disaster restoration services per the affected families’ demands.
