How do I Prepare Assisted Living Residents for Emergencies?

People live in an assisted living facility because they have needs which cannot be met when living independently. However, they do not require the level of care offered by a nursing home, or other fully staffed care settings. The emergencies a person may encounter in this environment range from a personal emergency, to a larger one, such as a hurricane or flood which would affect the whole facility or even the entire neighborhood. Assisted living residents are more likely to have additional problems in an emergency situation, so comprehensive planning is essential.

Things You'll Need

• An emergency policy
• A communication plan

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Instructions

Preparation

• 1

  All signs need to be clear and visible.

  Develop an emergency policy, which is reviewed annually and in the aftermath of any incident. Communicate all emergency procedures to all residents. Ensure that all residents are sure of the evacuation routes, from their own quarters and from the facility.

• 2

  Ensure that all residents are issued with a means of communicating an emergency, such as a chord or buzzer that connects to the staff office. Check that these are fully functioning on a regular basis. Have a system for checking on residents on a regular basis.

• 3

  Ensure that all residents have a communication plan, where helpful phone numbers are clearly identified. Review all plans regularly, as residents' sight or hearing may deteriorate, or they may become confused.

• 4

  Make additional provisions for residents who have other health issues, such as epilepsy, or diabetes. This could be a system where the resident communicates with the manager, or a neighbor, at particular times. Hold regular residents' meetings to provide a forum for issues of concern to be raised.