When Hurricane Charley blew through Central Florida a couple of weeks ago, I was taught quite a few hard lessons about being prepared for disaster. It is hard enough getting your house and loved ones geared up for an approaching storm when you are all under the same roof. It is agony helping elderly parents prepare for this when you live far away and they are in the path of the storm. The intent of this article is to provide some pointers on how to help disaster plan as a distant care giver.  

1.  Pay attention to weather reports for the area  on a daily basis. Hurricane season is from May to October. Storms can pop up out of nowhere with very unpredictable paths.   Any storm in the Gulf or Atlantic may have strong possibilities for hitting Florida.

2.  Collect pertinent phone numbers for your loved one.   This should include numbers of next door neighbors, lawn maintenance people, pool maintenance people, contacts for facilities (if loved one lives in ALF or nursing home), local hospitals, local non-emergency police / fire / EMS, preferred pet kennel / boarding facility / veterinarian, primary care MD, pharmacy, local utility companies, home and auto insurance information etc. It is very helpful to obtain a local phone book for the area  if possible. This is invaluable if you want to assist in getting needed repairs done after the storm.

3.  Set up a contact for a local handy man. This person can help with needed repairs all through the year, and can help loved ones prepare their home for an impending storm. They can then be enlisted to help with needed home assessments and repairs after the storm. Setting this up in a calm time gives plenty of opportunity to interview and check out who you are hiring. Be sure that the individual is licensed and bonded, and responsive to phone calls for assistance.

4.  Enlist the services of a Care Manager. This professional can help to ensure that medical needs are met throughout the year, and check in on loved ones before and after a storm - ensuring safe evacuation and placement if needed.

5.  Devise a “pet disaster plan” if loved ones have cats or dogs. Caregivers should have a  file handy with current vet records, kennel information, and listing of pet friendly evacuation centers. Be sure that loved ones have pet carriers, leashes and collars available. If pet is large (like my Golden Retriever for example), the pet should be confined to a bathroom (preferably in a crate) during the storm with enough food and water to last a couple of days. Be sure that the animal has ID tags on in case it somehow gets loose. Many elderly clients refuse to evacuate because they don’t want to leave their pets behind. Having a plan in advance can ease this stress.

6.  Consider registering your loved ones with local hospitals and ambulance services. This can be done at any time and can be a lifesaver in an emergency situation. This is particularly important if you loved one is diabetic, has medication allergies, and / or suffers from memory loss. It may be beneficial for the loved one to wear an ID bracelet with this information.

7. Distant caregivers should also have the loved ones current medical history, past medical history, current list of medications, allergies, surgical history, insurance information (including policy numbers and benefit authorization phone numbers), social security number, date of birth, and MD information in their possession. If your loved one is evacuated very suddenly, and is placed in a shelter or hospital, you will be in a position to offer relevant and vital information.

8.  Be sure to have a current picture of your loved one in your possession. If your loved one is evacuated suddenly and suffers from memory loss, this may be the only way to locate his/her whereabouts.

9.  Consider having storm shutters installed on your loved ones home. This is particularly true if they live in  a coastal area where the winds and storm surge are bound to be higher. This makes preparation for window protection infinitely easier.

10.  Know where the local evacuation shelters are. When you are visiting your loved ones, drive by the various locations and devise a map so that they can remember how to get there in the crisis. It may be a good idea  to make arrangements with a neighbor or friend to drive loved ones to the shelter. It might also be best to make arrangements for the loved ones to get a respite room at a local assisted living facility to ride out the storm.

11. Consider purchasing a fax machine for your home. This makes communicating with shelters, hospitals, etc. much easier for the transmission of information. (Fax machines cost about $50 currently, and are really invaluable in many ways.)

12.  Be sure that your loved one has a corded phone available. Many households only have cordless phones which become useless in power outages. (Cell phones can also go down during storms if cell towers are toppled as was the case with Charley.)

13.  On your next visit to your loved one’s home, walk the property and look for potential hazards. Make a list of things that should be addressed prior to a storm so you can ensure that the handy man gets everything done. Hurricane Charley toppled many old oak trees in the Orlando area which is what caused the most damage. Many of these old trees were hollow in the middle and probably should have been cut down long ago. If a fallen tree that causes damage is found to be hollow, the insurance company will not cover the damage.   Branches that extend over the roof line or  near power lines are sure to be a problem with any heavy winds. Regular tree trimming and pruning can really avoid catastrophe and out of pocket costs.

14.  If your loved one resides in a facility, be sure you are aware of how to make contact with that facility. Find out what their disaster policy is. Ask for a copy of it. Does the facility  have a generator?  What runs on the generator? (Many clients were surprised that the generators only ran refrigerators in the kitchen and emergency lighting. Hot water heaters, reading light, air conditioning, etc. were not on for over a week in some cases where the power outages were extensive. Many  families didn’t know this until they came in for a quick check after the storm and /or received disgruntled complaints from frustrated loved ones.)  Under  what circumstances will the facility itself evacuate and where do they send their residents?  How will you be notified? What happens if there is a water outage?  Better to find this stuff out before the storm hits.......

Fortunately there are numerous hurricane preparation guides for items to stock and tasks to perform prior to a storm (www.hurricane.weathercenter.com). The usual ones are:  batteries, flashlights, money, bottled water, non perishable  foods (with can opener!), candles and matches, gas for generator and/or car, plywood and duct tape to protect windows, battery operated radio, pet food, and diversions for power out situations (we played board games by candlelight throughout the hurricane). It is also a good idea to stockpile some ice in a cooler in case the refrigerator loses power for an extended period. This is critical for the storage of insulin.   Be sure that your loved one has enough supply of their medications to get them through a few weeks. It may also be helpful for the distant caregiver to get refill prescriptions from the loved ones doctors ahead of the storm. This will enable the caregiver to assist with getting needed medication supplies from neighboring pharmacies in case the usual pharmacy(or doctor office) is closed from storm damage.

After the storm, make arrangements for loved ones to have a driver or companion run their errands for them for a week or so. I was shocked at how much the landscape of Orlando changed after Charley. Driving was treacherous with stop lights out all over town, dangling power lines, debris in the roads, and street signs completely gone. Gas stations were closed all over the county because of power outages and the inability of tankers to navigate the streets. There was glass everywhere and stunned people driving like idiots trying to view  the damage. It was nearly impossible to get to our office for several days, and I completely missed the turn when I didn’t recognize any familiar landmarks. I can’t imagine an elderly couple navigating through that to go to the doctor’s office, grocery store or bank. What a recipe for disaster!!!

Of course there is no way to plan for every possible situation. There is a lot that can be done ahead of the game, which can really alleviate stress during the crisis. I have attempted to compile a simple tool to complete with your loved one to help you get organized. I am sincerely hopeful that Central Florida won’t get another Charley for a long time... but you never know. We have a long way to go until hurricane season is over.......

Elder Advocates Incorporated| 407.898.9080 | www.elderadv.com