Bad Weather Preparation Tips For Seniors Living At Home

If your senior mom or dad is living alone, are they ready for extreme weather? Bad storms, loss of electricity, and other disasters can be very dangerous for seniors that are living alone. 24-hour home care service is a great way to make sure that your senior mom or dad has the support they need in case of bad weather or natural disasters. If your senior parent has 24-hour home care they won’t have to face bad weather alone, no matter when it comes.

In addition to getting 24-hour home care for your senior mom or dad you should use these tips to make sure your senior parent’s home is ready for any kind of extreme weather:

Create an Emergency Plan

24-Hour Home Care Hawthorne NJ – Bad Weather Preparation Tips For Seniors Living At Home

The first thing that you should do to make sure your senior parent is ready for any kind of disaster is to sit down with them and develop a comprehensive emergency plan. The plan should include evacuation routes, emergency contacts, and meeting points.

Put important information like contact information, maps, medical information, and other important documents into a binder that can be easily grabbed in an emergency. Show your senior parent and the care provider where that binder is.

Make An Emergency Kit

Assemble an emergency kit with essential supplies such as water, non-perishable food, medications, a first-aid kit, flashlights, batteries, a portable phone charger, and important documents. Put it in a binder of important information. Emergency information and supplies should either be stored in a safe room, an interior closet, the basement, or someplace central like the kitchen.

Medication and Medical Supplies

If there is a major storm like a tornado or hurricane your senior parent may not be able to get their medication when they need. Make sure your parent has at least a week’s supply of all necessary medications and any medical supplies they might need, such as oxygen, hearing aid batteries, or diabetic supplies. Keep a list of medications and dosages in the emergency kit.

Communication Plan

Establish a reliable way to communicate during an emergency. This could include a charged cell phone with a backup battery, a landline, or a two-way radio. Show your parent and their care provider how to use these devices and practice using them to communicate.

Sign Up Weather Alerts And Get A NOAA Radio

Sign your parent up for weather alerts through their phone so they will get any necessary emergency alerts. And get a NOAA weather radio. Make sure the emergency kit has extra batteries and a solar phone charger.

Do Regular Home Safety Checks

Conduct a thorough safety check of your parent’s home. Ensure that smoke detectors, carbon monoxide detectors, and fire extinguishers are in working order. Check for potential hazards that could become problematic during extreme weather, such as loose roofing or branches.

Heating and Cooling Solutions

Prepare for temperature extremes by ensuring your parent has safe heating and cooling options. This might include space heaters, fans, or an emergency shelter plan for extreme heat or cold.

Transportation Arrangements

Ensure your parent has access to reliable transportation in case they need to evacuate. This might involve coordinating with neighbors or a care provider, arranging for a family member to pick them up, or having contact information for local emergency services that can assist with evacuation.

If you or a senior family member are considering hiring 24-Hour Home Care Services in Hawthorne NJ, please get in touch with the caring staff at Caring Solutions Home Care LLC. In-home senior care servicing Bergen & Passaic Counties. Call today at (973) 427-3553.