As the Weather Changes: Thinking ahead to Improve Senior Safety

Posted: 8/10/2015 10:48 AM by Interim HealthCare
Senior Care Tips by Interim HealthCare

It’s the heart of summer and many parts of the country are dealing with an incredibly intense heat wave. From the West Coast all along the south and right along the Blue Ridge Mountains, all the way to New England, the intense heat and high humidity has made things incredibly uncomfortable and even dangerous. Even thinking about the autumn months ahead may be something laughable at this time, but it’s a good idea to consider all of the weather changes that we should expect in the coming months.

When looking ahead, especially with regard to weather changes, it can have a direct impact on senior home safety. A senior who is living at home alone may be concerned about his or her own safety and they may have family members and friends who check in on them on a regular basis. These check-in’s could involve a simple phone call, stopping by for a few minutes, and more.

So what about these weather changes?

As we move from August into September and October, the hurricane season will kick into full gear. This is when the vast majority of hurricanes begin forming in the Atlantic and the Caribbean. Some of them can be intense and affect millions upon millions of people from Texas all the way to Maine.

It’s also a time when high heat and humidity can stir up some intense thunderstorms with high winds, hail, dangerous lightning, and more. It’s a good idea to begin establishing an emergency safety plan for any family caregivers, professional caregivers, and the senior so more than just a couple of people know what to expect in a potential emergency situation.

In the event of potential flooding or an evacuation, it should be made clear where the senior will go. Most communities open up shelters when they’re urging evacuation. Even during major weather events, such as tornado warnings, power outages, and more, shelters open up to provide the elderly and people with small children a place to stay if they have lost power.

Find out where the shelters are, gather important contact information including phone numbers and email addresses of anybody who may be in charge of the shelters, and sit down and explain how important it is for the senior to follow evacuation orders, remaining doors when strong storms are blowing in, and stay in constant contact with family members, friends, and any caregivers they happen to rely upon. This will help to improve safety for the senior living at home alone as the weather changes and becomes a bit more volatile.

If you have an aging loved one in need of senior care contact Interim HealthCare today.