How to Create Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Plans for Your Loved Ones

“I do recommend writing down ... numbers,” Kraemer says. “One, memory fails us pretty easily when we’re stressed out and anxious. And two, if we don’t have our cellphone all the way charged up, we’re not going to be able to access those numbers. In a perfect world, we’d have them written down in a couple of places.”

These local contacts can be vital to reach out to for help if police departments are inundated with calls during a disaster.

Plan an evacuation route. Determine how your loved one can leave home safely, where to go and what the best route is, including a plan for transportation to get there. This is especially important in an area susceptible to hurricanes and other damaging storms.

Find safe shelter at home. Figure out the safest way for your loved one to shelter in place during sudden extreme weather such as a tornado. Practice the evacuation or shelter-in-place drill with your loved one every six months.

Create a portable emergency supply kit. Find one that your loved one can carry or roll easily. It should include nonperishable food and water; at least a three-day supply of medications; medical devices such as hearing aids and batteries, glasses or contacts; a flashlight and batteries; personal hygiene items; and cellphone backup battery packs, portable chargers and car chargers.

Review the contents every three to six months to make sure supplies are up-to-date and charged. Replace items that have expired and add new ones as needed.

Copy important documents. Place these papers in a waterproof bag or fireproof box for safekeeping. Back up your computer and tablet and email digital copies to yourself or store them in the cloud. You can use your phone as a secure Wi-Fi hotspot should you need to access them. 

Financial documents should include a copy of your loved one’s medical insurance card, a photo ID, power of attorney documents, Social Security card and statements for accounts. Medical information should include a list of allergies and health conditions; a list of medications including dosage, time of day and who prescribed them; and contact information for caregivers, doctors and family members. Keep the bag in a memorable place and remind your loved one to grab it before evacuating.

Listen to local authorities. Urge your loved one to tune in to the radio, TV or social media for advice about whether to evacuate or remain in place. Buy a portable radio and ensure fresh batteries are kept nearby, so anyone nearby can stay abreast of news even if the electricity goes out. Learn what you can do to conserve your smartphone's battery life.

Make becoming familiar with technology a priority so your loved one can read emergency and weather alerts from state and local authorities. Smartphones have them turned on by default, but often being able to read the full text is difficult.

Develop a family communication plan. Discuss with your loved one the most comfortable way to be in touch. If you’re keeping track of several friends and family, you’ll want to know where each one is, whether they are in safe places, how they’re feeling, whether they’re injured and if they’re getting clean water, food and necessary medical treatment.

You can use a group text, email or a phone call. Also, be sure to include an out-of-state contact person to serve as a point person in case your loved one is unable to get through to you. Kraemer advises teaching your loved one how to send a short text message such as "IMOK" — I’m OK — as a simple, quick way to get through overloaded cellular networks.

Follow up with assisted living and nursing homes

As with a loved one at home, you’ll want people in assisted living and nursing homes to have a list of local contacts, a personal emergency supply kit and copies of important documents stored both digitally and in a waterproof bag for safekeeping. But the most important step is to make an appointment with the management team at your loved one’s residence to discuss the staff’s disaster preparedness and evacuation plans.

“It’s really incumbent upon the older adult and the family caregiver to find out what plans they have in place for emergencies and whether they review, test and update them regularly,” Crocker says.

To learn about specifics, ask the following questions:

• How are power outages handled? How many backup generators are on site and what is their maintenance and test schedule?
• Who will administer medications and tend to special needs, such as oxygen therapy, during an emergency?
• Who will be responsible for evacuating your loved one and getting him or her to a safe place?
• How will the staff handle people who cannot walk versus those who can?
• What’s the ratio of caregivers to care recipients during an emergency?
• What plans are in place to bring in extra staff to help in a crisis?
• How will the staff communicate with family members during an emergency?

Creating a plan for handling emergencies before they occur can help everyone involved stay calm, cool, collected and safe when the need arises. If your loved one has some memory loss or cognitive disability, others’ frantic actions and any necessity to rush can make a hectic situation worse.

AARP editor Deirdre van Dyk contributed to this story, which has been updated with additional details.