Senior Care Calls will contact appropriate responsible person, if we find out there is a concern with your aging relative living at home. Senior Care Calls helps elderly and aging relatives live home longer.

If you know of someone who could benefit by receiving a regular phone call - to receive a medication reminder, wake up call, doctor visit reminder, or safety check, Senior Care Calls is the answer.  We do all that and find out if everything is going well.

We are continuing with our list of preparing for an emergency or disaster!

Additional Items to Consider Adding to an Emergency Supply Kit:

• Prescription medications and glasses
• Infant formula and diapers
• Pet food and extra water for your pet
• Important family documents such as copies of insurance policies, identification and bank account records in a waterproof, portable container
• Cash or traveler’s checks and change
• Emergency reference material such as a first aid book or information from www.ready.gov
• Sleeping bag or warm blanket for each person. Consider additional bedding if you live in a cold-weather climate.
• Complete change of clothing including a long sleeved shirt, long pants and sturdy shoes. Consider additional clothing if you live in a cold-weather climate.
• Household chlorine bleach and medicine dropper – When diluted nine parts water to one part bleach, bleach can be used as a disinfectant. Or in an emergency, you can use it to treat water by using 16 drops of regular household liquid bleach per gallon of water. Do not use scented, color safe or bleaches with added cleaners.
• Fire Extinguisher
• Matches in a waterproof container
• Feminine supplies and personal hygiene items
• Mess kits, paper cups, plates and plastic utensils, paper towels
• Paper and pencil
• Books, games, puzzles or other activities for children

Senior Care Calls helps elderly and aging relatives live home longer.

When living away from aging relatives, we worry of their safety at home, are they taking medications properly, paying their bills, caring for themselves, and eating properly.  Senior Care Calls can help families lessen the worry when away from them.

Tips for Seniors Preparing for Emergency:

Protection for you nose and mouth

• Face masks or dense-weave cotton material, that snugly covers your nose and mouth and is specifically fit for each member of the family.
• Be prepared to improvise with what you have on hand to protect your nose, mouth, eyes and cuts in your skin. Anything that fits snugly over your nose and mouth helps filter contaminants in an emergency. It is very important that most of the air you breathe comes through the mask or cloth, not around it.
• There are also a variety of face masks readily available in hardware stores that are rated based on how small a particle they can filter in an industrial setting.

There are different types of emergencies that occur, and not one solution for creating a barrier between yourself and any contamination in the air. For instance, simple cloth face masks can filter some of the airborne “junk” or germs you might breathe into your body, but will probably not protect you from chemical gases. Still, something over your nose and mouth in an emergency is better than nothing. Limiting how much “junk” gets into your body may impact whether or not you get sick or develop disease. Red Cross.

Senior Care Calls can help prepare for an emergency.

Senior Care Calls wants to help you plan ahead and be prepared at all times.  Never take your safety for granted and be aware as often as possible. We also encourage seniors and family members to take responsibility by planning now. If you have questions about Care Calls, email Carol@WorkingCaregiver.com.

Other tips for Planning Safety:

• Listen for information on radio and TV about hazardous weather and other events, and heed the advice of local officials. Leave right away if told to do so.
• In some communities, people who need help or transportation during an evacuation are asked to register that need with their local government. Call your local emergency management office for information and suggestions about what to do during an evacuation.
• Gather essential supplies, and be sure to keep a copy of your eyeglass prescription, list of medications and their dosage, and other important papers to take with you if you have to leave your home.
• When preparing for a possible emergency situation, it’s best to think first about the basics of survival: fresh water, food, clean air and warmth.

In our next Senior Care Calls blog post, we’ll list and recommended Items to gather and Include in your basic emergency supply kit so visit us again. Senior Care Calls – Stay tuned and visit often.

A good way grandparents can check on their grandchildren is to implement Care Calls.  Senior Care Calls aren’t just for seniors!  Anyone living alone or sometimes alone and needs to be checked on or sent a reminder, can use our Care Calls.  Safety information provided by the Red Cross.

It is estimated that 3.4 million children live in a household headed by grandparents. And, many children visit their grandparents often. The following safety advice for children can help grandparents prepare a safe environment at home for children:

Store matches and lighters up high, away from children.  Move cleaning chemicals like cleansers, soap, drain cleaner, and other poisons to high cupboards OR install a child-proof lock if you must keep these items in low cabinets.

Store prescription medicines and over-the-counter drugs like aspirin, cough medicines, and stomachache remedies in a cabinet out of reach of children.  If children are playing outside or in a pool when skies grow dark or you hear thunder, ask them to come indoors right away.

Install plastic covers over all exposed electrical outlets.

Children Can Help Grandparents, too!  Have children test each smoke detector in your home to make sure it is working by using a broom handle to push the test button. See that the battery is changed in each detector that doesn’t work.  Ask children to draw a floor plan of your home and show two ways out of every room in case of fire.

We must all share in the responsibility of keeping safe!  Senior Care Calls.

Senior Care Calls committed to keeping seniors safe at home. Have questions? Email Carol@WorkingCaregiver.com.

More Tips on Senior Home Safety by the Red Cross - Getting your home prepared.. tips

• Shut off water, gas, and electricity if instructed to do so and if you know how. Gas must be turned back on by a professional.
• Let others know when you left and where you are going.
• Make arrangements for pets. Animals other than working animals may not be allowed in public shelters.

Residential Fires
One emergency we are susceptible to is a home fire. A home fire could be a special challenge for one with physical limitations. However, there are some things we can do to improve your senior’s safety:

Before a Fire

• Plan two escape routes out of each room. If you cannot use stairways, make special arrangements for help in advance. Never use elevators.
• Sleep with the bedroom door closed. This gives you extra minutes of protection from toxic fumes and fire.
• Test your smoke detector battery regularly, and as a reminder, change batteries on the same day each year. Vacuum it occasionally to remove dust.

In Case Of Fire

Remain calm.

• Drop to the floor and crawl. Most fire fatalities are due to breathing toxic fumes and smoke. The cleanest air is near the floor. Breathing toxic fumes and smoke is more dangerous than the risk of injury in getting to the floor quickly.
• Feel any door before you open it. If it is hot, find another way out.
• If your smoke detector goes off, never waste time to get dressed or collect valuables or pets. Get out of the house immediately.
• Do not try to fight the fire! Call for help from a neighbor’s phone.
• Never go back into a burning building for any reason.
• If your clothes catch on fire, drop to the floor and roll to suffocate the fire. Keep rolling (running from the fire only “fans” the flames and makes it worse).
• If you are in a wheelchair or cannot get out of your house, stay by the window near the floor. If you are able, signal the need to help.

Remember to use Senior Care Calls to help prepare for an emergency.

The Senior Care Calls blog is committed to keeping seniors safe at home.  The Red Cross gives tips to seniors on when to go to a shelter: 

•  Your area is without electrical power.
• There is a chemical emergency affecting your area.
• Flood water is rising.
• Your home has been severely damaged.
• Police or other local officials tell you to evacuate.

Services Provided at a Red Cross Shelter

• Food.
• Temporary shelter.
• Basic First Aid.

Red Cross says to learn about shelters in your area -

• Listen to your battery-powered radio.
• Check with your local Red Cross chapter.
• All American Red Cross emergency services are provided free of charge.

If You Need To Evacuate…

Coordinate with your home care provider for evacuation procedures.

Try to car pool if possible.

If you must have assistance for special transportation call the American Red Cross or your local officials.

• Wear appropriate clothing and sturdy shoes.
• Take your Disaster Supplies Kit.
• Lock your home.
• Use the travel routes specified or special assistance provided by local officials. Don’t take any short cuts, they may be unsafe.
• Notify shelter authorities of any need you may have. They will do their best to accommodate you and make you comfortable.  If You Are Sure You Have Enough Time…

Check out Senior Care Calls for emergency notication services.

Being prepared before and emergency or disaster is the best way to keep your aging loved one safe.  Senior Care Calls helps families who are long distance caregivers accomplish keeping seniors safe at home. We offer additional tips for helping your loved continue to live at home safely:

For Your Medical Needs – Shelter In Place

In a chemical emergency, you may be told to shelter in place. This means staying where you are and making yourself as safe as possible until the emergency passes or you are told to evacuate. Senior Care Calls can help by sending emergency notication reminders or calls to your seniors at home reminding them to stay in their homes when family cannot be there.

In this situation it is safer to remain indoors than to go outside where the air is unsafe to breathe.

Remind your loved ones if they are told to shelter in place to do the following:

Close all windows in your home.
Turn off all fans, heating, and air conditioning systems.
Close the fireplace damper.
Go to an above – ground room (not the basement) with the fewest windows and doors.
Take your Disaster Supplies Kit with you.
Wet some towels and jam them in the crack under the doors. Tape around doors, windows, exhaust fans or vents. Use plastic garbage bags to cover windows, outlets and heat registers.

If you are told there is danger of explosion, close the window shades, blinds or curtains. To avoid injury, stay away from the windows.

Stay in the room and listen to your radio until you are told all is safe or you are told to evacuate. Red Cross Shelters may be opened if…

A disaster affects a large number of people.
The emergency is expected to last several days.

I hope this never occurs or you never need to implement these suggestions but it’s better to be prepared.  Senior Care Calls can help.  If you have questions about how care calls work, please email Carol@WorkingCaregiver.com.

Thank you.

When preparing your aging loved one for a disaster, whether it occurs or not (hopefully NOT) you still them to be prepared.  One system that is in place is Senior Care Calls – you learn more about the application by visiting Senior Care Calls on WorkingCaregiver.com.

Things to have handy around the home:

First-aid kit

Prescription medicines, list of medications including dosage, list of any allergies
Extra eyeglasses and hearing-aid batteries
Extra wheelchair batteries, oxygen
List of the style and serial numbers of medical devices such as pacemakers
Medical insurance and Medicare cards
List of doctors and relatives or friends who should be notified if you are injured
Any other items you may need
General Disaster Supplies

Battery-powered radio and flashlight with extra batteries for each
Change of clothing, rain gear, and sturdy shoes
Blanket or sleeping bag
Extra set of keys
Cash, credit cards, change for the pay phone
Personal hygiene supplies
Phone numbers of local and non-local relatives or friends
Insurance agent’s name and number
Other items you want to include
It may not be necessary to evacuate, or you may be ordered to stay in your home. If this happens, you will need in addition to the above items:

Water supply: one gallon per day per person. Remember, plan for at least 3 days. Store water in sealed, unbreakable containers that you are able to handle. Identify the storage date and replace every six months.
Non-perishable food supply–including any special foods you require. Choose foods that are easy to store and carry, nutritious and ready-to-eat. Rotate them regularly. See section, “For More Information.”
Manual can opener you are able to use.
Non-perishable food for any pets.

This is a list but a good one to read and take action on.  You can never be too prepared, especially where an elder is concerned.

More information on Senior Care Calls or email Carol@WorkingCaregiver.com.

Thank you.

Senior Care Calls can be part of your Family Disaster Plan – it can automatically send a message of warning to one person or a large group of people at one time.   Some other things to consider when preparing for the future and safety of our aging relatives:

Plan Ahead! The next time disaster strikes, you may not have much time to act. Prepare now for a sudden emergency. By planning ahead you can avoid waiting in long lines for critical supplies, such as food, water and medicine. Remember to review your plan regularly.

Use the following checklist to get started:

Your Disaster Checklist -

Assemble a disaster supplies kit. 
 
Arrange for someone to check on you. 
 
Plan and practice the best escape routes from your home.
 
Plan for transportation if you need to evacuate to a Red Cross shelter. 
 
Find the safe places in your home for each type of emergency. 
 
Have a plan to signal the need for help. 
 
Post emergency phone numbers near the phone. 
 
If you have home health care service, plan ahead with your agency for emergency procedures. 
 
Teach those who may need to assist you in an emergency how to operate necessary equipment. Be sure they will be able to reach you.

Medical Emergency Supplies

For your safety and comfort, you need to have emergency supplies packed and ready in one place before disaster hits.

You should assemble enough supplies to last for at least three days.

Assemble the supplies you would need in an evacuation, both medical and general supplies. Store them in an easy-to-carry container, such as a backpack of duffel bag.  Be sure your bag has an ID tag.  Label any equipment, such as wheelchairs, canes or walkers, that you would need. A good site to visit: Ready.com.

For more information on Senior Care calls or to See How Senior Care Calls Work. It’s easy as 1-2-3.

When preparing for an emergency or disaster, consider Senior Care Calls.  It’s a web based application that gives family members the ability to automatically check on your loved ones, send them medication reminders, and help them live independently.  Senior Care Calls can be used in disaster preparedness programs.. calls large groups of seniors at one time to warn them of upcoming danger and to get prepared or take cover for safety.

The following information, developed by the Rochester-Monroe County Chapter, American Red Cross, for Senior Safety.  They are a group of older adults who experienced a two-week power outage when a massive ice storm hit the Greater Rochester, NY. They were unprepared for a disaster and recommend taking a few simple steps to prepare ourselves for such an event, we could have eliminated many of the hardships we had to endure.  More on this American Red Cross story for seniors.

Take Responsibility

Prepare NOW for a sudden emergency
Learn how to protect yourself and cope with disaster by planning ahead.
Even if you have physical limitations, you can still protect yourself.
Disaster can strike quickly and without warning!

Local officials and relief workers will be on the scene after a disaster, but they cannot reach everyone right away.

Take responsibility – Save your life!

Keep in touch with your neighbors and look out for each other.

Knowing What to Do Is Your Best Protection And Your Responsibility

Every day some part of the country is affected by one or more of the following emergencies:

Hurricanes
Earthquakes
Winter Storms
Tornadoes
Thunderstorms
Flooding
Toxic Spills
Fires
Which three are most likely to happen in your area?

Preparing for a disaster that is most likely to happen in your area will help you be prepared for any disaster. Remember anything can happen at any time.

Notification – How You May Be Notified Of A Possible Emergency

NOAA weather radio.
These special radios provide the earliest warning with an alarm that will alert you in case of anticipated bad weather.
To learn more, call your local National Weather Service office.
Commercial radio and television stations.
Know your designed Emergency Alert System stations (EAS).

Door to door warning from local emergency officials.
Strictly follow their instructions!
Be aware of anyone in your neighborhood who may need special help. If available, take advantage of advance registration systems in your area for those who need help.

Consider using Senior Care Calls when preparing for an emergency… calls can be made to large groups of seniors at one time warning them of upcoming danger and to get prepared or take cover for safety.

More information go to WorkingCaregiver.com or email Carol@WorkingCaregiver.com.