PREPARING for and COPING with DISASTER

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PREPARING for and COPING with DISASTER
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SPECIAL ISSUES FOR SENIORS

• What preparedness advice is offered for seniors
  who rely on equipment and assistive devices
  (e.g., hearing aids, wheelchairs, crutches,
  walkers, respirators, eye glasses, etc)?
• Keep important equipment and assistive devices in
  a consistent, convenient and secured place so you
  can quickly easily locate them after the
  disaster
• Develop an emergency kit where extra hearing
  aids, batteries, eye glasses, etc., are kept, to
  replace damaged or lost equipment
• Store extra mobility aids (e.g., canes, crutches,
  walker, wheelchairs), as a backup to primary
  equipment

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PREPARING CONTINUED...

• How can seniors, who rely on personal attendants
  or care givers to provide assistance, prepare for
  the fact this support may not be available after
  a major disaster?
• Discuss with caregivers or employees a plan for
  what you will do in case of an emergency
• Establish a personal support network or buddy
  system. of friends, neighbors, family members,
  etc., to check with you in an emergency to ensure
  you are okay and help where needed
• Do not depend on any one person, but work out
  support relationships with several people

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PREPARING CONTINUED...

• As aging may limit certain self-sufficiency
  skills, what contingencies should older adults
  prepare for following an emergency?
• Evaluate your capabilities, limitations, needs,
  as well as your surroundings, to determine what
  type of help your personal support network may
  need to provide in an emergency
• Will you be able to independently shut off
  necessary utilities? Where are the tools you
  need?

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PREPARING CONTINUED

• Can you operate a fire extinguisher?
• Do you have an evacuation kit that you can
  quickly grab and carry if you must leave your
  home?
• Have you moved or secured large objects that
  might block your escape path?

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PREPARING CONTINUED...

• Write instructions for the following
• How to turn off utilities
• How to operate safely move any essential
  equipment you have
• How to safely transport you if you need to be
  carried
• How to provide personal assistance services
• How you will evacuate, and where you will go

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PREPARING CONTINUED

• How can older persons, who may have physical
  impairments that limit mobility, address these
  evacuation needs?
• Arrange secure furniture other items to
  provide multiple paths of travel
• Consider and practice using alternate methods of
  evacuation
• If elevators are out you are above the first
  floor of a building cannot use stairs, identify
  lifting carrying techniques that will work for
  you

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PREPARING CONTINUED...

• Have important information readily available in
  case of injury, evacuation, or as a result of
  shock given the trauma of the event.
• Create an emergency health information card with
  vital information to communicate to rescuers what
  they need to know about you if you are
  unconscious, incoherent, or if there is a need
  for your evacuation
• Include information about medications, equipment
  you use, communication, hearing or mobility
  difficulties, preferred treatment, medical
  providers, important contact people. Make
  multiple copies of this card to keep in your
  wallet, give to people in your personal support
  network, post on your refrigerator

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PREPARING CONTINUED...

• Other emergency contacts to list include members
  of your personal support network, equipment
  vendors, doctors, family members, and utility
  companies
• In addition, store copies of family records,
  wills, deeds, social security number, chare
  bank accounts, etc., in a waterproof bag or
  container in your emergency kit

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PREPARING CONTINUED...

• Given that tap water may be contaminated
  following a major disaster, how do we prepare
  older persons who are more susceptible to
  dehydration?
• Maintain one gallon of stored water per day for a
  10-day period. Store water in sealed unbreakable
  containers that are easy to handle
• Replace stored water with fresh water at least
  every six months

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PREPARING CONTINUED

• Many older adults may have hypertension need
  food low in sodium. Similarly, diabetic elderly
  require foods reduced in sugar. Some people will
  eat only Kosher foods.
• When developing a ten-day food supply, it is
  important that seniors pay attention to special
  foods they require and foods they like to eat
• Do not rely on others to provide
• you with foods you need

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PREPARING CONTINUED...

• Being older means feeling more vulnerable. In a
  major disaster, feelings of acute anxiety,
  confusion fear may be issues as critical for
  seniors as their physical condition
• Again, seniors are strongly encouraged
  to develop a buddy system or
  personal support
  network.

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PREPARING CONTINUED...

• Someone who can check in following an emergency
  will become an important ally in alleviating
  disaster induced stress. Seniors may want
  individuals who form their personal support
  network to
• Check on them immediately after an emergency, and
  offer personal assistance as needed
• Have a spare copy of important keys
• Know where emergency supplies are kept

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PREPARING CONTINUED...

• Have copies of relevant emergency documents that
  specify medication, special equipment, other
  life support needs
• Have an agreed upon communications system
  regarding how to contact each other in an
  emergency. This plan should account for the fact
  that telephones may not work after a major
  disaster
• Know when each other will be out of town the
  planned date of return
• Learn about the seniors personal needs how to
  be of support in an emergency

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PREPARING CONTINUED...

• What special preparedness tips can be offered for
  seniors who take medications?
• Try to always maintain at least a 7 to 14 day
• supply of essential medications
• Work with your doctor to obtain an extra
• supply of medications and an extra prescription
• Ask if it would be safe to go without one dosage
  periodically until you secure an adequate supply
• Keep essential medications and copies of
  prescriptions with you and be prepared to store
  them appropriately

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COPING WITH DISASTER

• Be Aware Disaster may cause highly emotional
  responses among family members. Normal responses
  include
• Numbness, apathy or depression
• Difficulty concentrating
• Anxiety,restlessness
• Disorientation
• Sleep disturbance
• Fatigue

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COPING WITH DISASTER...

• Respond after you and your family are out of
  danger, sit down together collect yourselves
• Limit family decisions to todays needs
• Avoid discussions of long-term
  issues of recovering from
  the disaster

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COPING WITH DISASTER

• Prepare you can reduce the emotional impact of a
  disaster by being prepared
• Review plans with your family
• Practice your evacuation plans
• Make sure your supplies are in order and
  emergency contact information is up-to-date
• You cant take away the feeling of shock after a
  disaster, but you can reduce the feeling that
  everything is out of control

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COPING WITH DISASTER

• Mental Health Survival Tips stay
  calm and assured
• Dont stay by yourself if you can avoid it
• Accept help from others
• Notice positives dont blame
• Talk about your feelings

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COPING WITH DISASTER...

• For your long-term adjustment
• Allow yourself to cry
• Get some exercise
• Avoid excessive alcohol/drugs
• Seek counseling if you continue to feel
  depressed, anxious, or
  debilitated