Older adults’ climate fears surge after extreme weather

Nearly three out of four older adults in the United States have experienced at least one extreme weather event in the past two years. Living through such conditions has apparently heightened their concerns about climate change’s impact on health. 

These are among the new findings released by the University of Michigan’s National Poll on Healthy Aging, which surveyed over 3,400 people aged 50 to 94 across the nation in August 2024.

The poll found that 59% of respondents worried about how climate change could harm their health. That figure jumped to 70% among individuals who had been through a major weather emergency – such as a wildfire, heat wave, severe storm, or prolonged power outage lasting more than a day – within the last two years. 

By contrast, only 26% of those who hadn’t encountered such events expressed similar concerns. 

Sue Anne Bell is a nurse practitioner and associate professor at the U-M School of Nursing who specializes in evaluating how disasters and public health crises affect seniors.

“Our findings suggest a need to help more older adults understand and take steps to prepare for the impacts of wildfires, hurricanes, tornadoes, extreme heat waves, winter storms and more, especially when it comes to the medications, medical supplies, electricity and access to care that these emergencies can disrupt,” said Bell. 

Climate fears and missed opportunities

While a considerable segment of older Americans are anxious about climate change’s ramifications, the poll also indicates that only 6% have had a conversation with a health care provider about how extreme weather might endanger their health or how to prepare accordingly. 

Potential discussion topics could include lung protection from wildfire smoke, strategies to manage essential medical equipment during blackouts, and how to find local cooling or warming centers when temperatures spike or plummet.

The new results emerged from a poll run by the University of Michigan’s Institute for Healthcare Policy and Innovation, with support from Michigan Medicine, the university’s academic medical center. 

NORC at the University of Chicago administered the survey, collecting data both online and by phone. The sample was then weighted to mirror the demographic profile of the U.S. population.

Personal experience increases concern

In addition to the overall 59% who had climate fears, the poll found certain subgroups reporting higher levels of anxiety. Women, those with fair or poor mental health, and residents of urban areas all showed heightened apprehension. 

It appears the experience of living through severe weather events – ranging from hurricanes and tornadoes to winter storms – plays a critical role in shaping older Americans’ perspectives on climate’s link to well-being.

Poll director Jeffrey Kullgren is an internal medicine physician at the VA Ann Arbor Healthcare System and an associate professor of internal medicine at the University of Michigan.

“These kinds of events can affect an older adult’s health directly – for instance, people with asthma and other lung diseases can have trouble breathing due to wildfire smoke, home medical equipment can be affected by power outages, and older adults can be more vulnerable to extreme heat and cold,” said Kullgren. 

“But there are also indirect effects, including mental stress, lack of access to medications and medical care, and in extreme cases, lack of ability to evacuate safely or find shelter.”

Widening reach of severe weather

The poll data was gathered in August 2024, before major weather disasters like Hurricane Helene – described as the deadliest U.S. hurricane since Katrina in 2005 – and wildfires in the Los Angeles area in January 2025. 

Officials note that 2023 and 2024 saw close to record-high numbers of weather events costing more than a billion dollars each, a trend that has escalated over older adults’ lifetimes.

According to poll data, the most prevalent forms of extreme weather reported by older adults included extreme heat (cited by 63%), poor air quality from wildfire smoke (35%), severe storms (31%), and multi-day power outages (13%).

Climate fears for future generations

Older adults’ worry about climate change extends beyond their personal health. Seventy-four percent said they also feared the potential effects of a warming planet on younger generations. 

More than four in ten (43%) said they were “very concerned,” and another 31% identified themselves as “somewhat concerned.” Among those who had experienced a severe weather event, 83% expressed concern, compared with 45% of those who had not.

Emergency preparedness and advice

Despite these figures, only 8% of older adults with health conditions that limit daily activities reported discussing disaster preparedness with a health care professional – though that was slightly higher than the 5% among older adults overall who had done so. 

Sixty-four percent of those who did talk with their doctors took at least one concrete step to be better prepared.

Still, the poll underscores that more comprehensive guidance is needed. Federal resources, such as the U.S. government’s Ready.gov website, can help older Americans devise personal action plans for storms, wildfires, floods, or other emergencies. 

Bell adds that an older individual’s unique medical circumstances, such as needing electric medical devices or taking multiple daily prescriptions, can become critical if a power outage or evacuation scenario occurs.

Future research directions

Going forward, the poll team suggests that health professionals, policy makers, and community organizations could work together to emphasize the connections between climate fears, extreme weather, and older adults’ health. 

Such initiatives might involve: health systems proactively offering risk assessments and preventive tips to senior patients. In addition, city planners could design accessible cooling and warming centers, or ensure reliable transit to those centers.

Furthermore, community groups could help older residents stock up on medications and medical essentials ahead of storms or heat waves.

The experts hope these findings prompt broader efforts to engage older adults on climate change’s health impacts – before the next big storm, heat wave, or wildfire hits.

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