Tag Archives: hurricanes

September 30, 2024 · 8:00 am

Devastating flooding in my mother’s hometown of Newport, TN

I was sad to see the destruction that Hurricane Helene caused in Newport, Tennessee. While all eyes were on Florida where the Category 4 storm made landfall, areas far away such as Asheville, North Carolina and Newport also suffered significant damage.

Newport was my mother’s hometown, and always held a special place in her heart. The east Tennessee community in the shadow of the Great Smoky Mountains played a major role in all of my mother’s fondest childhood memories, from tending to the animals on the farm to family picnics in the Smoky Mountains.

Flooding has made some roads inaccessible and has led to hazardous driving conditions. Commercial buildings and homes have suffered water damage. There have been numerous water rescues, including one from the rooftop of a hospital in a nearby county.

This isn’t the first natural disaster to impact an area connected to my parents. In June, wildfires ravaged Ruidoso, New Mexico, where my parents retired.

A week ago, residents of Newport, Asheville, and other areas far removed from the Florida coast weren likely not thinking about storm preparations. Yet, here we are. That’s why it’s important as a family caregiver to have a storm preparation plan in place. Evacuation decisions can be difficult to make for medically fragile loved ones, but it can also be difficult to remain and potentially be cut off from necessary medical services. Doing research and planning ahead of the next storm can make all the difference.

Digital illustration by Microsoft Copilot.

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April 29, 2024 · 8:00 am

Caregiver preparation tips for severe weather

Managing caregiving tasks can be difficult even on a normal day, let alone during a severe weather event.

This is my annual reminder to make sure you and your loved ones are prepared for severe weather events. Growing up in California, I learned about earthquake safety both at school and home. When my parents retired to Ruidoso, New Mexico, they learned about the threat of wildfires. In Georgia, I deal with flooding and power outages due to thunderstorms.

Being prepared and having a plan is critical. The American Red Cross offers good tips on preparing for severe weather events. The Alzheimer’s Association offers an emergency preparation resource for those caring for loved ones with dementia.

  • Keep a printout of important information, such as phone numbers, medical history, prescriptions, etc. in case you lose power and your devices die.
  • Create a well-stocked first aid kit, personalized for any specific medical needs
  • Maintain a power source. Keep extra batteries on hand for flashlights and emergency radios. I keep a mobile generator for short-term power outages so that at least I can keep my phone charged. I set a monthly reminder to charge it to make sure it’s fully charged in case of an emergency. It also came with solar panels as an alternative charging option. If you can afford it, a larger generator that can power medical devices could be a life-saving choice.
  • Create an evacuation plan for loved ones, taking into consideration their medical needs. Make note of local resources that may be able to assist with things like transportation, temporary housing, etc.
  • Don’t forget about the pets. Loved ones may be reluctant to leave their home if they think they will have to leave their pets behind. Research pet-friendly shelters and hotels.
  • Make sure everyone understands their role in a severe weather event, from care recipients, to hands-on caregivers to long distance caregivers. Communication is key.
  • Have a plan in place if your loved one’s home is destroyed by a severe weather event.
  • Make sure your loved one’s medical care wishes are documented.

Image generated by Microsoft Copilot.

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September 11, 2017 · 11:42 am

Dealing with a natural disaster as a caregiver

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As a caregiver, every day may seem filled with disasters, both small and large. Caregivers constantly are dodging landmines, whether it’s working with a difficult patient, controlling pain, managing new symptoms or handling finances. That’s one reason why I referenced the metaphor in my new collection of caregiving essays, “The Reluctant Caregiver: Missives from the Caregiving Minefields.”

Back-to-back major hurricanes in the U.S. revealed another area where caregivers must be prepared: natural disasters. Most of you probably saw the heartbreaking photo of nursing home residents sitting in floodwaters in Texas during Hurricane Harvey. Fortunately, they were all saved, and staff risked their lives to stay with them all night long.

https://twitter.com/DoHoBOB/status/901862603395301376

Still, I couldn’t help but wonder what, if any, were the evacuation plans for the nursing home? From what I read, it was located near a bayou, so the flood risk was real.

As people prepared for Hurricane Irma this weekend, I heard multiple reports about care facilities, including those for Alzheimer’s care, making the decision not to evacuate. It may seem like a no-brainer but there were complications. Gov. Scott of Florida implored for more nurses to step forward to volunteer in special needs shelters. At the time, they were understaffed, making some care facility managers leery of evacuating and not having a safe space for those with complex care needs.

Dementia caregivers know how any disruption to the normal routine, along with a chaotic atmosphere, can exacerbate symptoms. Can you imagine trying to deal with wandering patients in the chaos of a shelter? I’m not trying to judge those who made the decision to stay, but I do think it is a good reminder for anyone who is caring for a loved one right now to make an emergency plan.

If a natural disaster strikes your area, are you prepared to evacuate with your loved one? Do you know where you will go? How will your loved one’s medical needs be met? Do you have friends or other family members that would be willing to take you in temporarily? If you make the decision to stay behind, do you have a safe, accessible place in your home that will offer protection?

My parents never had to evacuate, but a wildfire did get pretty close to their neighborhood at one point, and I remember my parents being uneasy about the thought of evacuating. Fortunately, they were both in good health at the time and the fire was brought under control. I can’t imagine trying to keep track of my father at a shelter once he developed dementia, because he wandered. When my mother was recovering from colon cancer surgery, trying to change a colostomy bag in the very public realm of a busy shelter would have been a challenge.

While the images that have come out of Texas and Florida over the last couple of weeks have been heartbreaking, it is a good time for the rest of us to make sure we are prepared when Mother Nature’s fury comes our way.  Sometimes, the worst moments can bring out the best in us, as when this man at Lowe’s gave up his generator to a woman who needed it for her father who requires an oxygen tank.

Consider giving to a hurricane relief fund established by Caring Across Generations. All proceeds will go directly to local organizations in Texas and Florida who assist caregivers.

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