Hurricane season is here in Louisiana. This can create strong gusts and bouts of torrential rain. Usually, this isn’t severe enough to warrant sheltering in a bunker. However, it does require staying indoors and taking some safety precautions. Hurricane preparedness goes a long way in ensuring everyone stays safe.
Why Is Emergency Preparedness Important for the Elderly?
Louisiana is no stranger to hurricanes. In 2021, the state was hit by Hurricane Ida, creating wind speeds of 99 mph and flooding up to 10-feet high in some coastal areas. It also forced a shutdown of eight transmission lines that supply power to New Orleans and neighboring regions.
These situations can especially be a dilemma for seniors. A power outage, for example, can cut off power supplies and create problems for seniors that rely on fixtures like a stairlift or refrigeration for their medication.
Hurricane Preparedness Tips
Seniors living alone or in assisted care should have basic preparations in place. They should have enough provisions to sustain themselves and stay comfortable should everyday life be temporarily disrupted due to mother nature. Here are some preparedness guidelines to plan with your senior loved ones.
1. Have an Evacuation Plan
If an impending hurricane is severe enough to warrant an evacuation, plan how you will accommodate your senior loved one. Plan out the logistics, which should include transportation, lodging, food, and medication. Transportation is especially important if your loved one is wheelchair-bound or bedridden.
2. Create a Food Plan
Make sure your elderly relative has access to enough food that meets their dietary needs. Have a supply of non-perishable foods stocked in your relative’s pantry that’s reserved for emergencies. Place the food in Ziplock bags and label them (e.g. day 1 lunch, day 2 dinner).
3. Prepare a Documentation List
Keep a copy of all important paperwork and keep them in a waterproof folder or bag. Documents to have include:
- Medical records and prescription slips
- List of relatives and contact information
- ID, passport, and other identification
- Health and home insurance documents
4. Prepare an Essential Items Kit
Prepare a list of items that are considered emergency essentials and keep them in a waterproof backpack. Should your senior relative need to evacuate, the backpack is ready to go and bring along. An essential items kit should include the following:
- All prescribed medication
- Reading glasses
- Flashlight with spare batteries
- Disposable face masks
- Hand sanitizer
- Blood sugar or blood pressure monitor
- Dental hygiene items and toiletries
- Portable whiteboard and markers (if the senior is hard of hearing or has trouble communicating verbally)
5. Communication Plan
If you can’t be with your senior family member during a hurricane, then devise a communication plan. You can instruct them, for example, to store their phone in the essential items bag and reserve usage for communication only. You should also plan in the event cell towers are down. For example, you can establish a communication plan with your loved one’s community living center.
6. Get Neighbors Involved
Do your senior family members live alone and in a private residence? Form a plan with their neighbors. In the event of a hurricane, perhaps younger neighbors can perform a daily wellness check and report back to you. If your senior relatives keep to themselves, try to get them to interact with their neighbors and establish a rapport. This way, assistance from friendly and familiar neighbors is just one or two houses away.
With our caregivers in Lafayette, LA, your senior loved one is never alone during a natural emergency, wherever they call home. Our professional and well-trained CAREGivers at Home Instead will work with you to ensure that your senior family member is always prepared in the event of a hurricane or a tropical storm.
