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Caregivers have added responsibility during hurricane season
Article published on Wednesday, June 28, 2006 |
PINELLAS COUNTY – Beyond all of the recent press encouraging Floridians to prepare for hurricane season, people also need to focus on families living with special needs, especially caregivers and families coping with Alzheimer’s disease.
In addition to the standard precautions everyone should take, the Alzheimer’s Association wants caregivers of people living with Alzheimer’s disease to take a few steps in preparing for hurricanes. The Florida Gulf Coast Chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association recommends:
Advance preparations:
• Consult with your physician and pharmacy about what mechanisms they have in place for continuity of care and prescription needs in the event standard communications lines are down.
• If your loved one lives in a residential facility, meet the staff and learn about their hurricane procedures. Find out about their evacuation plan.
• Prepare an emergency kit (see below for item suggestions).
• Enroll in the Alzheimer’s Association’s Safe Return Program.
• Keep all medications organized and in a safe and accessible place.
• If you have a cell phone, keep it charged and store emergency contact numbers including your local Alzheimer’s Association. Have an additional precharged battery.
• If you do not have a cell phone, keep an emergency call list with your medicines.
• Identify and visit the options you have in case you need to evacuate to a shelter. Speak with those who will be managing the shelter before the need to go there occurs. This way you can discuss any special needs you may have ahead of time.
If a hurricane is coming:
• Get to a safe place. If you need to evacuate, do not delay.
• Alert others (family, friends, and medical personnel) that you are changing locations.
• Be sure there are other people who have copies of the person with dementia’s medical history, medications and physician information.
• Purchase extra medications.
Emergency kit:
Prepare an emergency kit in advance. Keep it in a watertight container and store it in an easily accessible location.
• Easy on and off clothing (a couple of sets)
• Supplies of medication
• Toiletries and dentures
• Velcro shoes or sneakers
• Back-up eyeglasses
• Incontinence products
• Extra identification items for the person, such as an ID bracelet and clothing tags
• Copies of legal documents, such as a power of attorney
• Copies of medical documents of individual’s condition and current medications
• Copies of insurance and social security cards
• Use waterproof bags to hold medications and documents
• Physician’s name, address and phone numbers
• Recent picture of the person with dementia
• Lotion (good for soothing person)
• Favorite items of foods and liquid meals
• Pillow, toy or something else to hug
During an evacuation:
Persons with dementia are especially vulnerable to chaos and emotional trauma. They have a limited ability to understand what is happening and they may forget what they have been told about the disaster. Be alert to potential reactions that may result from changes in routine, traveling or new environments including: agitation, pacing, wandering and delusions or hallucinations.
• Inform others around you (hotel or shelter staff) that your loved one has dementia and may not understand what is happening
• Do not leave the person alone. It only takes a few minutes to wander away.
• Changes in routine, traveling, and new environments can cause agitation and wandering behaviors including hallucinations, delusions and sleep disturbance
• Remain calm. The person with dementia will respond to the tone you set
Tips for preventing agitated behavior:
• Reassure the person frequently. Take their hand or put your arm on their shoulder and tell them things are going to be fine
• Redirect the person’s attention if they begin to become upset
• Move the person to a safer or quieter place
• Make sure the person takes their medications as scheduled
• Schedule regular meals
• Avoid detailed explanations
• Provide additional assistance with all activities of daily living
• Pay attention to cues of agitation (fidgeting, pacing)
• Remind the person they are in the right place.
Call the Alzheimer’s Association 24/7 Helpline at (800) 272-3900 or visit www.alz.org.
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Article published on Wednesday, June 28, 2006
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