Managing Severe Weather Threats for Seniors Living Alone

Severe weather can strike at any time throughout the year, not just during the springtime or summer months. Depending on where you live in the country, your severe weather threats can vary widely from another region. Still, severe weather is dangerous for anyone, regardless of age, but it can be more difficult to deal with for aging men and women, especially those who struggle with Activities of Daily Living (ADLs).

If you have an elderly loved one living alone, whether they live close to you or not, home care assistance can make a difference, especially during severe weather events. However, you can’t simply contact a home care agency a few hours before an expected severe weather event and think somebody will be there to help him or her.

Home care assistance is meant for those who rely on their support regularly. This doesn’t mean full-time or around-the-clock, but regularly. Meaning a couple of days a week, at least, on average.
There are many reasons why home care assistance can make a positive impact in the life of an elderly person who is living alone and who may be struggling with some aspects of daily life.

Helping Them Remain Calm During a Crisis

Severe weather can cause stress and anxiety. People are often afraid of severe thunderstorms, no matter their age. It’s a good thing to be afraid of severe weather. It can be deadly. Even though an aging senior is likely to remain indoors when a severe thunderstorm is rolling through, that doesn’t mean they are comfortable. Having a home care aide with them during these events can help them remain calm. Sometimes, it’s just that presence of another individual who can help you weather the storms (pun intended).

Home Care Assistance Can Keep Families Informed

Let’s say, for example, that a tornado outbreak rages across the Plains. An aging senior might be in the path of that swath of potential outbreaks. Is he or she going to call their loved ones, their adult children to tell them the latest about what’s going on?

What if the power goes out? What if the phone lines are down? What if they had to evacuate to a local shelter? What if they don’t have a cell phone? Who is going to advocate for them and help family and friends stay up-to-date on what’s happening?

A professional, experienced home care aide will hopefully have contact information for next of kin and can start a phone chain so that people can stay abreast of what’s happening with that aging senior and feel relief knowing they are safe and in good hands.

Home Care Assistance Can Monitor Emergency Weather Notifications

Sure, these alerts can come across radio and television and often do, but with today’s streaming services and not every senior having a cell phone, he or she may not be aware that there is a severe weather alert coming.
But if they have home care aide with them, they can stay updated on what is happening, what alerts have been issued, and what they should do to protect themselves and stay safe.

Home Care Can Evacuate Your Senior If Required

If an evacuation is ordered or if the elderly person feels better if they moved to a different location, that home care aide — if they provide transportation options — may be able to offer that to them, within reason.

You do need to keep in mind that home care aides often have more than just one senior counting on them, but if an evacuation is ordered due to a wildfire, hurricane threat, or some other weather event, they may be able the provide the assistance for them to do just that.

If you or an aging loved one are considering home care assistance in McPherson, KS, please contact the caring staff at Touching Hearts at Home Central Kansas today. Call 620-603-0685.

Touching Hearts at Home Central Kansas is a Trusted Home Care Agency Barton, Dickinson, Edwards, Ellis, Ellsworth, Great Bend, Hutchinson, Larned, Lyons, Marion, McPherson, Newton, Pawnee, Rice, Reno, Salina, Sedgwick, Stafford, and the surrounding areas.