Senior Care in Seneca SC
September is National Preparedness Month. This is the ideal time for you to work with your elderly loved one to ensure that they are properly prepared for emergency or disaster situations that 
Use these tips to help you create an effective emergency preparedness plan for a senior who is deaf or hard of hearing:
- Have backup assistive devices and supplies. If your aging parent uses a hearing aid or a cochlear implant to help them manage their hearing loss, ensure that they have access not only to extra of these items, but the supplies that they need to keep them functional as well. This includes having an extra set of hearing aids, extra batteries, and an extra charger so that these devices can remain responsive and effective throughout the situation. Make a list of the items that your parent needs and uses, where they got them, the specific serial numbers of their items, and how they use them so that they can easily communicate this information to others
- Use alternative information systems. Your parent might not be able to use traditional radio or television to get the information that they need during an emergency or disaster situation. This can make their situation even more dangerous. Make sure that your parent knows how to use alternative forms of communication and information gathering, such as through social media. Consider using an adaptive weather alert system through the NOAA Weather Radio for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing program so that your parent can keep up-to-date on the vital information to help them through an emergency or disaster situation
- Have alternative communication. Keep in mind that if you or another member of the care team is not with your aging parent after they evacuate or when they are engaging with emergency responders, your parent will need to be the one handling the communication. This can be challenging for a senior who is dealing with hearing loss, particularly one who also struggles with verbal communication. Having alternative communication is vital to getting through these interactions safely and effectively. If your parent is comfortable using a mobile device, consider showing the how to use the notes feature so that they can type messages to others and have those people type messages back to them. Many devices also have a talk to text feature that enables someone to talk into the device, which then takes those spoken words and converts them into text so that your parent can read them rather than having to try to understand the person speaking. Be sure that their phone is set to vibrate so that they are able to detect an incoming call or message even if they are in a busy, noisy room.
If you or an aging loved one are considering hiring senior care in Seneca, SC, contact Heart of the Carolinas Home Care at 864-991-3116. Providing Home Care Services in Greenville, Simpsonville, Greer, Anderson, Spartanburg, Mauldin, Seneca, Laurens, Charleston, Columbia and the surrounding areas.
Source: https://www.ready.gov/individuals-access-functional-needs
Founder at Heart of the Carolinas
Edward Harrison founded the Heart of the Carolinas Homecare in 2007 when he saw there was a need for caregivers that provide non-medical home care services, at a price that most people could afford. It was standard in the industry to require hourly minimums and it was common to be assigned a caregiver, not matched with one based on your individual personal needs. Edward understood that to make a successful relationship between caregiver and client, skills were not enough, personality and compatibility plays as much a role as do skills.
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