With all of the fiascos in the news as of late, I am reminded of the importance of disaster planning for the elderly and disabled. The recent explosion in West, Texas that devastated that little town left me in complete awe of their emergency response team. Those wonderful folks were successful in evacuating an entire nursing home before it burned to the ground, among everything else they had going on. Just within the past week we have had a devastating tornado go through Oklahoma and floods now occurring in San Antonio. It is important to be sure your loved one has an emergency plan in place, even if they are living in a facility. If they are in a facility, have the management go over what the protocol is for each state of emergency. It is always best to keep important documents and family heirlooms in a safe deposit box if it is possible, but if that is not possible, I would advise investing in a coded fire safe box. Also, in this box it is important that you keep a list of all current doctors, medications, and pertinent medical information, especially documents such as a living will, DNR, or power of attorney.
If your elderly loved one lives alone, please check all smoke and carbon minoxide alarms monthly. Ensure that there is always more than one usable exit to the outside and that there are no trip hazards or fall risks in the pathway. If your loved one is having difficulty with mobility and is still living at home, please be sure that a wheelchair could get out the door and away from the house. You may need to look into a wheelchair ramp. Many companies such as +Allumed and other mobility companies have removable handicap ramps that do not have to remain a permanent fixture to the home. Make sure your loved one has easy access to a phone, hopefully with large lighted buttons, so during an emergency they can see to dial. It may seem like overkill on a normal day, but in a smoky dark room it can be the difference between life and death.
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