The summer heat is here and warming up the waters, a sure sign that it’s the Atlantic Hurricane Season. This five-month stretch of stormy weather can have a significant impact on both land and sea. If you’re currently living in an area prone to hurricane impact, having a plan in place to protect yourself and older loved ones is essential.

So, before scheduling your summer fun, take a few moments to consider the precautions you can take if a hurricane is heading to your area. The following emergency preparedness tips can help seniors, and their caregivers get storm season ready.

Consider a Senior Living Stay

Living alone can be challenging for older loved ones, especially when weather conditions pose a threat to their home and personal safety. If your senior loved one lives alone, the thought of having to evacuate or endure a severe storm can be overwhelming, especially when family members don’t live nearby. For older adults with mobility concerns, chronic health conditions, or memory loss, managing a storm situation can create significant emotional distress, resulting in confusion, physical injury, and even cognitive decline.

Before you spend your summer preparing for the next emergency, consider the option of a short-term senior living stay. Senior living residents have access to a network of support and numerous safety measures that provide critical assistance during storms and other emergencies, such as:

• 24/7 staffing and monitoring to ensure resident needs are met
• Access to community supplies and resources
• Collaborative emergency preparedness measures are initiated by community staff, which means responsibility doesn’t fall solely on the senior and/or their caregiver
• Timely, direct, and consistent communication of vital information with residents and families throughout the storm response
• Access to supplemental generator power for select functions, such as refrigeration and medical needs
• Emergency lighting and fire prevention measures
• Resident safety checks multiple times a day
• Secured building and grounds
• An approved evacuation plan that provides oversight, staffing, resources, and safe transportation to alternative sites of care if residents’ safety is compromised or there is an extreme threat to the community
• Management of the storm recovery response (negotiations with insurance companies, securing bids for repairs, procuring contractors, restoring power, replenishing supplies, etc.)

Another benefit of living in a senior living community is the high priority placed on the emergency response. When a large-scale rescue response is needed, senior living communities are often seen as high-priority locations. This can mean power may be restored and support delivered more quickly than in other areas.

Preparing Your Home for a Storm

For those still living at home, preparing for a storm is crucial. Depending on the severity, it may or may not be safe to remain in your home throughout the storm but preparing in advance for either option is always a smart idea. Pay close attention to evacuation orders and only decide to remain at home if it is safe enough to do so.

As you prepare your home, always ensure that a friend or family member has a way to contact you. Inform others of your location, whether you decide to ride out the storm at home or find a haven with family members away from the storm’s path. Exchange contact information with neighbors or a close advisor who can help.

Not sure how to prepare? This quick list can help you get started in advance of a storm:

• Secure outdoor furniture, potted plants, trash cans, flags, and other fixtures
• Repair roof/window leaks or faulty features that can cause greater damage
• Make sure your vehicle has a full tank of gas
• Have extra propane available for your grill and ensure it is situated in a safe area (never use a propane grill indoors).
• Have plastic sheeting, tarps, duct tape, or sandbags available
• Close and lock all windows and doors, and cover with shutters or plywood if preparing for high winds
• Move fragile or valuable objects away from windows and wrap them in plastic wrap or garbage bags
• Fill sinks and bathtubs with water to use for bathing, washing clothes, or flushing the toilet
• Shut off the main water valve and main electrical fuse or breaker box, if needed.

What to do if you need to evacuate:

If an evacuation is required, having the necessary documentation and essential items prepared in advance can be a huge help. Have a plan in place that lists what you’ll bring with you, so you don’t have to think twice if time is limited.

Consider creating a waterproof travel kit that is ready to go at all times, filled with emergency supplies, healthcare necessities, essential documents, car keys, maps, cash, ID cards, and any other needed items. Ensure that your kit is ready for travel and well-secured. Stay aware of evacuation routes and updates.

While it might seem unnecessary, it’s important to remember that a storm can temporarily knock out power and cell service, affecting roads, mobile data connections, traffic delays, and other travel information. A map app, such as Navmii, can be used in advance of a storm, or utilize Google Maps’ offline feature.

Creating Your Emergency Plan

Creating an emergency plan is key to supporting your loved one’s emergency response. As you develop your strategy, assess your loved one’s priority health needs, such as mobility challenges, medication requirements, memory loss, or transportation needs. Collect the necessary supplies and gather guidance that they can follow until help arrives. Consider categorizing items such as essentials, healthcare necessities, and vital documents to keep the process streamlined and efficient.

Essentials

When preparing for an emergency, ensure you have sufficient supplies to last at least three days for each person. Items should not be expired, should be safe, and convenient to use. Pack clean and sturdy storage containers/totes with well-fitting lids to keep items dry, accessible, and well-secured. The following is a list of recommended items to pack when preparing for an emergency.

• Water (one gallon per person, per day)
• Non-perishable food (canned food, can opener, dry goods, protein drinks)
• Matches or lighters in a waterproof container
• Battery-powered flashlight and lantern
• Battery-powered radio
• Extra batteries, phone charger, cable, and solar chargers
• Blankets or sleeping bags
• Extra clothing & rain gear/poncho
• Garbage bags, zip-top bags (for keeping things dry)
• Soap, wipes, and hand sanitizer
• Toilet paper and paper towels
• Mess kits for eating, disposable plates/utensils
• Reusable water bottles
• Whistle for alerting rescuers
• Waterproof smartphone bag
• Pet supplies

For more information on creating a ready-to-go emergency supply kit, visit https://www.ready.gov/.

Healthcare necessities

A supply of healthcare necessities, including personal care, medical supplies, and prescription medications, is necessary for maintaining a loved one’s health and safety. Below is a quick list of items to set aside for this purpose:

• All medications and supplies, including those only needed for emergencies
  • Daily prescriptions
  • Over-the-counter medications
  • An updated personal medication record
  • An insulated bag with ice packs for short-term temperature control when refrigeration of medication is not available
• Eyeglasses/contact lenses and vision care items
• Hearing aids (and batteries)
• Mobility aids or assistive devices (walkers, wheelchairs, oxygen tanks, etc.)
• Personal hygiene and continence care items
• Towel and facecloth
• Face masks to filter dust and bacteria
• First-aid kit
• Safe, sturdy shoes

Seniors and their families should make every effort to fill all prescriptions in advance to avoid a disruption in supply, especially when an evacuation is necessary.

Vital Documents

When preparing for an emergency, never underestimate the importance of having access to vital documentation. It’s always a good idea to have copies and originals, when needed, of the essential documents you need for identification, ownership, eligibility, proof of residence, and other records. Think of these documents as the “paperwork” you would keep in a safe place in your home:

• Personal identification (driver’s license, birth certificate, passport, etc.)
• Medication and immunization records
• Social security cards
• Family records (marriage license, etc.)
• Health insurance cards
• Wills, advanced directives, and power of attorney documentation

Vital documents should be stored safely in a weatherproof container (or a zippered freezer bag in a pinch), with additional copies kept for backup purposes if needed. Think about the information you would need most quickly, such as family phone numbers, bank account and insurance policy info, titles, and healthcare documentation (medication lists, advance directives, etc.)

If you’re not sure where to start with this, check out AARP’s Operation Hurricane Prepare for a “Vital Document Checklist,” which makes it easy to gather the documents you’ll need.

We Can Help You Get Prepared!

Don’t let unpredictable seasonal storms, disasters, and emergencies cause additional fear and anxiety for a loved one. Discover how a senior living move can alleviate the stress of living alone, especially during storm season.

Contact us today for additional resources and meet with a senior living expert to see how a Cardinal Bay or Stoney Brook senior living community can help. Visit any of our independent living, assisted living, or memory care communities in the Central Texas and Oklahoma area to see what steps we are taking to ensure resident safety.