When the family is gathered, come up with a list of the emergencies your mom and dad would face. If they live in a mountain region away from the coast, the risk of a hurricane is unlikely. They may deal with flooding, blizzards, and fires, however.
Take each of the potential emergencies and talk about the plans your parents would follow. If flooding occurs and they must be evacuated, where would they stay? Who is responsible to ensure they have left their home? Are there pets that would need to be housed until they could return home? If so, who can take the pets?
Find out which neighbor would be most reliable in emergencies like a house fire. Your parents need to go somewhere to call the fire department, who would you want them going to? For a blizzard, who is closest to check that vents are free of snow and ice and can get the driveway, doors, and sidewalks cleared of snow?
Have you considered the use of technology to cover some of the aspects of storm-related emergencies? You could use a smart thermostat to check the temperature within your parents’ house. Leak detectors can send alerts if below zero weather causes one of the pipes to freeze and burst.
If there is a tornado warning, where would your parents go? Look at their home’s layout and pick out the safest areas to be during that tornado. Make sure they know where to go and how long to stay in that spot.
Get a pocket folder and attach magnet strips to the back. Put an instruction sheet for each type of emergency in that folder and stick it to the side of the refrigerator. Keep a master copy on a computer so that they can be reprinted as needed.
Elder care services can be with your parents when you can’t. They can make sure your parents are safe during an emergency. You benefit by spending less time worrying about them being alone. They benefit by having companionship from caregivers. They also have the help they need when it’s needed. Talk about prices and schedules by calling an elder care agency.
Co-Owner, First Choice Senior Care
Kayla Stephens is the co-owner of First Choice Senior Care. She grew up in Northeast Arkansas, and has worked in rehabilitation, hospice care, managed nursing homes and a large home care agency. She has received several awards for sales and quality achievements in hospice and long-term care.
Kayla believes in advocating for and educating seniors and their families on a variety of topics and issues that impact them. Reflecting on the need for an independent home care provider interested in quality over quantity, she chased her dream of building her own company that would make a significant difference in the lives of seniors, providing a much-needed service in her own local community.
Kayla holds a Bachelor of Science degree from Arkansas State University, is licensed by the state of Arkansas as a Long-Term Care Administrator, and is a Certified Senior Adviser.
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