Professionals at hospice care in Burbank Ca understand the importance of being prepared for an emergency at any age is very important, especially when you are a senior.
As we age as adults, it is vital to consider the steps you or your loved one should take to get ready for an emergency. The carers at the hospice in Burbank Ca believe that emergency preparedness for seniors should consist of a few more preparatory measures to ensure they experience less anxiety and stress in an emergency.
Here are some things that the hospice care center in Los Angeles and Burbank Ca thinks you should ask for your and your loved ones’ preparation list just in case an urgent emergency occurs.
Build A Support Network
Professional carers at hospice care in Burbank Ca tell us that the most important steps for preparation are to build a support network. A support network can include a family member and/or close friends that are mindful of your needs. Friends and family who are capable of responding in case of emergency when assistance is required. It is also essential to keep a list of your loved one’s numbers around the house, and you can even program these contact numbers into your smartphone. Try to teach your elderly loved one (if possible) how to send updates via text message. This is a very helpful skill for them to have since phone lines can become overwhelmed during an emergency. Additionally, having a person in your support network that lives inside and outside your state is a wise extra step in case of an emergency.
Get Important Medical Information
Additionally, Faith and Hope Hospice and Palliative Care, a hospice care facility in Burbank, Ca, recommends that you have your medical information available in case of emergency because it is very important. You should have on hand a list of the medications you take, and you should note down possible ongoing health worries in an easy-to-access list. Also, you should include doctors, pharmacists, and specialists on the list.
Prepare An Emergency Kit
Once you have set up your support network and created your medical information list, you should go on to put together an emergency kit. This kit should be able to supply each member of your household with the supplies listed for at least three days.
The Kit Should Include The Following Items:
- Water & canned food items (don’t forget a can opener)
- First Aid Supplies (including medications labeled for each person’s use)
- Solar-powered radio
- Flashlights
- Cell phone and charger or power bank
- Extra pair of glasses and hearing aid batteries
- Important documents such as birth certificates, insurance information, and copies of personal information should be included.
Ensure That Federal Benefits Payments Are Easy To Access And Are Secure
Seniors who depend on Social Security or other federal benefits can experience some problems when they solely depend on payments that come through via the mail.
Unfortunately, during emergencies or evacuations, mail services can go through interruptions for days or even weeks. What is worse than that is that checks can be stolen. To prevent your elderly loved one from experiencing financial problems and fraud, you should make sure that your older adult is getting their benefits electronically.
Plus, it is important to note that seniors who are still receiving Social Security or other federal benefit payments through paper checks are in compliance with the law. So, it is necessary to switch them to electronic benefits payments.
How to switch to electronic benefits payments:
- Select to receive payments either by direct deposit to a bank, a credit union account, or a Direct Express® prepaid debit card account. Direct deposit is the best option if your older adult has a bank account.
- Contact the U.S. Treasury Electronic Payment Solution Center at (800) 333-1795 if you sign up for a direct deposit to a bank account or if you sign up through your local bank or a credit union account.
- You can also contact the U.S. Treasury Electronic Payment Solution Center if you wish to sign up for the Direct Express® card.
Get Resources
Creating a senior support network can assist them in accessing important community resources. This starts by evaluating the services that may be available in a natural disaster. You can begin by contacting the local United Way. Speak to these agencies to get information about the types of events they expect to deal with in the area and the services they provide. One key service is help with transportation. For instance, if evacuation is recommended or mandatory, many communities offer transportation to seniors who cannot receive it otherwise.
You Should Have A Plan In Place
Besides getting to know the local services in the area, you can also help your senior loved one plan for an emergency. Are there shelters nearby? What is the best way to get there? What should they have on hand just in case they get stuck in the house or have to leave in a hurry? Has the home got the type of routine maintenance that would help it overcome a storm? There is a lot that can be achieved beforehand to get ready for a disaster that is necessary for a senior’s support network to make the planning and preparation process occur.
Seniors Should Be Aware
It is sometimes easy for seniors to be unaware of local conditions because they may not be tuned in to local weather reports, or they just don’t know of the severity of a storm or heatwave that is approaching. What you can do to help seniors is to make sure they are aware of any possible threats and to encourage them to take the proper action.
Give Them Encouragement
It is important to give seniors moral support, especially when a senior is encountering a difficult choice between staying at home and evacuating. There is no way of knowing ahead of time the right choice to make, but having someone there to offer reassurance and feedback, as well as possibly a place to stay, will make sure that the older adult makes the right decision.
