Caregivers worry about the safety of their senior loved ones during severe weather.
It could be a winter storm, tornado, flooding, earthquake or hurricane depending on the part of the country where your senior may reside.
Each region of the US has its unique weather and potential emergency situations that could pose a safety risk for our seniors.
There are things that family caregivers can do before, during and after a storm to help seniors be safe.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has compiled resources to help you keep your senior healthy in a disaster.
Before Severe Weather Happens
These are some steps to take before a disaster happens to ensure your senior loved one is prepared.
- Talk to local authorities before a storm hits. Inform them about any special needs our senior may have.
- Secure your senior’s important papers to keep them safe from loss or damage.
- Plan for the safety of your senior’s pets.
- Learn about the hazards in your senior’s home and plan for keeping it safe such as shutting off the gas or electric power and securing loose items that could become dangerous objects in a storm.
- Have a functioning fire extinguisher handy and be sure everyone knows how to use it.
- If it is necessary to seek shelter, locate the closest one and determine how your senior be transported there.
- Establish a family disaster plan, including how you will communicate after a storm.
There are more tips you might find helpful on the CDC website.
Additional Discussion
You might also like these articles to further prepare you senior for emergencies of all kinds:
Remember, preparation can make all the difference in helping senior loved ones — and ourselves as family caregivers — get through a weather emergency or other disaster safely and in good health.