Client Services

Senior Safety

Emergency Preparedness: Get Visible!

It's a sad fact of our society that during a crisis, homebound people are a population at great risk because they often remain "invisible" to the emergency workers and volunteers called in to assist.

In 2004, the U.S. Census Bureau estimated that of the approximately 90,000 residents age 65 and over in Marion County alone, nearly half of these had a disability. While age and disability don't automatically render someone homebound, it is likely many of these citizens rely on outside assistance.

As we witnessed recently during several large-scale national disasters, systems that function well to assist people under normal conditions can become overloaded and ineffective. The invisible population are the ones to suffer.

Here are some suggestions to make yourself, or someone you care for, visible during a crisis:

Make a contact list
Get organized. Start with a large piece of paper you can attach to your fridge, or use a bulletin board or white board. Write down all the important contacts you might need during an emergency, such as:

  • 911, plus non-emergency contacts for sheriff, police and fire departments
  • Relatives and friends, both in the vicinity and out of the local area
  • Your primary care physician and other health care providers
  • Your hospital
  • Your pharmacy
  • Your insurance and/or Medicare information
  • Utility companies (i.e., natural gas, electric, water, telephone and cable)

Make a list "about you"
Once you've created your list of contacts, write down information about you that you may need to communicate. Because our minds often go blank during a crisis, it's important to write things down and keep them in a handy location:

  • Your address and phone numbers
  • Your date of birth
  • Names, dosages and prescription numbers for all medications you are taking
  • List of all nonprescription medications and vitamin or herbal supplements you are taking
  • List of allergies
  • Medical history

Mark your house number
Now that you've prepared to communicate important information with rescue workers, it's important that your address be clearly marked on your residence so it will be visible from the street. Select (or have someone select for you) good quality, reflective, weatherproof lettering, available at most hardware stores. Be sure to mark your house and your mailbox on the street, if applicable.

Call your fire department
Let the fire department know your homebound status in advance, so they will be better prepared to help you in a crisis. Some departments offer forms that you can use to collect your personal emergency information.

Line up your support system
Make sure you have relatives, friends and neighbors who will check on you and provide you with assistance or transportation during an emergency. Most people are more than willing to help others in need during a crisis. Letting people know you may need assistance in advance will prepare them to react appropriately and not assume someone else is taking care of you.

Consolidate your private, personal documents
A portable, fireproof lockbox is a good place to store things like insurance policy numbers, bank account information, social security cards, deeds, titles and other important information you may need to take with you in the event of an evacuation. Ask a friend or relative you trust to help you consolidate these items into one safe location, and make sure your support system understands these things will go with you during a crisis.

Remember, being prepared for emergencies not only makes getting "back to normal" after a crisis much easier, it can also save your life.

For further details please contact us at 317.633.6325, or by e-mail at info@mealsonwheelsindy.org .

Archives
Scams directed toward elderly
Meals on Ice: MOW's Frozen Food Program
Preventing Household Accidents
Home Fire Safety
Emergency Preparedness: Get Visible!
Staying Cool in the August Heat
Tips for Preventing Heart Attack & Stroke
Nutrition Labels 101
Talking With Your Pharmacist
Online Scams Aimed at Elderly