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General Tips
for Senior Safety & Emergency Preparedness
The risks you need to be aware of will
depend on the area you live in. Some areas
are prone to flooding, while others are
prone to fires and snow storms, for example.
Of course, depending on the risks, you'll
want to take appropriate measures to prepare
for them. We will go more in depth about
each risk later on in this guide and go over
some tips for preparing for each.
What happens when a disaster strikes in your
area? Do you know where to go and who to ask
for help if needed? Whether you're a senior
yourself or family/caregiver of one, it's
essential to familiarize yourself with local
resources before the emergency takes place.
This way, you won't have to fumble around
trying to find out what to do next or where
to go. Most areas should have emergency
shelter locations nearby. Identify those and
write out a list of emergency contacts and
addresses so that you have it all in one
place. Keep this list somewhere safe and
readily available to take with you in an
emergency. In addition to emergency shelter
locations near you, you may want to also
consider gathering contact information for
your local:
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Fire department |
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Locksmith |
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Police department |
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Water supplier |
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Doctor |
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Power supplier |
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Hospitals |
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Poison control |
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Animal control |
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Animal control |
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Vet |
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The
most pivotal part to surviving an emergency
is having a solid plan. Disasters usually
strike unexpectedly, and naturally, it's not
easy to think and act logically when this
happens. With that said, after evaluating
what risks your area may be prone to, it's
time to write out an emergency plan that's
easy to follow and keep it somewhere
accessible. When creating a plan, you may
want to consider including information on:
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Communication plan with your
family and caregivers so that
you won't lose touch with the
ones you love in any emergency.
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Safe and easy escape routes in
case of fire or flood. Your plan
should detail how to escape from
each room in your home so that
no matter what room you're in,
you have an idea of what to do
in case of an emergency. It's
best to have more than one route
option to be safe.
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What to do next after escaping
-- where to go and who to call
for help if needed.
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Emergency contacts, their
addresses, and their phone
numbers |
What happens when a disaster strikes in
your area? Do you know where to go and
who to ask for help if needed? Whether
you're a senior yourself or
family/caregiver of one, it's essential
to familiarize yourself with local
resources before the emergency takes
place. This way, you won't have to
fumble around trying to find out what to
do next or where to go. Most areas
should have emergency shelter locations
nearby. Identify those and write out a
list of emergency contacts and addresses
so that you have it all in one place.
Keep this list somewhere safe and
readily available to take with you in an
emergency. In addition to emergency
shelter locations near you, you may want
to also consider gathering contact
information for your local:
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Non-perishable foods
3 DAYS WORTH |
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Can opener |
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Bottled water
(IF YOU HAVE PETS, PACK
GENEROUSLY) |
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First aid kit |
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Medication
3 DAYS WORTH |
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Common toiletries |
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Spare clothing |
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Blankets |
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Pet food if you have pets
3 DAYS WORTH |
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Cell phone charger |
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Spare keys to your house and
car(s) |
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Cash |
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Glasses & spare contacts
CONTACT SOLUTION IF NEEDED |
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Spare hearing aid batteries
IF YOU USE A HEARING AID |
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Waterproof matches |
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Flashlight |
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Swiss army knife |
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Battery powered radio |
Once you've gathered everything, keep
your kit somewhere easily accessible so
that you know exactly where to grab it
in the event of an emergency. If you
have any pets, it is smart to keep their
pet carriers and leashes easily reached
and ready to go in case you need to take
them with you quickly.
It never hurts to become connected with
your neighbors, especially if you live
alone. Chances are in an emergency,
survival depends on teamwork and helping
each other out. By building a support
network where you live, your neighbors
and local friends will know you exist
and know to check up on you in the event
of a disaster (and vice versa!).
Have your top emergency contacts on hand
to provide to your neighbors in case
they need to refer to them in any
emergency, along with a list of
medications, special needs, and
allergies you may have.
Staying Safe
in Extreme Temperatures
Extreme temperatures are among the worst
silent killers, as we often
underestimate how dangerous they are.
Even in areas that are notorious for
extreme temperatures, people will still
be unaware of the warning signs from
their health that life threatening
damage is being done from the extreme
heat or cold. Furthermore, many seniors
are unaware of the safety precautions to
take when in extremely high or low
temperatures. We'll go over the
precautions to take, so that you can
prevent any adverse health conditions
when in extreme temperatures.
The heat causes fatal health problems for
nearly 200 people in the United States every
summer. Most of those 200 people are over
the age of 50, as the aging body is not able
to handle extreme heat as well as younger
bodies. First we'll go over how to stay safe
in the heat.
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Air Conditioning - When a
heat wave hits, you'll want to
stay inside with air
conditioning on. Staying indoors
will keep your body from
overheating and suffering health
ailments like heat stroke and
dehydration. If you don't have
air conditioning at your home,
then try going to the movies,
the mall, or the community
center. |
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Avoid the Sun - Direct
sunlight during extreme heat,
only compounds the effects of
the heat. The sun can wear out
the body much faster, to a point
of losing orientation and
fainting. If you must be
outside, try to stay in the
shade or try to do your chores
in the evening or early morning
when the sun is not as draining. |
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Hydration - Your body needs
plenty of water to properly
function. Once the body is
dehydrated for an extended
period of time in extreme heat,
then organ failure becomes
imminent. It is very important
to drink fluids to not fall
victim to the extreme heat. Do
not drink caffeine or alcohol,
as they will dry you out faster. |
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Wear Breathable Clothing -
Your clothing can have a huge
effect on your internal
temperature. Wear clothing that
will allow sweat to evaporate,
which allows your body to keep
cool. Loose, light colored
clothing will go a long way in
helping your body to withstand
the effects of extreme heat.
Wear a hat and sunglasses as
well, to avoid sunburn and to
protect your eyes. |
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Sunburn - As mentioned
above, it can be very easy to
get sunburn during extreme heat
waves. Sunburn can exasperate
skin cancer in the long term,
and be very uncomfortable in the
short term. Always wear a hat,
preferably a wide brimmed hat,
when outside. Wear sunglasses to
protect your eyes. Always put on
sunscreen of at least SPF 30,
preferably 70 for good
protection against the sun. It
is advisable to reapply the
sunscreen every hour that you
are outside. |
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How to Cool Down - Take
showers or baths that are not
heated up, the water will cool
down the blood in your veins
which will cool down your entire
body. Hand towels that are
soaked in cold water or wrapped
around ice packs and placed on
areas where there is a lot of
blood flow will also cool down
the body rapidly. Areas like the
neck, wrists, and armpits are
ideal. |
The cold is just as taxing on the body as
the extreme heat is. Seniors are much more
susceptible to losing body heat in the cold
compared to when they were younger. The aged
body is also less aware of when it is
getting too cold, meaning an older person
may stay out in the cold longer than they're
actually safely able to do. Seniors can
suffer from hypothermia much more quickly
than younger people. Here are a few ways for
seniors to stay safe in the extreme cold.
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68°F Minimum on Heater -
Sometimes it's tempting to turn
the heater down to 60-65°F to
save on utility costs, but this
can be life threatening during
extremely cold days. A heater
lower than 68° will not properly
heat the house, and as mentioned
earlier, an older body does not
signal the brain when it is too
cold. A senior living alone
could fall into fatal
hypothermia, as they are not
keeping their body warm enough
to function properly. |
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Dress Warmly - Again, an
older body will not warn you
when it is too cold. If you
don't feel cold, you'll still
want to wear a sweater, long
pants, and socks to keep warm.
Keeping your body warm is of
utmost importance to avoid
hypothermia. Even when going to
bed, be sure to be fully
bundled. |
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Insulate the House - Make
sure your windows are not
drafty. Make sure the windows
are shut tight and locked,
curtains drawn, and install
weather stripping if possible. A
drafty house will sap out any
heat from the heaters, raising
utility bills and making it
unsafe for you. |
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Notify Friends/Family - If
you live alone, ask a friend or
family member to check on you
periodically, to ensure you're
not falling into hypothermia and
that the conditions of your
house are good. You may not be
able to diagnose yourself with
the signs of hypothermia, but
someone else will be able to
notice the signs and get you
medical help if needed. |
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Stay Dry - If you go outside
and get snow on you, be sure to
change clothing as soon as
possible as wet clothing saps
you of your body heat. |
Protecting
Your Family & Home from Fires
House fires can happen at any time and
spread rapidly, having a plan safety
precautions in place will go a long way in
keeping everyone safe in the household, as
well as preserving irreplaceable belongings.
We'll go over preventative measures to take,
as well as how to handle house fires should
one occur.
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Keep a smoke alarm on every
level of your home, test them
monthly, and change the
batteries every 6 months |
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Keep space heaters at least 3ft
away from anything that could
catch fire easily, and be sure
to always turn them off when not
in the same room |
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Chimneys, fireplaces, and wood
stoves should be serviced and
cleaned each year |
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Install a fire alarm system that
has flashing lights so that
seniors in the home with hearing
impairments will be alerted |
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Keep a fire extinguisher on each
floor, and in the kitchen |
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Don't leave cooking unattended
in case of an oil fire or dish
rag catching fire |
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Always blow out candles, do not
leave them burning in unattended
rooms |
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Do the Drill - You should
have regular fire drills so
everyone in the household knows
how to react when a fire occurs.
Designate someone in the
household to help carry out any
seniors that are immobile or
unable to move quickly. |
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Sound the Alarm and Check on
Everyone - Most fatal fires
occur while everyone is
sleeping. Heavy smoke can put a
person into a deeper sleep, with
seniors more susceptible to
sleeping through the fire. Be
ready to check on any seniors in
the household to be sure they
are awakened by the alarm and on
their way out of the home
safely. |
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Stay Low - Seniors should be
sleeping on the lowest level of
the house/building possible.
Stay low to avoid heavy smoke
inhalation, and escape quickly. |
Protecting for a Hurricane
If you live in an area that is prone to
hurricanes, then knowing how to handle one
while caring for a senior will make the
stressful time easier to get through. Keep
in mind seniors are often not able to move
quickly, and extreme conditions can
complicate their health issues. Here are a
few tips to keep in mind in preparation for
a coming hurricane.
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Be ready to leave instantly. You
should have a to-go kit made in
advance, to be able to pick up
and go immediately. Your to-go
kit should have clean clothes,
glasses or contacts if needed,
personal hygiene products,
medications, personal documents,
and cash. Water and nutritious
snacks should be included as
well. |
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Keep all important documents
somewhere secure and easy to
grab.
Any prescriptions and health
records should be kept, in case
anyone is having health
complications then the doctors
will know what they can and
can't do in the emergency room. |
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Check in regularly. If you
are not living with your senior
parent, then create a line of
communication with their
neighbors that can more quickly
check in on them while you are
on the way over. |
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Have a medication checklist. You'll
want to be sure all the
medications are taken when you
must evacuate or hunker down
somewhere. Nothing is worse than
going through a natural disaster
and realizing the medications of
the senior you're looking after
are not present. |
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Have a list of resources. You'll
want to know how to quickly
contact relatives, doctors,
pharmacists, and local disaster
relief specialists. |
Are You
Tornado Ready?
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Have an emergency kit with
essentials like personal hygiene
items, high calorie
non-perishable foods, clothing
changes, flashlights, and
blankets. You'll also want to be
sure you have all the
medications that may be needed
by an elderly person under your
care. |
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Establish escape routes ahead of
time, so everyone knows where to
go when disaster suddenly
strikes. |
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Establish who should check on
and assist any elderly people
under your care. |
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Establish how everyone will
communicate in the event of a
tornado. Will everyone use cell
phones, walkie talkies, or find
each other at a designated
meeting spot? |
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Establish community resources
that can be utilized. If you
need extra supplies, more water,
or emergency help, then knowing
ahead of time will make the
aftermath of a disaster much
easier. |
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Plan for meeting the needs of
any elderly members under your
care. You'll want to consider
having back up batteries for
hearing aids, manual wheelchairs
rather than battery powered, and
a whistle in case they get
separated and unable to move.
With a whistle they'll be able
to attract attention to
themselves to get help. |
Knowing Your
Flood Insurance Options
For
flood prone areas, you've probably already
have flood insurance. But do you have the
best coverage? There is the federally run
National Flood Insurance Program, which is
fantastic for covering any structural damage
to your home, and some belongings. It does
not, however, cover any injuries caused by
flooding, or any living expenses like having
to stay in a hotel while your home is
repaired or until the flood water clears.
With elderly people in your home, then not
having injuries and additional living
expenses covered, will add up very fast.
You
can purchase Excess Flood Insurance from the
private market that is compatible with the National
Flood Insurance Program.
You'll get higher coverage limits with
private flood insurance - $500,000 for the
home and $250,000 for belongings. The NFIP
is capped at $250,000 for home and $100,000
for belongings. Private insurance has
options to cover injuries from floods as
well as the added living expenses due to
displacement from the flood. You'll want to
talk to a home insurer to see what is best
for your needs, and work out the best rates
possible.
Caring for Pets in an
Emergency
Pets are family, so they should always be a
part of a senior's emergency plan if he or
she has one. Below are some tips and things
to keep in mind when it comes to caring
for your pets before and during a disaster.
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Keep Important Documents Updated
and Readily Accessible.
Take recent photos of any pets
regularly and have them
available on file. Make sure
that the photos are taken in
daylight and is clear. This way,
they can be easily identified by
others if they get lost. This
increases their chances of
returning back to you. If you
have a dog or cat, it's highly
recommended that you get them
microchipped and keep a collar
on them with a tag including
up-to-date contact information
in case your pet gets loose
during an emergency.
Additionally, you will want to
keep their vet and adoption
papers handy just in case. You
never know when you'll need
them! |
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Select Designated Caregiver(s)
for your Pet(s)
In any emergency, it can be
difficult enough to take care of
yourself, not to mention any
pets. To ensure that your pets
don't experience unnecessary
stress in a traumatizing event,
having a designated caregiver is
really helpful. Ideally, this
person is someone you trust,
lives nearby, and is home often
to care for them. This way,
instead of being in the shelter
or another stressful
environment, you can be assured
that your pets are in a safe
place and being taken care of.
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Prepare Emergency Kits for Them
In addition to 3 days worth of
food and water for your pets as
mentioned above, you'll also
want to prepare a few more
things just for them in the
event of an emergency. This will
help to cut down evacuation time
and stress. |
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Paper towels |
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Pet carrier or bag for each pet |
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Collapsible water dishes and
food bowls |
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Recent photos in case they get
lost and you need to use photos
for reference |
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2 week supply of any
medications if your
pet(s) is on any |
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Extra leash and harness if you
have a dog |
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Poop bags for easy clean-up |
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Disposable litter trays if you
have a cat |
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Scoopable litter if you
have a cat |
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Your pet's favorite toys |
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Liquid dish soap
and disinfectant |
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Wet wipes |
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Do Not Leave Them Behind!
Remember that pets are family,
which means they should not be
left behind! Before leaving your
residence, you'll want to make
sure that you take them with
you. If it isn't safe for you to
be there, then it certainly
isn't safe for them either.
After you and your pets have
evacuated safely, you may need
to have a caregiver watch over
them temporarily depending on
your circumstances. If you don't
have a caregiver available, then
it's time to look into boarding
facilities or vets that offer
boarding services. Some animal
shelters will gladly take in
your pets during a disaster for
the time being too. You'll want
to check around your area and
inquire so that you know exactly
where to go if you need to find
your four legged friends a
temporary home. |
Conclusion
Everyone knows it's always stressful to deal
with natural disasters. The worst part is,
they are not always avoidable or
predictable. With that said, it's important
to be fully prepared in order to survive in
any that may strike at any time. This is
true for all of us, but the elderly will
especially benefit greatly from taking
matters into their own hands earlier on as
they may not have the ability to escape an
emergency as quickly.
Having everything planned and organized
ahead of time will reduce the amount of time
needed to get out. Remember that when an
emergency strikes, time is of essence! Even
having that emergency kit prepared and ready
to take with you is one step closer to
surviving a disaster. Instead of spending
your valuable time fumbling through your
home at the last minute trying to decide
what important belongings and must-haves to
bring with you, you could use that time to
help get your pets out safely or quickly
grab any other special belongings you may
want to take with you, for example.
Again, nobody can tell you when a disaster
or emergency will hit. So, give yourself and
your seniors a peace of mind and make a plan
now -- it's better to be safe than sorry!
Additional
Resources
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