Natural disasters can happen at any time. For seniors who may have trouble moving around or have other health problems, being prepared is crucial for their safety and well-being. Taking proactive steps can make a big difference in how well they can weather the storm, especially when they live alone. The following information can help seniors and their families prepare for the unexpected. When family and friends can’t be there to help your parent before a natural disaster, senior home care can help.
Create a Personal Emergency Plan
It’s important for loved ones and the senior home care team to encourage seniors to create their own personal emergency plan. This includes a detailed plan on how to get out of the house, where to go for safety, and how to communicate with loved ones once they’re in the clear. Additionally, the senior home care team can assist with creating an emergency kit.
The emergency kit could include things like water, non-perishable food, medicines, a flashlight, batteries, a first aid kit, and important papers like ID, medical records, and insurance information.
Encourage Seniors to Tune In
With new technologies and the emergence of streaming services, access to local information might not be as easy as turning on the TV. However, there are alerts that seniors need to ensure their safety. While loved ones and the senior home care team might be able to keep seniors up-to-date on weather reports and possible disaster alerts, it’s important for them to be able to get this information on their own as well. This might mean ensuring they have weather alerts set up on their phone, or loved ones might purchase a weather radio for them. In addition, it’s essential to help seniors understand what the alerts mean so they can take the necessary precautions.
To Evacuate or Not Evacuate: Communication Is Key
Seniors and their support team need a plan for communication before, during, and after a disaster. This allows for proper communication and helps seniors decide their next steps. This communication becomes even more crucial when the question of evacuation comes up, especially if seniors have mobility issues.
Practice Makes Perfect
The senior home care team can hold regular drills to help seniors become comfortable with the emergency plan they’ve created. This not only gives the team a chance to see what works and what doesn’t, but it also familiarizes seniors with the plan. Plus, practice can provide seniors with a sense of calm in the event of a real emergency, as they can rely on the knowledge that they know what to do.
Loved ones and the senior home care team are instrumental in preparing seniors for natural disasters. And while it’s hoped that seniors will never need to use the plan, being ready for the unexpected is important, and putting in the time and effort to plan and practice emergency steps can make all the difference when problems come up out of the blue. Together, the support team can give seniors the tools they need to handle problems with strength and confidence, which makes everyone feel better.
Sources:
https://www.redcross.org/get-help/how-to-prepare-for-emergencies/older-adults.html
https://www.nia.nih.gov/health/safety/disaster-preparedness-and-recovery-older-adults
https://www.cdc.gov/aging/pdf/disaster_planning_tips.pdf
If you or an aging loved one is considering senior home care in Wheaton, IL, please contact the caring staff at Suburban Home Care today at (630) 964-9000.
There are several great reasons why Suburban Home Care® should be your choice for quality homecare. All of our Certified Nursing Assistants and Home Health Aides are screened, trained, bonded and insured.
Every family needs to be aware that almost every Homeowner’s insurance policy specifically excludes anyone working within your home. If the person you hire becomes injured while working for you, you will become personally responsible for all of their medical bills. This has left several families very vulnerable when their caregiver injured themselves at their home.
The potential to lose everything you have worked so hard to achieve seems an unnecessary risk. Every one of Suburban Home Care®’s employees are completely covered by insurance so you and your loved ones can relax knowing that if something unforeseen happens to your caregiver, they are completely covered by insurance.
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