The emergency
I’m Gloria. After a fire in my housing complex, I am unable to return to my apartment. I feel like the ground has disappeared beneath me. I am 78 years old and I use a wheelchair. With my limited mobility and fixed income, the question of where I will live feels overwhelming and urgent.
I lived in that apartment for 30 years. It was accessible, familiar, and affordable. Losing it feels like surrendering my sense of safety and stability all at once.
I am currently staying with a friend, but it’s a small bachelor pad. I know I can’t stay for long. That uncertainty sits constantly in my chest. I barely sleep. My mind races through worst-case scenarios. When I do drift off, I wake up panicked, thinking about how difficult it will be to find a new home, worrying about the cost of rent, and fearing that I won’t find a space I can access.
I am so tired. I can hardly think. I don’t even know where to start. My friend’s apartment isn’t set up for my chair, and every movement feels like an obstacle course. I am trapped and afraid of what will happen next.
More and more, I feel helpless, unsure who to call, what support exists, or whether anyone can help me before I run out of options.
How CanEMERG can help
We have fact sheets, tool kits, and resources for people like Gloria:
- Evacuations and your mental health
- Coping with stress, trauma, & posttraumatic stress
- Fact sheet: Building social connections
- Fact sheet: Tips for problem solving
- BounceBack: From the Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA), a free skill-building program for people experiencing low mood, depression, anxiety, or general stress
Along with guidance for the practitioners, managers, and administrators who direct the system’s response to emergencies like this one:
- Psychological safety guidelines for civilians
- Community mental health and wellness recovery tool kit
Help is within reach.
