I am all about being prepared for things that can go wrong. We get really busy thinking about SHTF, but what about everyday preparedness? For ourselves, that’s probably easy … but what about Grandma, or another elderly person you care about?
Over the last few months I’ve had the privilege of escorting my Aunt, who is 70, to some doctor appointments and over this time I’ve learned a little more about what aging in place looks like. She is a widow and while she’s able to take care of herself, she’s not able to do the heavy lifting needed around the house for simple things that you and I may take for granted. As the hurricane season is coming up, I asked what her plans were for getting ready. She really didn’t have any, you see, as she has family “nearby” and they do a great job keeping an eye on her.
The more we talked, the more I realized she wasn’t really ready for even the most basic of emergencies around the house. She didn’t have even an extra case of water. She shared with me that during the last hurricane — after the storm she came home to no phone, internet, or cable. The house was awfully quiet. Of course, I asked her about her radio. Nope. Didn’t have one of those either.
I don’t share this story to pick on my darling Aunt, she is a treasure, but until she became a widow, she had someone else looking out for these things for her. And, I think it’s our duty as folks who know how to be a little more prepared to help out our elderly family. You don’t have to be super nosy, but you can remind them to get things ready like flashlights, batteries, a radio, and extra water, for the day when something less than SHTF goes wrong. They could have a little more comfort, and you could rest easier knowing that they’re OK.
Do you look after someone not living with you? Can you offer any other tips or advice for helping them be prepared. We’d love hear from you in the comments below.
P.S. That’s not a picture of my Aunt at the top of the post, it’s a stock photo.