Question: My husband and I are … caregivers for my parents, and also help my husband’s parents. My parents live with us and my in-laws live on their own but need help with shopping, doctor’s appointments, anything that involves a lot of driving.
Some pictures out of Houston are alarming; to see elderly people so helpless is heartbreaking. … It scares me too, because I know my family isn’t fully prepared for a disaster either. … I would like to be as ready as possible. Please print tips for us and others responsible for our kupuna.
Answer: One lesson from the Houston disaster is that able-bodied people must be ready to help themselves. Government authorities could not immediately assist all who sought help, as a photo of care-home patients up to their wheelchairs in floodwater made plain (they were eventually rescued). Planning is essential, especially for families with kupuna who cannot help themselves.
Every Hawaii household should have a detailed emergency plan and a 14-day supply of water, nonperishable food, medication and other disaster supplies.
The American Red Cross has templates to create emergency plans that specify escape routes, meeting points and other information. Find a template at 808ne.ws/rcplan. Find a list of necessary items for your disaster supply kit at 808ne.ws/supkit.
In addition, AARP Hawaii, an advocacy group for older people, has disaster-planning advice for caregivers responsible for kupuna, including elders suffering from dementia. Among its tips:
>> Be sure that the household emergency plan includes a support network of neighbors, friends and relatives who can help if the usual caregiver is unable to; this occurred during Hurricane Harvey, as floodwaters separated adult children from their elderly parents in some cases.
>> Verify the location of the nearest emergency shelter, and designate back-up places ahead of time, in case the emergency facility is inaccessible.
>> If dementia is an issue, be sure your kupuna wears an ID bracelet and that clothing is marked (on an inside tag). Consider enrolling in a safe-return program such as MedicAlert. High-stress situations such as natural disasters may worsen symptoms such as wandering.
>> If your kupuna resides in a care home or nursing home, ask to see the facility’s disaster plan and insist on improvements if needed. Get the name and phone number of the person(s) in charge of evacuating residents, and make sure they have your contact information too.
>> Review your household’s ability to communicate during a disaster. If your home has a land line, keep an analog phone handy. Know how to text message. Know the basics of social media so that you can make yourself heard online.
Keep a hard-copy list of important phone numbers (besides the contacts listed in your phone). Have at least one portable charger for your cellphone. Bring your chargers (and your cellphone) if you evacuate. The power may fail and batteries may die: That’s one reason having a meeting point set before disaster strikes is important.
>> If your kupuna uses a motorized wheelchair, consider getting a manual one for emergency use. Check with health care providers about back-up plans for medical equipment that requires electricity.
>> Keep multiple sets of important documents and instructions. Keep one set in a weatherproof container and another outside the potential disaster zone (such as with a trusted relative who lives outside Hawaii).
For more information about how senior citizens and caregivers can prepare for a variety of disasters, see the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website at 808ne.ws/cdcdis.
Write to “Kokua Line” at Honolulu Star-Advertiser, 7 Waterfront Plaza, Suite 210, 500 Ala Moana Blvd., Honolulu 96813; call 529-4773; fax 529-4750; or email kokualine@staradvertiser.com.
