Natural disasters, such as hurricanes, tornadoes, and blizzards, may force you to evacuate your home or shelter-in-place at short notice. It is important to know what to do in case of an emergency well before disaster strikes.

If you are an older adult living in the community, you may face some challenges during an emergency. For example, you may have mobility problems, or chronic health conditions, or you may not have any family or friends nearby to support you. Support services that are usually available, such as help from caregivers or in-home health care and meal delivery services, may be unavailable for a period of time. In addition, older adults may experience challenges that come with advanced age, such as hearing or vision problems or cognitive impairment, which may make it difficult to access, understand, and respond to emergency instructions.

You or the person you care for can be prepared for emergency situations by creating a plan, reviewing or practicing it regularly, and keeping an emergency supply kit.

Creating a Plan

The first step in preparing for an emergency is creating a plan. Work with your friends, family, and neighbors to develop a plan that will fit your needs.

• Choose a contact person who will check on you during a disaster, and decide how you will communicate with each other (for instance, by telephone, knocking on doors). Consider speaking with your neighbors about developing a check-in system together.
• Create a list of contact information for family members and friends. Leave a copy by your phone(s) and include one in your Emergency Supply Kit.
• Plan how you will leave and where you will go during an evacuation. If you are living in a retirement or assisted living community, learn what procedures are in place in case of emergencies. Keep a copy of exit routes and meeting places in an easy-to-reach place.•Create a care plan and keep a copy in your Emergency Supply Kit. Try out CDC’s easy-to-use care plan templateCdc-pdf.
• If you have medical, transportation, or other access needs during an emergency, consider signing up for SMART911, Code Red, or your local county registry, depending upon which service your area uses to helps first responders identify people who may need assistance right away.

Creating an Emergency Supply Kit

After an emergency, you may not have access to clean water or electricity. Make sure you are prepared with your own supply of food, water, and other items to last for at least 72 hours.

• Visit Ready.gov for a list of basic items to gather for your Disaster Supply Kit.
• Medical-Related Items:
  • A 3-day supply of medicine, at a minimum. If medications need to be kept cold, have a cooler and ice packs available.
  • ID band (full name, contact number for family member/caregiver, and allergies)
  • Hearing aids and extra batteries
  • Glasses and/or contacts and contact solution
  • Medical supplies like syringes or extra batteries
  • Information about medical devices such as wheelchairs, walkers, and oxygen including model numbers and vender.
• Documents (Keep physical copies in a waterproof bag and take photos of each document for backup):
  • Your Care Plan
  • Contact information for family members, doctors, pharmacies and/or caregivers
  • List of all medications, including the exact name of the medicine and the dosage, and contact information for pharmacy and doctor who prescribed medicine
  • List of allergies to food or medicines
  • Copies of medical insurance cards
  • Copies of a photo ID
  • Durable power of attorney and/or medical power of attorney documents, as appropriate.

The first step in preparing for an emergency is creating a plan. Work with your friends, family, and neighbors to develop a plan that will fit your needs.

• Choose a contact person who will check on you during a disaster, and decide how you will communicate with each other (for instance, by telephone, knocking on doors). Consider speaking with your neighbors about developing a check-in system together.
• Create a list of contact information for family members and friends. Leave a copy by your phone(s) and include one in your Emergency Supply Kit.
• Plan how you will leave and where you will go during an evacuation. If you are living in a retirement or assisted living community, learn what procedures are in place in case of emergencies. Keep a copy of exit routes and meeting places in an easy-to-reach place.
• Create a care plan and keep a copy in your Emergency Supply Kit.
• If you have medical, transportation, or other access needs during an emergency, consider signing up for SMART911, Code Red, or your local county registry, depending upon which service your area uses to helps first responders identify people who may need assistance right away.

After an emergency, you may not have access to clean water or electricity. Make sure you are prepared with your own supply of food, water, and other items to last for at least 72 hours.

• Medical-Related Items:
  • A 3-day supply of medicine, at a minimum. If medications need to be kept cold, have a cooler and ice packs available.
  • ID band (full name, contact number for family member/caregiver, and allergies)
  • Hearing aids and extra batteries
  • Glasses and/or contacts and contact solution
  • Medical supplies like syringes or extra batteries
  • Information about medical devices such as wheelchairs, walkers, and oxygen including model numbers and vender.
• Documents (Keep physical copies in a waterproof bag and take photos of each document for backup):
  • Your care plan
  • Contact information for family members, doctors, pharmacies and/or caregivers
  • List of all medications, including the exact name of the medicine and the dosage, and contact information for pharmacy and doctor who prescribed medicine
  • List of allergies to food or medicines
  • Copies of medical insurance cards
  • Copies of a photo ID
  • Durable power of attorney and/or medical power of attorney documents, as appropriate.

Natural disasters, such as hurricanes, floods, tornados, and wildfires, can be stressful if you are managing a chronic disease. Learn how to prepare and reduce your risk of serious illness during a disaster.

Build a Disaster Supply Kit to Stay Prepared

Be prepared for an emergency by packing the following items in your disaster supply kit.

Preparedness by Chronic Disease

Alzheimer’s Disease or Other Dementias

• Disasters, or any change in routine, can be especially upsetting and confusing for people with Alzheimer’s or related dementia. Be aware of signs of anxiety or agitation in people with dementia and be prepared with strategies to calm them during times of stress.
• People with dementia sometimes wander and can become easily lost. Don’t leave the person with dementia alone when their routine or environment is disrupted.
• If you have a family member in a long-term care facility, find out about its disaster plans and rules for visitors during those times.

Arthritis

• If you have trouble moving or getting around, make a note of that in your emergency plan. Think about how you will stay mobile during an emergency.
• Keep medicines for pain and other arthritis symptoms handy, and plan for special medicine needs, such as scheduled infusions or refrigeration of medicines like biologicals.
• Keep any assistive devices you use to get around where you can find them quickly.
• Avoid hard physical work like disaster cleanup to prevent joint injuries that can worsen your arthritis symptoms. Learn more about things you can do to manage arthritis.

Cancer

• Be prepared for an emergency by building a disaster supply kit, making a plan, staying informed, and avoiding infections. If you have a cancer survivorship care plan, keep it in your disaster supply kit. Bring it with you if you need to leave your home.
• If you are being treated with chemotherapy, watch for signs of an infection, such as chills and sweats, a sore throat or new mouth sore, nasal congestion, or vomiting. Call a doctor right away if you notice any signs or symptoms of infection.

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)

• Talk to your doctor about preparing a COPD Action Plan and a COPD Travel Pack. If you have these already, keep them in your disaster supply kit and bring them with you when leaving home.
• If you receive oxygen therapy, ask your doctor how to find emergency shelters that provide this service. Also ask how to make sure you have enough equipment and supplies during and after a disaster.
• If you have to leave your home to go to a shelter, make sure the shelter staff know you have COPD.

Diabetes

• Follow the Diabetes Preparedness Plan. Store at least 1 to 2 weeks of diabetes supplies in your disaster supply kit and consider having an extra glucagon emergency kit.
• Keep your insulin, supplies, and equipment in your disaster supply kit. Insulin loses some effectiveness at extreme temperatures, but it can still be used for 28 days at room temperature up to 86°F. Learn how to store insulin.
• Check your feet every day for cuts, redness, swelling, sores, blisters, corns, calluses, or any other change to the skin or nails. Call a doctor as soon as possible if you see an injury or wound.

Epilepsy

• Prepare a disaster supply kit with a 3-day supply of your medicines. When you leave your house, carry the supply with you in a safe and waterproof location.
• For some people with epilepsy, seizures can be triggered by flashing lights, sounds, lack of sleep, stress, or other triggers. If possible, know what triggers your seizures.
• If you are staying at a shelter, make sure the shelter staff know you have epilepsy.
• Talk with people surrounding you such as family, neighbors, co-workers, and friends about what to do if you have a seizure. Teach them how to help you and things to do in case you have a seizure.

Heart Disease

• Make an emergency plan and disaster supply kit with your prescribed medicines.
• Stress from a disaster may increase blood pressure. Monitor your blood pressure regularly, especially if you have high blood pressure. Learn more about measuring and controlling blood pressure.
• Stress from a disaster can lead to heart disease symptoms. Know the signs and symptoms of heart attacks and stroke, and call 9-1-1 immediately if you have any of the symptoms. Getting treated quickly is critical, and an ambulance can get you to the hospital faster.
  • For heart attack patients, the sooner you get to an emergency room, the sooner you can get treatment to reduce damage to the heart muscle.
  • When it comes to stroke, every minute counts. If you act F.A.S.T. and call 9-1-1, you can get important medicines to treat stroke. Some clot-busting medicines can only be given within 3 hours after having a stroke.
• Wildfire smoke and disaster-related air pollution can increase heart disease symptoms such as chest pain, heart attacks, trouble breathing, stroke, or an abnormal heartbeat. It can also make symptoms of heart failure worse. Get medical help if you or someone you know is having these symptoms.
• Get enough sleep to protect your heart health.

Kidney Disease

• Create an emergency plan and disaster supply kit that include your local dialysis center’s address and phone number.
• Ask your dialysis center for their disaster plans and where you will get treatments if the center is closed during a disaster. Your local health department may be able to help with transportation to the dialysis center or recommend another place if yours is closed. If you need more help, call the Kidney Community Emergency Response (KCER) Hotline at 1-866-901-3773.
• If you cannot get your treatments, follow the 3-Day Emergency Diet and keep the foods on this diet in your disaster supply kit. If you are pregnant or have an infant or child who is on dialysis, talk to your doctor or dietitian about changes to this diet.
• In case of a power failure, if you have a home dialysis machine, you may be able to do manual exchanges until the power comes back on.

People aged 65 or older are more prone to heat-related health concerns. Older adults can’t adjust to sudden temperature changes as fast as younger people. This may happen because of certain medicines they take or chronic illnesses that affect their ability to regulate body temperature. When not treated properly, heat-related illnesses can lead to death. But you can take steps to stay cool during hot weather.

Signs and Symptoms of Heat-Related Illness

If your body becomes overheated, you can be in danger of heat-related illness. These illnesses can include :

• Heat syncope, or sudden dizziness.
• Heat cramps.
• Heat edema, or swelling in your legs and ankles.
• Heat exhaustion—when your body can no longer stay cool. This often appears as feeling thirsty, dizzy, weak, uncoordinated, or nauseated. You may sweat a lot and have cold and clammy skin or a rapid pulse.
• Heat stroke, which is a medical emergency. Signs can include fainting, behavior changes, high body temperature (over 104° F), dry skin, a strong and rapid pulse, a slow and weak pulse, and no longer sweating even though it’s hot.

How to Stay Cool If You Are an Older Adult

• Drink water regularly. Do NOT wait until you’re thirsty to start drinking water.
• Avoid using your oven or stove to prepare meals.
• Wear loose-fitting clothes.
• Take showers to cool down.
• Maintain the heating and air conditioning system in your home, so your home cools properly.
• If you don’t have air conditioning, consider staying with a friend or family member during a heatwave. It may be enough to take an “air conditioning break” at a local mall or library during the heat of the day.
• Don’t overwork yourself, and make sure you rest.
• Have others check up on you, and vice versa.
• Wear sunscreen and clothing to protect yourself from sunburns, which make it hard for your body to cool down.
• When outside in the heat, wear a hat, try to stay in the shade, and move slowly so you won’t become overheated.

Seek medical care immediately if you have symptoms of heat-related illness like muscle cramps, dizziness, headaches, nausea, weakness, or vomiting.

How to Help an Older Adult Avoid Heat-Related Illness

As a friend, family member, or caregiver, you can help an older adult avoid heat-related illness during the warmer months. Some things you can do are:

• Know what medicines they are taking and find out if they affect body temperature.
• Call or connect regularly and ask if they are cool enough. Listen for patterns or shared concerns. Consider having a remote body or home temperature sensor or monitor installed.
• If you don’t live nearby, have the contact information for someone who does and who can regularly check in on them.
• Complete a care plan together to provide structure and direction. The care plan should include ways to stay cool during extreme heat and should note if any medicines the person takes may affect body temperature regulation.
• If you are the one checking in on older adult, make sure they
  • Stay hydrated
  • Have the living space set to a comfortable temperature
  • Know how to stay cool during extreme heat
  • Don’t show signs of heat stress
• Seek medical care immediately if the person has symptoms of heat-related illness like muscle cramps, dizziness, headaches, nausea, weakness, or vomiting.

How to Help Someone With Dementia Avoid Heat-Related Illness

About 25% of people with dementia live alone, and they may not always have awareness about their surroundings. Learn how to make a home safety checklist for someone with Alzheimer’s or related dementias. During the warmer months:

• If the person is using a portable fan, make sure that objects can’t be placed in the blades. Place fans near electrical outlets to avoid using an extension cord. If an extension cord must be used, attach it to the baseboards to reduce the risk of tripping.
• Install alarms that alert you if a door or window is opened. This can reduce the risk of wandering in hot weather and keep cool air inside the home.
• Fence off swimming pools with a locked gate, cover if possible, and closely monitor the person when they are in the pool.
• Hide an extra key outside the home in case the person with dementia locks the door and a caregiver or emergency responder needs to get inside.
• Keep a list of all medicines the person takes and ask the doctor if any of them increase the risk of becoming overheated.

Older adults are more sensitive to cold (and heat) than younger adults. Body temperature below 95°F, or hypothermia, increases their risk of heart disease and kidney or liver damage, especially if they have a history of low body temperature or have had hypothermia in the past.

What is Hypothermia?

How to Tell If Someone Has Hypothermia and What to Do

• Early signs include cold feet or hands, swollen face, slower-than-normal speech, and feeling sleepy, angry, or confused. The person’s skin may become pale, and they may begin shivering.
• Later signs include jerking movements that the person can’t control in their arms and legs, slow heartbeat, slow, shallow breathing, and going in and out of consciousness.
• If you see someone showing signs of hypothermia, call 911. While waiting for 911:
  • Move the person to a warmer place.
  • Wrap them in warm, dry clothes,
  • If necessary, remove all clothing and make skin-to-skin contact with the person to transfer body heat. Wrap yourself and the person in dry blankets to stay warm.
  • Give them something warm to drink (no alcohol or caffeine).

Learn more about hypothermia and frostbite prevention and steps to take when you recognize someone else has hypothermia.

How to Help Someone With Dementia Avoid Hypothermia

About 1 in 4 people who have dementia live alone. People with dementia may not be aware of their surroundings. Learn how to make a home safe for someone with dementia, and use these tips to help someone with dementia stay safe during very cold weather.

• Remove portable space heaters and don’t leave the person alone with an open fireplace. Use safety knobs and use a stove with automatic shutoff settings.
• Advise the person to carefully use electric blankets and sheets or heating pads; explain they can cause burns.
• Put red tape around vents, radiators, and other heating components to remind the person to avoid touching them.
• Keep the water heater set to 120°F to prevent burns. Consider installing faucets that mix hot and cold water.
• Leave an extra house key outside the home in case a caregiver or emergency responder needs to get inside.

How to Avoid Hypothermia at Home When It’s Very Cold Outside

You can get hypothermia while indoors if outside cold weather persists or when you are working in cold environments, such as a storage freezer. Use the steps below to prevent hypothermia while indoors.

• Eat a healthy diet every day to make sure your body has enough energy to keep you warm.
• Make sure to stay hydrated
• Limit your alcohol intake.

• Wear warm, thick clothing, including a hat and scarf if needed. Try to keep a blanket nearby.
• If you live alone, ask friends and family to check on you.
• Check your thermostat or an easy-to-read indoor thermometer often. If you don’t have an easy-to-read thermometer, try to have one installed if possible.
  • Keep the house around 68°F to 70°F.
    • Maintain your heating and air conditioning system.
    • Block off any unused rooms and drafts from windows and doors.
    • If you use a fireplace or wood stove as your main heating source, have your chimney or flue inspected every year.
    • If your home doesn’t hold heat well, have the insulation checked.

  Financial help is sometimes available for people who can’t afford to weatherize their home or pay their heating bills.

  For financial help getting your windows, doors, and furnace checked to make sure they are cold-weather-ready, or for other weather-related changes to your home, contact your local Weatherization Assistance Program.

  For help with your energy bills, contact:

  • National Energy Assistance Referral (1-866-674-6327 (toll-free; TTY, 1-866-367-6228)
  • Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program. You can email them at energyassistance@ncat.org

How to Avoid Hypothermia If You Go Outside During Cold Weather

• Wear warm, thick clothing, including a hat, scarf, and gloves, as well as loose layers to increase the amount of body heat.
• Change your clothes as soon as you get inside. Wearing wet clothes causes your body temperature to drop. Dry clothes allow your body to warm itself.

• If you drive somewhere, be prepared in case you get stranded.
  • Keep warm blankets and clothing in your car.
  • Keep food and water in your car.
  • Keep a phone charger in your car.
  • Take any necessary medicines with you.

Create a winter emergency supply kit to keep in your car

How to Avoid Falling If You Go Outside in Icy Weather

During the winter months, it’s important to make sure that surfaces are dry and safe for walking to reduce the risk of falling. These tips can you help prevent falls in icy and snowy weather:

• Make sure there is enough lighting outdoors, especially near walkways and stairs. Low lighting is a major cause of falls. Motion-sensor lights might be useful.
• Keep outside walkways and steps clear of snow, ice, and any objects
• If your home’s main entrance is often icy during the winter months, use a different entrance if you can.
• Make sure your steps are sturdy and have textured grip to reduce falls if the weather is icy or wet.
• If you use walking aids such as a cane, walker, or a wheelchair, dry the wheels or tips of each before entering your home.
• Keep a small table or shelf near the entry door to put items while unlocking the door. This reduces distractions and dangers of slipping or tripping while trying to enter your home.

How You Can Help an Older Adult Avoid Hypothermia

As a friend, family member, or caregiver to an older adult during the winter months, you can:

• Consider having a remote indoor air temperature sensor or monitor installed.
• Have the name and contact information of a nearby family member or friend who can regularly check in on them.
• Create a care plan with them to provide structure for both of you. The care plan should include ways to maintain a healthy body temperature and note if any medicines they take affect their ability to regulate body temperature.
• If you are checking in on an older adult, try to check in on them in person or by telephone as often as possible or at agreed times to make sure they:
  • Are staying hydrated.
  • Have the living space set to a comfortable temperature.
  • Are keeping warm.
  • Don’t show signs of hypothermia.

While everyone is at risk during a natural weather-related disaster or similar emergency, older adults can be especially vulnerable during these challenging times. Being prepared in advance can literally mean the difference between survival and death, particularly for those who may have special medical or mobility needs. Read on to learn more about safety planning steps to consider now, whether you plan to remain at home or be evacuated in the event of an emergency.

Evaluate and plan

The first step is to learn about what kinds of disasters are most likely to affect you and your family based on where you live. For example, while flooding can happen anywhere, communities near water may be more likely to experience floods. And people who live close to a forest may be more likely to experience wildfires. Thinking about what your community is most likely to encounter will help you understand what you might need to include in your plan.

Next, develop a plan that includes possible evacuation routes and locations of shelters. State, county, and local governments will often set up emergency shelters or evacuation centers for people affected by disasters. These may include air-conditioned facilities for extreme heat waves or shelters at higher ground in the event of flooding. Search for open shelters in your area by texting SHELTER and your ZIP code to 43362 or by visiting www.ready.gov/shelter or www.disasterassistance.gov.

Discuss your plan and needs with friends, family, caregivers, and neighbors. Identify specific people you trust and who would be willing to help in a crisis. Fill out an emergency communications plan. Include backup communication measures for how to keep in touch, and have a fallback plan in the likely event of power and internet outages. Be sure to keep cell phones and similar electronics charged regularly.

Another part of planning is protecting important documents and records. These include:

• Identification, Social Security cards, passports, birth certificates
• Health and dental insurance
• Medical records
• Property insurance policies
• Family or other emergency contact information

Store important documents in a fireproof and waterproof container and save a digital copy. Also consider reviewing and updating your home insurance policy, if needed. For example, many insurance policies do not include flood coverage.

Stock an emergency kit

A good emergency kit should contain the essentials you need for three to seven days, including supplies and backup options if you lose basic services, such as water and electricity. You will need an emergency kit whether you stay home during a disaster, also known as “sheltering in place,” or evacuate. Some people also opt to keep a smaller portable emergency kit, such as a packed duffel bag or backpack, in their car or at their workplace in case they encounter an emergency while away from home.

Emergency kits should contain:

• Water (one gallon per person per day for several days, for both drinking and sanitation)
• Food (at least a several-day supply of nonperishable food) and a manual can opener
• Battery-powered or hand-cranked radio for weather and evacuation information
• Flashlight or headlamp with extra batteries
• First-aid kit
• Dust masks, plastic sheeting, and duct tape to help filter contaminated air
• Soap, hand sanitizer, personal hygiene, and sanitation supplies
• Wrench or pliers (to turn off utilities) and multitool for general use
• Sleeping bags or warm blankets
• Whistle (to signal for help)
• Cell phone with chargers and a backup battery
• Local maps
• Change of clothing and sturdy shoes
• Eyeglasses, hearing aids, and backup hearing aid batteries
• Over-the-counter and prescription medications
• Essential health information/important family documents

Planning for pets and service or support animals

Have a plan and supplies for your furry friends, too. Many emergency shelters will only accept service animals, so consider your pets’ needs and backup options with friends, family, and neighbors. 

Consider your medical needs

As you make a plan and assemble supplies, consider special needs related to medical conditions or disabilities. For example, those with Alzheimer’s disease or another form of dementia may require extra assistance during disasters and additional help to lessen agitation during a stressful event. Include comfort items like a favorite pillow or blanket in your emergency kit, as well as favorite snacks and high-nutrient drinks. Additional tips for individuals with medical conditions or disabilities are available at Ready.gov.

If you or a loved one require durable medical equipment — which can include low-tech devices such as canes and walkers, or more complex ones that require electricity, such as a hospital beds, oxygen machines, or electric wheelchairs — take those into consideration in your plan. Many types of durable medical equipment can be challenging to replace during disruptions to the health care system and supply chain during a disaster.

Research has shown that just 25% of older adults who use essential medical equipment requiring electricity have a backup power source for it. Talk to your doctor or medical supply provider about alternate or backup equipment options, such as a manual wheelchair or an oxygen tank that does not require electricity. Many communities have set up programs for “Citizens at Risk,” and older adults and others with medical conditions should check with their local governments about available resources.

For medical treatments such as dialysis, discuss alternate plans and backup treatment options with your doctors in case your regular facility is affected by a disaster. If you take a medication that requires refrigeration, consider alternative power sources and storage options in case of a power outage, and perhaps even a substitute drug. Discuss options with your doctor as part of your overall emergency plan.

Plan for an efficient evacuation

In some weather disasters or similar emergency situations, local officials will advise people to leave the area. Evacuation alerts may be issued through TV and radio stations, social media and cell phone alerts, and sometimes even in person door-to-door.

If evacuation isn’t mandatory, you should be realistic about your desired comfort and safety level, personal mobility, and how much help you may need, and then factor all of those considerations into a decision whether to shelter in place or leave. Above all, it’s important to prepare and communicate so you are ready to evacuate, if and when the time comes.

Tips for efficient evacuations include:

• Keep your emergency kit updated, stocked, and easily accessible.
• Take time to practice your evacuation plan with family and neighbors so you are prepared for different scenarios.
• Learn and practice how to safely leave your home, including knowing how to turn off the water and natural gas.
• Anticipate road closures, traffic jams, and public transportation delays.
• Know how to access local emergency shelters.
• If you no longer drive, arrange in advance for a friend, neighbor, or family member to pick you up.
• In addition to paper copies, learn how to store emergency contact information in your cell phone and keep your phone charged.
• Be sure to communicate with neighbors, friends, and family on your plans and check in once you are safe.
• If you know you are physically unable to evacuate in certain situations, notify your local government, which may have a system in place for tracking those who may need rescuing after disaster strikes.

Learn about recovery assistance

After the storm comes the challenge of recovery. Serious disasters can have traumatic consequences, including damage to your home and belongings and even death of loved ones. You may need to leave your home for a time or find a new home entirely. Older adults who are displaced by a disaster are especially at risk of social isolation and loneliness. Many local, state, and federal agencies, along with nonprofit organizations, can assist with post-disaster needs. Explore these resources to learn more:

• Recovering from Disaster (Ready.gov)
• Get Assistance After a Disaster (FEMA) or call 800-621-3362
• Disaster Distress Helpline (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration) or call 800-985-5990
• Disaster Assistance for Older Adults (National Council on Aging)

Staying safe during a disaster starts with preparation. Making a good plan and discussing it in advance with your family, community, and other support networks can go a long way in helping to protect your health, safety, and property during an emergency.