More than just ensuring the healthiest possible life for someone you care about is involved in being a caretaker.
It also entails being ready for emergencies and able to provide for your loved one as well as oneself.
You can guarantee the survival and well-being of the veteran you are caring for as well as your own by being aware of the obligations involved in providing care in such difficult circumstances.
Tragedies can be controlled, and emergencies don't always turn into catastrophes. Being ready is important! This holds true for both civilian caregivers and those in charge of emergency preparedness for military personnel.
How to Get Ready for Emergencies with Senior Family Members?
If a caregiver has already been enlisted to help, go over this checklist with them and make sure they follow it. Otherwise, you can help your loved one prepare for an unexpected emergency by doing the following.
1. Prioritize Safe and Accessible Floor Plans
We can’t believe how many articles about emergency preparedness for elderly clients and caregivers neglect to mention safe accessibility.
In an unexpected emergency, you and your loved one must be able to implement the safety plan quickly—and without trip/fall hazards.
Creating a safe and accessible home space and honoring key fall-prevention strategies prevents aging loved ones or their caregivers from injuring themselves while implementing the emergency evacuation plan!
This is similar to the strategies used in emergency preparedness for military personnel.
2. Create an Emergency Preparedness Team
The first step is to create an emergency preparedness team for your loved one. This requires contacting the people most willing to help in an emergency. Typically, an emergency support team includes trusted neighbors, family or friends who live nearby, and a religious or spiritual group that keeps lists of members who need them. These individuals must agree to their role and practice the drills or plans to ensure everything works.
They should all have:
- Clear instructions about various emergencies (fire, flood, power outages, medical, etc.)
- Copies of the house and car keys to gain entrance (or know where these are hidden)
- Contact information for all of the other members
- Vital medical information including medication instructions, primary healthcare providers, and instructions for portable oxygen supply
Finally, someone out of town should be designated as the team’s chair or “captain” because a local emergency could render locals less able to jump in and help. This is also an essential step in emergency preparedness for military personnel.
3. A Medical Emergency Kit
Like a first-aid kit, a medical emergency kit has additional supplies that might be needed in a longer-term situation.
We advise utilizing a clear plastic storage tote that is kept in a well designated, easily accessible cabinet or closet. Any items you’d take with you should be packed into a roller suitcase or duffel for easy transport.
The travel portion of the kit should include things like:
- Medications and instructions for at least two weeks
- Two changes of clothes
- A pack of adult underwear
- Complete toiletry kit
- Bottled water (at least a two-day supply)
- Portable oxygen tank (if needed)
- Non-perishable snacks including canned meats, applesauce, jerky, snack bars, etc.
- Food and containers for pets
- A blanket and a small pillow
- A picture, photo, or other familiar item that would bring comfort
- Flashlight and extra batteries
- Multipurpose tool (that includes a can opener)
4. Emergency-Specific Instructions
Again, that clear plastic tote should include everything the support network needs in case of an unexpected emergency.
This ought to include distinct sets of guidelines for various emergency situations, including fire, earthquake, flood, prolonged power outages, and medical situations.
In the event of an emergency, caregivers can follow the "playbook" instead of having to invent the wheel or carry out a new plan because comprehensive instructions have been created for certain emergency scenarios.
These instructions should include information about:
- Main water line shut-off location
- Main circuit breaker location
- Any tools required to turn main valves on/off
- Various safe emergency exits
- Any other potential hazards or safety information relevant to the home or apartment
5. Create a Map (and Instructions) for the Evacuation Route
Your loved one’s community has its own instructions for emergencies and natural disasters. Emergency preparedness for the elderly means familiarizing yourself with these plans—including evacuation routes. Things to know include:
- Safest evacuation route out of the home or building, taking into account any mobility issues
- Safest routes to evacuate the neighborhood and larger community
- Places to go if extended power outages put your loved one at risk for oxygen deprivation, excessive heat/cold, or lack of water
- Routes to area shelters
- Transportation options in an emergency
All of this information should be available in the emergency kit and well-understood by your loved one’s personal team of “emergency responders.” This is akin to the structured planning involved in emergency preparedness for military personnel.
6. Practice the Plan
The emergency plans should be practiced at least once a year (twice a year is even better) to keep the responders aligned and up to speed.
In addition to helping create muscle memory, practicing how to prepare for emergencies with elderly loved ones—and related drills—provides the opportunity to notice and correct any outdated information or contacts.
It also gives team members the chance to bow out if necessary. Previously willing neighbors or family members may have moved, experienced their own health issues, or just may not be as suited to the task anymore. Practicing the plan ensures it remains relevant year after year.
Wrapping Up
Thus, caregivers need to be ready for emergencies and disasters in order to ensure the safety of their loved ones in the case of an unanticipated incident.
By prioritizing secure and accessible places, creating reliable emergency preparedness teams, putting together full medical kits, and regularly practicing evacuation plans, caregivers may handle challenging situations with ease and confidence.
In order to ensure everyone's safety and security and to turn possible disasters into manageable emergencies, preparation is essential.
This strategy is reflected in the military personnel's careful emergency planning, which guarantees their readiness and safety in any circumstance.
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