Posted 6-11-19
Today my early time at (normal) work shortly will be interrupted by another aspect of my job: disaster preparedness. For you that do not follow the blog daily, I am an IT and management professional primarily, but also have a passion for disaster prep and recovery work. I am a member of a community group called COVER. COVER stands for Community Organizations for Vulnerable Emergency Recovery is a subcommittee of the local county COAD (Community Organizations Active in Disasters). We are composed of community partners that discuss ways we can empower our diverse community and raise awareness to be prepared for a disaster or emergency. In this use of the word, the term “diverse” means that the person or group would receive information differently than the “typical” way.
What does preparedness look like? It completely depends on the individual! This is the main point of our group in many of our meetings. Most people in a typical American setting get their disaster warning information the same way: perhaps on radio, TV or even more likely these days by their phone alerts. However, our county has a sizable population of people we deem “vulnerable”, oftentimes not because of some weakness, but because of obstacles to seeking shelter or safety. Examples of these groups vary in size, but here are just a few:
- Community members with a disability that would require special accommodations
- community members with a mental illness
- Non-English speakers
- people with pets with only pet-free shelters nearby
- undocumented people
- latchkey children with no transportation
- homeless groups or individuals
- men or women who do not feel safe due to past abuse
- Countless others
In COVER we recommend the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Service’s Ready in 3 program as a good starting off point/framework for getting prepared for the inevitable storms and disasters of life so that you can be empowered and ready should something happen. Here is a quick summary of the program:
- Create a Plan
- Prepare a Disaster Kit
- Listen for Information
Creating a plan will vary for you. If you stay home with your loved one with dementia or related conditions, what will you do in, say, a tornado? If you are mobile, are you close to a shelter that your loved one could handle for an hour or longer? If you are not mobile, do you have transportation and backup transportation options? If you are not able to leave, where will you shelter in your home? (In other words, where is there an internal room or closet/bathroom with few or no windows?)
A disaster kit will also look different for a loved one with dementia. You will need meds and a med list. You will need a small amount of money, a first aid kit, a weather radio, and a host of other items. Look through the various lists in the links on this article and consider mainly items to help you survive for a minimum of three days.
Listening for information is reasonably easy if you speak (and hear) English. Radio channels and NOAA weather radios do a good job keeping you up to date on current conditions. If you have a vision or hearing difficulty, or if you speak a different language, consider options that work for you.
The DHSS Ready in 3 website offers a solid list of tips and suggestions and the Red Cross website has much of the same information with a slightly different angle to help you be ready for most things that would happen, but the key is getting ready when things are easy and reviewing your plan periodically. There is no time to prepare while the emergency is happening.
Last random thoughts in what could be a 1,000 page article:
If your loved one is in a nursing home, touch base to see what they do in an emergency. Are there ways you can help or are you close enough to come to the home in a disaster to help comfort him or her?
We recommend refreshing your disaster kit every year on September 11th (9/11) at minimum to be sure you are current on everything you may need.
Context, context, context. Materials like I posted here and on the COVER website are fine, but your context is what you should focus on.
Food and water to cover a few days may be plenty in most cases since FEMA/Red Cross/Charities/Volunteers are quick to fill needs, but not in the same day. If you suffer from diabetes this amount will also be different.
Remember that your primary transportation contact may also be affected by the disaster…have a back-up plan.
In Missouri we have a disaster hotline: 211. It is a clearinghouse for basic info in the event of an emergency. Does your state have similar?
Cell signals will vary in a disaster. Texting usually comes up faster than calling does.
Your local area agency on aging and your local Alzheimer’s Association field office are a good places to start for senior disaster services.
Much more could be said, but time is short. Mom was in terrific spirits yesterday again. She has been much better since hospice started coming and supplementing her care. Funny how care improves with more help? No fever yesterday. She even said, out of the blue, that she has 3 kids. 🙂 Made me happy to be in that number. She also said she was going to shoot me… and then laughed. Her humor…lol.
#EndALZ
(Note: Here is the edited version of my most recent interview on the radio. It was a good time and hope the small smidge that was left after edits is helpful. 🙂 )
Request: Any thoughts out there on weighted blankets to help loved ones with dementia sleep? My fear is that her $80-100 blanket would be consumed into community property and I cannot afford to buy 175 of them for the nursing home so everyone has one.
Last seemingly random thought, but one that is relevant for many in our cohort:
Stroke kills. Time lost is brain lost. Stroke has a very helpful acronym to recognize when you have a brain attack: FAST. (Face…weakness or drooping. Arm…weakness, trouble raising one or both…Speech…having slurred or struggling speech…Time…to call 911. Stroke, unlike dementia, is short-term time sensitive. The faster you get the stroke medication injected, the more brain that is saved. Dementia is the long game. Early diagnosis is critical in dementia because the only class of meds that helps has to be administered very early and only adds 6-9 months to the early stage…but that time would be a blessing. Just wanted to add this in case anyone I know could use it. 🙂 I am working on creating a similar acronym for early recognition of dementia…very helpful.
Thanks all!