Most families don’t have a real emergency plan in place. Even though it’s a great idea for people of all ages -whether they have children or not- few consider it… until it’s too late. For seniors, especially those who count on care, an emergency plan should be an absolute necessity.
Whatever season we’re heading into by the time you read this article, it doesn’t really matter. It also doesn’t matter where you live or where the senior calls home; emergencies can occur at any time, often without warning. It could be a weather emergency or something else. Whatever it is, though, having a plan on what to do or where you might go when it happens is a vital piece of the puzzle in helping keep seniors safe while they depend on care.
Do you know where your aging loved one would go if evacuation was mandatory?
Most people don’t. They often merely assume they would go and stay with them. What if that’s not an option? What if the senior lives several hours or a thousand miles away? They might need to be evacuated with little warning. Where are they going to go?
While a senior care company will have resources to support their clients, depending on their size and complexity (as well as region their services cover), it might not be practical to assume they’ll handle everyone’s needs the same way.
An evacuation could be ordered for an impending weather emergency, like flooding, a hurricane, tornadoes, wildfires, mud slides, and more. An evacuation may also be necessary due to violence, a nuclear reactor malfunction, a chemical plant explosion, and so much more.
Just because you may have never thought of such a thing for yourself or an aging senior doesn’t mean they won’t happen. They could.
Hopefully this situation never arises, but in the event it does, when the senior in your life requires care, it’s a good idea to know where they would go if they were required or ‘highly advised’ to evacuate.
What you and your family should know.
First and foremost, develop a phone chain. This is a list of people who would receive information about what’s happening, where the senior (or other people you care about) are going during an emergency, who should be calling you and who you should be calling as well.
Second, have a few destinations for the senior in mind. This could be a friend, family member, shelter, or other location, but there should be a variety of options. Don’t merely select a local shelter and assume that’s going to be more than fine.
It might very well be, but what if the reason for the evacuation is wide-reaching (for example, 50 miles)? What are the options then?
Finally, if the senior depends on in home care, someone in the family should have contact information to reach out to that company or individual to stay up-to-date on what’s happening and where the senior is going.
When you know these things, you’ll be better prepared for potential emergencies you never considered before (and that can happen at any time).
If you or an aging loved one are considering hiring Senior Care in Spartanburg, 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.
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