Emergency Preparedness 2022
In Florida when we think of emergency planning and emergency preparedness 2022, we think of hurricanes. Emergency planning is especially important in coastal areas such as Fort Myers and Cape Coral.
Why plan in advance for hurricane season?
Abby Services is required, as part of our licensure, to develop an emergency plan. During initial meetings, we discuss with all patients their emergency plans. During all emergencies, Abby Services, and the caregivers we work with are expected to make a good faith effort to provide the same type and quality of services. This is all part of our emergency preparedness 2022 plan.
Unfortunately, during emergencies requested caregivers and their services may be interrupted due to factors outside of anyone’s control. Therefore, we recommend all clients and caregivers plan accordingly in advance.
What to do to prepare for an emergency?
Preparation for an emergency should be done in advance and communicated to family and friends. This is especially true for anticipated emergencies such as hurricane season in South Florida. Seniors are a particularly vulnerable population and should take emergency planning seriously.
- Create an emergency contact plan.
- Worried family members should know the who, what, where, and when of your evacuation plan and who to contact for accurate information.
- In the event of an emergency, one important factor of a contact plan is identifying who your primary contact will be. This can be a friend or trusted family member who can act to inform others of your situation and safety.
- Secure necessary supplies.
- This Emergency Supply list from Universal Property and Casualty can help to get you started.
Do you require special needs sheltering?
Patients requiring special needs shelter should be registered in advance. Abby Services representatives are available to assist with registration as necessary.
Special Needs registration assistance is offered to all clients upon admission. Patients registered with a special needs shelter have been provided AHCA Appendix B which reviews required sheltering information.
In addition to providing Appendix B, Abby Services must request all patients registered with a special needs shelter complete this information.
Who is responsible for emergency planning?
Ultimately emergency planning is the responsibility of the individual. Clients wishing to schedule 24-hour care before and during a hurricane should plan accordingly.
This is offered to all clients and we are happy to help find a caregiver who can assist you during an emergency. Prior to known emergencies, Abby Services will contact all clients and caregivers scheduled by clients to confirm their emergency plans.
How is emergency planning for seniors any different than everyone else?
Seniors may have access to limited resources or have a limited ability to access available resources. Seniors also may rely on outside services such as Abby Services to remain safe and independent in their homes and cannot remain independent otherwise.
In the event of an emergency, Abby Services does all we can to maintain consistent service provided by in-home caregivers. Unfortunately, there may be times where circumstances are out of our control and a caregiver may be delayed or unavailable. That is why we encourage clients requiring care during a potential emergency to make plans to evacuate to a local shelter with around-the-clock care before, during, and after an expected emergency.
The American Red Cross has a special publication specifically designed for seniors to help them prepare for a disaster.
Senior emergency preparedness 2022: Fort Myers , Cape Coral, and Southwest Florida.
A key consideration in some senior’s emergency planning is special needs sheltering. Clients requiring special needs provisions are encouraged to register with Special Needs Shelters well in advance.
Should clients require any assistance registering with special needs shelters we are here to help. Our nurse, Scott Strachan has the experience and training to help families develop a care plan that includes senior emergency planning, even special needs registration and sheltering.
County specific emergency planning guides.
The following are the All Hazards Guides for the areas we serve:
These guides contain important information including recommended supplies, local shelters, resources for transportation, and emergency numbers. As always if you need any help you can always call us here at Abby Services 239-590-0861.