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Getting prepared: a checklist for emergencies
Question: Is it just me, or has Massachusetts experienced a higher than average number of natural disasters in the last year or so? There was the potable water crisis in spring of 2010, a half dozen debilitating blizzards over last winter, flooding, an earthquake, a tornado, and a hurricane. All of these disasters mean I've spent a lot of time being concerned for my uncle, who lives alone at the ripe age of 92. So far so good, but maybe it's time to actually start preparing for these things?
Answer: You're right – there has been an unusual frequency in potential emergency events in the past year. And your uncle has been extremely lucky to have been largely unaffected so far. But without a doubt it's best to be prepared when it comes to emergencies. This weekend, while the sky is still calm and the streets are snow-free, sit down with your uncle and put together a kit and a plan.
Emergency Kit
When creating an emergency kit, consider the basic elements of survival like food, fresh water, warmth, and clean air. The Federal Emergency Management Agency's Ready Campaign's suggested items for inclusion in a kit include bottled water, food, flash light and batteries, and a first aid kit. What else does your uncle need on a daily basis? Does he always have at least three days' worth of prescription medications, a spare oxygen tank, an extra cell phone battery?
Other items that are perhaps less obvious but very helpful include a dust mask, wrench for turning off utilities, prescription medication and glasses, matches in a waterproof container, and pet food. Find the Ready Campaign's comprehensive list at http://www.ready.gov/.
Emergency Plan
It's a bit unsettling to think about, but you might not be able to reach your uncle when an emergency occurs. You should create a plan so that you'll know how to be in contact with each other and where and when to meet up if necessary. The Ready Campaign suggests that an out-of-town relative serve as the point person for family contact if there's an evacuation, as they may be easier to reach by phone in the case of a local disaster. Learn more about what to include in your plan from the Ready Campaign. Think about things like which radio stations to turn to, where the closest hospital is, how paramedics could get to the door or windows if necessary.
Work with your uncle to draw a network that can be called upon in case of emergency. Start with neighbors, other family, friends, old co-workers, acquaintances from clubs or churches. Who lives close? Who can come by to clear a sidewalk in case paramedics need to get through? Who can come over to climb up or down stairs to reach the fuse box, or the hot water heater? Think about contacting the people in this network in advance to help them start thinking about your uncle in times of emergency. This is safer for both of you, in case the roads keep you from getting to him.
As always, we make these plans hoping that we'll never have to use them. We can keep our fingers crossed – as long as we're prepared, too.
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Got drugs? Federal drug Take Back Day is October 29
On October 29 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., local police departments, public health departments, and several councils on aging will partner with the federal Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) to give the public an opportunity to prevent pill abuse and theft by ridding their homes of potentially dangerous expired, unused, and unwanted prescription drugs. You may bring your medications to any of the locations listed on the DEA's Take Back website. The service is free and anonymous, no questions asked.
Last April, Americans turned in 376,593 pounds – 188 tons – of prescription drugs at nearly 5,400 sites operated by the DEA and more than 3,000 state and local law enforcement partners.
This initiative addresses a vital public safety and public health issue. Medicines that languish in home cabinets are highly susceptible to diversion, misuse, and abuse. Rates of prescription drug abuse in the U.S. are alarmingly high, as are the number of accidental poisonings and overdoses due to these drugs. Studies show that a majority of abused prescription drugs are obtained from family and friends, including from the home medicine cabinet. In addition, Americans are now advised that their usual methods for disposing of unused medicines – flushing them down the toilet or throwing them in the trash – both pose potential safety and health hazards.
For more information or to find the Take Back location closest to your home, visit the DEA's website, here.
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The Northshore Alzheimer's Partnership 13th Annual Caregiver Conference is 11/ 5/11
Join the Northshore Alzheimer's Partnership for a day of workshops, expert talks, and peer support. The conference takes place at the Holiday Inn on Route 1 North in Peabody. Registration and breakfast begin at 8:30 and the conference runs from 9am to 1:30pm. Respite care is available, so attendees are welcome to bring their loved ones.
The conference will begin with a keynote speech by Dr. Scott McGinnis of Harvard Medical School and Birgham and Women's Hospital. After attending one of three workshops (Embracing the Journey, Managing Challenging Behaviors, or Expressive Arts Therapy), participants will hear a closing talk by elder law expert Stephen Spano.
The cost of the conference is $10 per person ($25 if the participant is applying for CEUs). To register, call 781-231-7800.
