Are You Prepared? Creating an Emergency Caregiver Plan

• Where do you begin?
• Are you overlooking something important?
• What if (insert any scenario here) happens?

That is why we have gathered a list of essentials to include in your personalized emergency care plan, preparing both you and your senior family member in the occurrence of something sudden and unexpected.

Developing Your Caregiver Emergency Plan…

An emergency care plan is essential, no matter where your parent or family member resides. Whether he or she lives at home or in a senior living community, there are specific aspects to your emergency care plan that need to be considered.

…If Your Senior Parent or Family Member Still Lives at Home

Contact Information of Your Care Team

Your care team should be comprised of people that are able to care for and look after your senior parent or family member when you are not available. In the event of an emergency, the members of your care team can check in on your family member and provide care, transportation, etc.

Compile a list of names, phone numbers, addresses, and other contact information of all the members of your care team and post them in a convenient and easily accessible location. Communicate with your family member and each member of the team to make sure everyone is on the same page about how and when to contact one another.

Detailed Routine Description

If you cannot provide direct care for your parent or family member, a comprehensive list of his or her routine is beneficial for the person filling in for you. This list should include:

• When he or she wakes up in the morning, naps, and goes to bed each evening
• Times of meals and nutritional requirements
• Dosages and times that medication needs to be taken
• Typical activities and regular appointments

In addition, attach any relevant medical documents that your care team member may need.

Portable Emergency Kit

An emergency kit is an essential part of any emergency care plan. This ensures that your parent or family member is as comfortable as possible in any emergency situation. This portable emergency kit should be stored in something like a duffle bag, and placed in a safe, yet convenient location that is easy to grab when your family member needs to leave the house in a hurry. Items that should be added to your emergency kit include:

• Two days’ worth of clothing that can be layered
• Any medications that need to be taken
• Toiletries and personal hygiene products
• Chargers for any electronics

Read More Caregiver Tips Here

…If Your Senior Parent or Family member Lives in a Senior Living Community

Fortunately, when your parent or family member resides in an assisted living or memory care community, the community’s care team is available 24/7 should an emergency occur.

Meet with Team Members from the Community

It’s essential to meet with the team members at the community to ask questions relating to the community’s procedures in the event of an emergency and relay any specific requests regarding the care of your family member.

The key to staying calm and safe in an emergency is being prepared. Once your emergency care plan is established and in place, you, your family member, and the members of your care team will feel more at ease. Remember to revisit your plan every few months and make any necessary updates.

At Oaks Senior Living, with assisted living and memory care communities throughout Metro Atlanta, we emphasize a person-centered lifestyle, helping us get to know each individual that calls us “home.” Because of this, strong, trusting relationships are formed between residents and caregivers. In the event of an emergency, this relationship and feeling of comfort helps individuals stay calm and come out on the other side of the situation.

We invite you to contact Oaks Senior Living to learn more about the services we offer or our person-centered lifestyle approach to caregiving.