Seniors that are aging in place need to be prepared for any type of emergency. Unfortunately, emergencies happen every day and there’s really no way to prevent them. But seniors can be ready for emergencies so that they aren’t left in a bad position when something breaks, a storm hits, or they have a fall. Seniors and their families should have an ongoing dialog about safety plans, how to handle emergencies, and what emergency supplies seniors need to make sure that they are equipped for emergencies when they occur. Some of the best things that seniors can do to prepare for emergencies are:
Rely on 24-Home Care
24- hour home care is a great way for seniors to be prepared for emergencies. When seniors have 24-hour home care they are never alone, which means they will never have to deal with an emergency situation alone. If there is a fire in the house, or a severe storm that knocks off part of the roof, or the electricity goes out for days, or if seniors have a medical emergency or they fall seniors who have 24-hour home care will have someone that can help them deal with any emergency. 24-hour home care gives seniors and their families peace of mind.
Create An Emergency Room
It’s a smart idea for seniors to dedicate a room to being an emergency spot. This should be an interior room with no windows where they can take shelter if there is tornado or severe storm. A basement is great, but not all homes have basements. In homes that don’t have basements an interior room like a pantry, laundry room, or downstairs bathroom can do the job. Seniors should store food and water, a bag of clothes, a coat, blankets, and other emergency supplies in there so that in the event of an emergency they could survive on the things in that room.
Get Copies Of All Important Documents
If there is an emergency like a fire or a storm seniors could lose their important documents. That’s why seniors should get copies of things like birth certificates, marriage certificates, death certificates, Social Security cards, ID cards, financial papers, insurance papers, medical records and other documents and store those in a fire proof box in their emergency room. It’s also a good idea to send copies to a child or other family member so that seniors have access to other copies if they need to leave their home.
Don’t Forget The Pets
Seniors who have pets can’t forget about the safety and well-being of the pets. In the emergency room seniors should put pet food, water, water bowls, leashes and harnesses, and carriers or crates for all the pets. A pet stroller is a fantastic thing to have to move pets quickly and safely. An extra large stroller can move multiple pets and keep them safe during the aftermath of an emergency. And it’s much easier to get a frightened pet into a stroller than it is to get them into a small carrier.
Reference:
https://www.ready.gov/
If you or an aging loved one is considering 24-hour home care in Woodbury, MN, and the surrounding areas, please contact the friendly staff at CareBuilders at Home Minnesota. Call today 612-260-2273.
