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Emergency Preparedness Checklist for Seniors

Both the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the American Red Cross advise that seniors whether living independently, or in an assisted living facility, should have an emergency plan and an emergency kit. Both should be reviewed at six monthly intervals. Family members and other relevant agencies, such as a community response team should be aware of the plan, and the whereabouts of the kit.

  1. Emergency Plan

    • The senior citizen should write down an emergency plan, and prepare an emergency kit. She should review her home, and ensure she has an exit route, which is kept clear and accessible. If there are other people in the house, the family should have an agreed meeting point, just outside the house, and also outside the neighborhood. A senior in an assisted living facility should discuss her plan with the manager and with her neighbors, and should tell them where her emergency kit is stored.

    Provisions

    • The senior person should have enough water and food in the house to last for at least three days. This should be stored safely, and should include canned food and a can opener. He should make provision for any medication he needs to take, writing a list of medicines and dosages. He should have a flashlight and batteries which are always kept in the same place. His first aid kit should be also in an accessible place. His emergency kit should include a cell phone, with batteries and charger, and a radio.The senior needs to make a plan for the evacuation of his dog, cat or other pet.

    Documents

    • It is a good idea to make copies of medical insurance, wills, inventory of household goods, and marriage and birth certificates. Paper copies of these documents can also be made and stored in a waterproof pouch. The older person may want to store special photographs or the negatives in a safe accessible place, or take copies and save them on a remote computer.

    Disabilities

    • Any household which includes a wheelchair user, or a person with poor mobility should make sure that access to and from the house is adequate and kept clear. The senior citizen should make an evacuation plan, and should practice this.

    Contact

    • The senior should have three contact people who can be contacted in the case of an emergency. She needs to discuss this with them, and their main telephone numbers should be clearly visible in her home.

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