AAP Voices Blog

Supporting Our Families in Disaster Preparedness

September is National Preparedness Month.  This year, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)’s theme focuses on preparing older adults for disaster.  At first mention, this seems far from a pediatrician’s focus, but as I thought about it more, I think it does apply to all of us.

I, like so many of my pediatric colleagues, am a member of the “sandwich generation,” a term coined to describe the push and pull felt by people in mid-life who care for both young children and aging parents.  I am the proud new(ish) mother of an 11-month-old, but, at almost 40, also have older parents.  Uncharacteristically, my very healthy and independent father required surprise cardiac surgery late last year. I envisioned a relaxing end to maternity leave, fawning over my new baby and slowly transitioning her into day care. Instead, it ended up being a hectic five weeks trying to patch together care for my daughter and making sure my dad received the attention and rest he needed, all while trying not to expose him to child care germs.

Many of you may also feel this balancing act on a day-to-day basis. I know many of our patient families do. Whether they’re experiencing an acute health crisis, trying to juggle the daily demands of both kids and parents, or if, like many American families, grandparents are raising children for whatever reason, the needs of aging adults are likely on their minds.

“We can encourage families to include older members in their emergency planning.”

Americans will feel this even more acutely in a disaster situation. A report published by the American Red Cross found older adults are more vulnerable than the general population during disasters and experience more casualties. Older adults, like our youngest patients, are most susceptible to the effects of the extreme heat as we’ve seen this summer, and to extreme cold that will be a threat in the coming months. Similar to our children with special health care needs, older individuals often have medical comorbidities and rely on the use of prescription medications or specialized equipment that requires electricity to run. Preparation tasks are also physically demanding for those who live alone. Water, food, and other store items can be heavy and often require use of a vehicle. Many people rely on assistance from others which may not be available in a disaster, and those that live alone are at increased risk of social isolation when disasters strike. Lastly, older generations are often reticent to leave their homes when evacuation orders are issued.

So, what can we do to help all families better prepare to support their older loved ones during a disaster? We can encourage families to include older members in their emergency planning. Just getting that on their radar may go a long way towards helping them start their preparations. The AAP just released its interactive Family Readiness Toolkit which is designed to help families of all kinds prepare for a disaster.  This kit can be used in many ways. First, we encourage you to use it for your own preparedness because if we as practitioners are not prepared, we won’t be able to help our families and the more vulnerable during a disaster. Secondly, it is an accessible way for patient families to build readiness over time. It is designed to increase preparedness in small chunks, building community resilience as they go.

FEMA’s Ready.gov site is a great resource for older adults and their caregivers. Along with the standard advice about knowing what disasters are likely to occur in your area, how you’ll stay informed during a disaster, and having copies of your important documents, there is guidance on having extra medication and supplies in your emergency kit. There is information on how to take your assistive devices with you if you must evacuate. The site also covers developing a communication plan, making sure someone else has a key to the home and knows where extra supplies and medications are, and talking to clinics and hospitals about their emergency plans for things like dialysis and chemotherapy in the event of a disaster.

Experiencing any type of disaster will be a stressful experience, especially for those who are responsible for the care of others. Advanced preparation should help alleviate some of those stresses, and National Preparedness Month is a good time to begin. We all chose this career because of our passion for caring for children; including our older family members in disaster planning this month and going forward is a natural addition.