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Preparing for an Emergency with Elder Care Doesn’t Mean One is Imminent

Elder Care Pacific Beach CA: Are You Prepared for an Emergency?

Just because you may be preparing for an emergency situation as an elder care provider, that doesn’t mean one is going to happen anytime soon. Many people happen to be superstitious and, as a result, may avoid thinking about potential emergency situations.

In reality, though, preparing for an emergency means that you will be able to handle the situation if it ever occurs. For example, people in the Midwest are often encouraged to have an emergency plan in place in the event of severe storms during the spring and summer months. If a tornado touches down in the area, they need to know what to do so they don’t panic and make bad decisions.

When you’re talking about somebody who may require elderly care, you don’t want to think about the worst case scenario. The last thing you want to do is to imagine your elderly father having a heart attack, or a stroke, or any other health emergency.

Thinking about it is not going to make it happen. There are several steps that you can and probably should take to prepare for any potential emergency situation for the individual who relies on elderly care.

First, have emergency contact numbers readily available. 911 makes it very easy to dismiss these other phone numbers. However, if you have the direct phone number to the individual’s primary care physician, EMS services, or the police department, it can make a world of difference when seconds count.

Second, consider an emergency alert system. There are various monitoring devices that elderly individuals can wear on their wrist, around their neck, or have placed in their home that could signal the need for help with the touch of a button.

Third, run through practice routines. You might be the one providing elder care for the individual, and if so, it’s important that you run practice drills every so often. It’s a concept that schools have in place for fire drills and other emergency systems.

You need to make sure that the elderly individual and you know exactly where to go and what to do in the event of an emergency. It could be a house fire, a heart attack, or other medical emergency. If you know the proper process, if an emergency actually occurs, it will be that much easier to stay calm (or as calm as possible) and that can make the difference between life and death situations.

For more information about how the caregivers at La Jolla Nurses Homecare can help your aging parents get to their annual appointments, call 858-454-9339. We are a home care agency providing quality and affordable elder care in Pacific Beach, CA, and the surrounding communities.

Brittnei Salerno

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