Community Corner

Irene: Protecting Seniors During a Storm

Caregivers need to keep elderly people physically safe and to ease their fears.

If you are taking care of a senior citizen who is dependent upon you, you're dealing with a lot of responsibility on any day of the week. Add in the possibility of a dangerous storm, and the nature of the challenge goes off the charts.

Caretakers must be focused on keeping the loved one physically and emotionally healthy and making him or her feel safe. And that's difficult, because you may not feel safe.

In the meantime, if you're looking after an older person, Carol O'Dell of caring.com knows what you're experiencing.

O'Dell wrote the book "Mothering Mother: A Daughter's Humorous and Heartbreaking Memoir," which recounts her experiences caring for her late mother through Alzheimer's, Parkinson's and coronary diseases. Much of the story covers how, living in Florida, she was able to get her mother through a number of hurricanes and evacuations.

Today, O'Dell teaches creative writing and speaks of her experiences at spiritual retreats and conferences of caregivers and health care and geriatric professionals.

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"The toughest challenge [when dealing with a storm] is to stay calm (or at least appear calm), which is not easy if you're not feeling calm yourself," she said. "But it's important so you don't cause your loved one even more stress."

O'Dell offers some hints that perhaps can make the experience of surviving a tropical storm or hurricane a little easier for both of you:

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  • Don't watch television hurricane coverage incessantly, especially if the person for whom you are caring is sitting with you. Same goes for radio news. Ad nauseum coverage of bad news can make your elder feel nervous and anxious. (This is good advice if you're caring for kids too.) 
  • Should you learn that you must evacuate the premises, don't panic or announce the news. Quietly gather supplies, and don't wait too long. It's best to give yourself plenty of time so you won't have to rush. Know where you're going—to a shelter, a hotel, perhaps to another family member's house—and let others know your plans A, B, and C. (Always have a contingency plan in case one set of ideas goes awry.)
  • Keep medications in grab-and-go containers for quick evacuation.
  • If, say, your parents have certain conditions and you fear you may be separated from them, write on their arm or leg with a pen-style permanent marker, noting vital information such as when they need to take their meds and what condition they have.
  • Make sure that you have a copy of all insurance/medical information–as well as home insurance information–since you may not be able to get back into the house to retrieve needed documents.
  • Have a back-up person (a neighbor, a close friend who lives nearby) who knows it's his or her job to check on and, if need be, to evacuate your loved one. This is particularly important if you're a long-distance caregiver or if you work full-time.
  • If you do need to evacuate, write with a lipstick or permanent marker on your front door, noting who is with you and where you've gone. It would be unnecessary—and awful—for another family member to panic and worry that you and your loved ones can't be found.
  • Be specific. When things get hectic, people feel uncertain. If you're the caregiver, there are times when you must take charge and create certainty. Give explicit, straight-to-the-point instructions ("Get Mom and go to X-shelter," or "Mom, get your purse and your cane. We are going to X-location."). Sound calm but authoritative so that people feel protected and hear exactly what they need to do.


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