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Emergency Preparedness for Seniors

By Randy Salars

Emergency preparedness isn't one-size-fits-all. Older adults face specific challenges — and have specific strengths — that generic advice ignores.

This page is for seniors planning for themselves, and for adult children helping aging parents prepare.

Priority Concerns for Older Adults

💊 Medication Continuity

This is the #1 priority. Most emergencies don't injure you — they disrupt your supply chain. If you take daily medication, a 72-hour disruption can be dangerous.

Action Items:

  • • Keep a 7-day emergency supply of all prescriptions (ask your doctor)
  • • Carry a current medication list with dosages in your wallet
  • • Know your pharmacy's emergency refill policy
  • • Store medications in your go-bag with temperature requirements noted

🦽 Mobility & Evacuation

Generic evacuation plans assume everyone can walk quickly, carry heavy bags, and navigate stairs. If that's not your reality, you need a different plan.

Action Items:

  • • Identify who will help you evacuate (neighbor, family member, building staff)
  • • Keep mobility aids accessible — not stored away
  • • Plan for elevator outages if you live above ground floor
  • • Register with your local Community Emergency Response Team (CERT)

📞 Communication

Staying connected is more critical for older adults who may live alone or have medical conditions that require monitoring.

Action Items:

  • • Keep a charged phone with emergency contacts on speed dial
  • • Have a backup charging method (battery bank with large buttons/display)
  • • Establish check-in schedule with family/friends
  • • Consider a medical alert device with emergency communication

📋 Medical Documentation

In an emergency, first responders need to know your medical history instantly. This information saves lives.

Keep on Your Person:

  • • Current medication list with dosages and schedule
  • • Allergies (drug and food)
  • • Doctor's name and phone number
  • • Emergency contact information
  • • Insurance information
  • • Advance directive / living will (if applicable)

For Adult Children Helping Parents Prepare

If you're reading this because you're worried about an aging parent, here's the respectful approach:

1.Start with listening, not lecturing. Ask what concerns THEM about emergencies.
2.Focus on medication and documents first — the highest-impact, lowest-effort items.
3.Offer to do the work together, not for them.
4.Don't make it scary. Frame it as "making life easier," not "preparing for disaster."
5.Set up simple check-in systems that work even without technology.
6.Respect their autonomy. Preparedness should reduce anxiety, not create it.

Want a Step-by-Step Plan?

The Emergency Preparedness Essentials guide walks through every category — medications, documents, supplies, communication — in a structured 30-day format that works for seniors planning alone or families working together.

See the Complete Guide — $29→

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