If you are a senior or have an older relative or friend, it is important to plan for emergencies. The unique needs of older Americans are often overlooked when planning for an emergency. This is true whether living at home, in a retirement community, or in a long-term care residential facility.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recently launched a new webpage with links to information for older Americans. The website contains information for facilities, families and individuals. If you or an older relative or friend have not prepared, this link (emergency.cdc.gov/healthcare/longterm.asp) will take you to information that may convince you that you should start now.
There is also additional material and guidance available at the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Citizens Ready in 3 website which can be found by clicking on the following link: www.dhss.mo.gov/Ready_in_3/Seniors.html
If you, a relative, or a friend live in a long-term care facility and you have assumed that the facility is prepared for a disaster, you should think again. In Missouri, almost none of our long-term care facilities have emergency generator systems and most do not have adequate emergency plans. Further, there is no requirement that licensed nursing homes in Missouri have emergency power generators. Should a prolonged power outage occur, whether it is in the cold of winter or the heat of summer, it will be difficult to continue operating the facility due to lack of power. What contingency plans have been created to deal with this potential crisis? The answer in most cases is that no plan has been created or that plan that has been written up basically says, “Relocate residents to the nearest hospital.” Hospitals cannot accommodate large numbers of relocated residents, so that type of plan is no plan at all.
I strongly recommend that anyone with a need to be educated on this subject read the materials that can be found by following the above links. If you are concerned with the lack of regulations requiring emergency generators at long-term care facilities, then I recommend that you contact your elected state representatives. Be informed and be proactive. It could mean the difference between life and death for you or those you care about.