I would say you have given a very reasonable definition of recovery. And of course recovery varies considerably with the situation and the person- especially the point that some never truly recover.

The question is asked, because assuming that recovery is attainable for a particular type of disaster, then that has definite implications for the sorts of preparations one should make for disaster preparedness?

Perhaps it would help to be more specific? How long did it take Anchorage to recover from the 1964 EQ? San Francisco from the 1906 event? Joplin, MO from their recent tornado (if that has happened yet)?

Reading about the Nepal EQ and the massive aid that ran their way, I and many others assumed that recovery, at least in terms of basic needs would be relatively speedy. This, of course, if fairly naive - just look at Haiti....