Preparing for a Natural Disaster

By Wendy Cregger | November 7, 2022 |

While natural disasters are not common, the truth is that no matter where you live, it’s possible you could have a natural disaster affect your home and the home that your aging parent is living in. If you are taking care of an elderly loved one who has dementia, a natural disaster can be even scarier for them as it destroys the routines and familiarity that they rely upon to have stress-free days and weeks.

Whether the natural disaster comes in the form of a flood, blizzard, hurricane, tornado, earthquake, or some other form of disaster, it’s best to plan ahead of time regarding what you should have on hand and who you should contact if you need to shelter at home or evacuate an area. Involving all of those who care for your aging parent, like other family members, her doctors, and her senior home care team, will help you manage the disaster with reduced stress.

Here are items you should always have on hand:

A least a week’s worth of all medications. Don’t just store some away for years though. You’ll need to refresh your
Senior Home Care Lutherville, MD: Natural Disasters

supply every six months or whenever a prescription changes. Keep all prescription documents with the medications.
Water and food to last for a week. If your parent is only able to enjoy certain foods or will only eat certain things, make sure to have those stocked up. A disaster is not the time to try to convince an aging parent with dementia to try new foods. You can ask your senior home care team to help you box up some food in a water-proof container to keep just in case something were to happen.
A waterproof container that has important documents such as names and phone numbers of doctors, family members, her senior home care team, and anyone else you might need to reach out to. In this container, you should also keep important documents such as insurance and legal information.
Your standard emergency kit supplies such as blankets, flashlights, chargers, batteries, etc.

With an aging parent with dementia, you might find you’ll want to add some additional important items to the disaster emergency kit:

Incontinence supplies if your parent needs them.
A soft comfort item that your parent can hold onto for a sense of security. A blanket, stuffed animal, or pillow could all help her stay calm.
Spare glasses, hearing aids, and other medical devices she might use daily.
Photos of loved ones and even professional caregivers like doctors or her senior home care providers. She might need a bit of help remembering who is who, especially if she sees them in an unfamiliar environment.
If noise and chaos are hard for your parent, you might consider packing in a pair of noise-reducing headphones as well.

Natural disasters are always frightening and having to manage one while taking care of your elderly parent with dementia adds an extra element of stress but being prepared well ahead of time can provide a bit of relief to a stressful situation.

If you or an aging loved-one is considering Senior Home Care in Lutherville, MD please contact the caring staff at Help at Home Services, LLC today. (443) 275-1524

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Wendy Cregger

Marketing Director at Help at Home Services, LLC

Help at Home Services’ mission is to provide superior service through the same care, concern and compassion that we give our own families.

With our 15 years of experience as a residential service agency, licensed by the State of Maryland Department of Health, we provide families with peace of mind that their loved one is in good hands.

Non-medical services are provided by certified nursing assistants. All caregivers are thoroughly screened, bonded and insured using comprehensive background checks.

Each client is matched with the caregiver who can best meet the care plan and homemaker services specific to the needs of the individual, whether they reside in a house, apartment, condominium, assisted-living or nursing community.

Help at Home Services takes great pride in the services that we provide. We have several specialized programs that sets us apart. Whether you are dealing with Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's/dementia, or you are recovering from joint replacement surgery we can help you conquer the tasks that prove to be challenging. We also have a transition home program and provide a discharge planning guide to ensure that you have considered all aspects of life at home after hospitalization.