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Home Safety for Older Adults Health Article

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Step 2: Create a portable supply kit

In case you have to evacuate your home, it is good to put the supplies you think you would need the most in a portable container. Some people try to fit all of the supplies listed above in a large rolling trashcan with a lid or a large rolling cooler. Another option is to store the items in several small coolers or boxes. Think about what supplies you need, what you can reasonably carry or store in your car, and how many people will be available to help you transport the supplies.

Step 3: Develop and practice an emergency plan

All the planning in the world won't do much good if you don't practice ahead of time. Not only does this enable you to go through your plan while calm, so you can think clearly, but it also enables you to fine-tune the plan before you have to put it into action.

Identify emergency evacuation routes and shelters in your community and near your workplace.
Decide where family members should meet if you are separated in an emergency.
Identify a backup location to meet at, in case the first location is impossible to reach.
Identify a point-person in the family who will serve as the central contact to call in case of confusion.
Choose an out-of-state friend or relative to serve as a backup contact, in the event that local lines are tied up or out of service.
Provide every member of the family with a cell phone or prepaid phone card to make sure they can make a call in an emergency.
Consider family members with special needs while making plans. (For example, who will help someone in a wheelchair?) Don't forget your pets, either. (For example, where can you leave pets if you have to evacuate to a hotel that does not allow them?)
Practice the plan at least once a year.

When disaster strikes

Listen for official news and instructions on what to do next.
Communicate with family members according to your plan.
If the disaster takes place near your home, follow instructions on whether to evacuate.
Check on neighbors, especially those who are elderly or have young children.
If you have gas appliances such as a stove or water heater, smell for gas leaks. Do not light matches, candles, or turn on electrical switches if you smell gas. Open windows and doors and leave the house immediately.

Emergency numbers

Life-threatening: Dial 911 • Poison Control Center Hotline: 800-222-1222

Local emergency numbers

Police ________________________________________________________________

Fire __________________________________________________________________

Ambulance ____________________________________________________________

Poison control center ____________________________________________________

Doctors and pharmacists

Primary care physician ___________________________________________________

Specialist(s) ___________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________

Pharmacy _____________________________________________________________

Utilities

Gas/oil company ________________________________________________________

Electric company _______________________________________________________

Family and friends

______________________________________________________________________

Glossary

arrhythmia: Disorder of the heart's pumping rhythm that can cause dizziness and fainting, in turn increasing the risk of falling. Severe arrhythmias can be deadly.

carbon monoxide: An odorless, colorless gas that results from combustion. Produced by cars, furnaces, gas stoves, fireplaces, and other equipment and appliances commonly found in the home.

cognitive impairment: Problems in mental function, including intelligence, judgment, learning, memory, speech, and thinking. Cognitive impairment that affects judgment, visual-spatial coordination, and the ability to process new information quickly can increase the risk of various accidents.

extrinsic factor: An influence in a person's environment; extrinsic factors in home accidents might include the quality of lighting or the ways in which chemicals are stored.

ground fault circuit interrupter: A device that protects against electrical shock; usually installed in an electrical outlet.

intrinsic factor: A quality or ability, such as vision, hearing, or proprioception, that originates within someone's body or depends on the functioning of particular organs and tissues.

neuropathy: Nerve damage and resulting loss of sensation that can occur because of diabetes, alcohol abuse, vitamin B deficiency, and other disorders. Neuropathy may also develop with age.

orthostatic hypotension: A sudden drop in blood pressure when someone stands or gets out of bed, causing dizziness.

osteopenia: Low bone density, but not enough thinning to be classified as osteoporosis.

osteoporosis: The thinning of bone tissue and loss of bone mass that occurs over time.

proprioception: Your body's sense of where you are in relation to objects and other people. Depends on the functioning of a network of position-sensing nerves.

senescence: The gradual loss of body function over time, which may increase your risk of disease, disability, and death.

Underwriters Laboratories (UL): An independent, nonprofit organization that tests products and certifies them as safe.

visual acuity: The ability to focus and see things clearly, which is measured in a standard eye exam. Problems in visual acuity can usually be corrected with eyeglasses.