Natural Disaster Preparedness for Families Affected by Alzheimer’s | Avalon Memory Care
  |  

Natural Disaster Preparedness for Families Affected by Alzheimer’s

Natural disasters can affect any state in the country, but many families are unprepared to deal with things like evacuation, sheltering in place, and handling the aftermath. If your family has a loved one in memory care, it is even more critical to have a disaster plan in place. First, know the types of disasters that could affect your area. Families in Dallas may encounter heat waves, flash floods, hurricanes, tornadoes, and even the occasional earthquake. You can use this information to find solutions that will keep your loved one safe.

Contact the assisted living location.

If your loved one is receiving continuous care at an assisted living location, get in touch with the administrative staff to inquire about how natural disasters are handled. Find out what you need to do if an evacuation order is issued for your loved one’s area. Will the residents be relocated as a group, or will your family take the resident to a safer location?

Identify evacuation destinations.

If you will be evacuating your loved one, you will need to handle the agitation and confusion that may accompany sudden changes in routine and surroundings. It is preferable to evacuate to a family member’s or friend’s home in a safer zone, since evacuation shelters are not ideal environments for individuals with Alzheimer’s. Alternatively, your region may have special needs shelters available. Contact the appropriate municipal agency to find out where these shelters are, and to register in advance, if need be.

Assemble the emergency supplies your loved one needs.

Every family should have basic emergency supplies available, including potable water, non-perishable food, flashlights, extra batteries, and a battery-operated radio. When a loved one needs continuous care because of Alzheimer’s disease, extra emergency supplies are needed. These may include:

  • Legal papers
  • Medical records
  • Insurance information
  • Contact information for physicians
  • Extra medication
  • Medical identification items
  • Incontinence products
  • Durable medical equipment

Additionally, you should have a recent photo of your loved one, just in case he or she gets lost.

At Avalon Memory Care, nothing is more important to us than the safety, health, and quality of life of our residents. The staff at our assisted living locations in Dallas, Houston, and Arlington would be happy to discuss disaster preparedness with the families we serve. You can get in touch at (214) 752-7050.

See More Articles

  • Visiting Your Aging Parent With Memory Loss at Avalon Memory Care

    As a loving son or daughter, you naturally want the best of care for your senior parent. The compassionate assisted living caregivers at Avalon Memory Care want you to know that while your parent is living with us, he or she will receive nothing less than respectful, loving care within our comfortable, safe, and fully-staffed

  • Celebrating New Year’s Day in Memory Care

    Families often find that celebrations with their loved ones in memory care are easier when they embrace new traditions. For instance, it may not be practical to expect your loved one to stay up until midnight on New Year’s Eve. Instead, consider throwing a New Year’s Day celebration, complete with a countdown to the first

  • Understanding Parkinson’s Disease and Dementia

    Parkinson’s disease is an incurable neurological disorder, with progressively worsening complications. Perhaps the most well-known symptom of Parkinson’s is a hand tremor, but it can also cause speech changes, muscle rigidity, and impaired posture. Eventually, as the disease progresses, more than half of all individuals with Parkinson’s will require dementia care. This particular type of

Testimonials

“Since my mother has lived at Avalon, I have had peace of mind for the first time since Alzheimer’s began to exact its terrible price from my mother’s life. Thank you for your part in making our lives better.”
Daughter | Ft. Worth, TX
“I just wanted to let you know how much I appreciate the care and love afforded to my mom over the last two weeks. Your success in finding such quality people has my gratitude and respect.”
Daughter | Dallas, TX
“We are very pleased with all of the efforts that your caring staff has made to smooth this traumatic transition.”
Son | Plano, TX
“I know my husband had the very best care in his final days. I regret that I did not know about Avalon sooner.”
Wife | Dallas, TX
“Mom spent the final 8 months of her life in Avalon Memory Care in Allen. The staff was great. There was rarely a day that my brother or I did not come by and they were always friendly to us and did their best to make mom comfortable and happy. We really appreciated them for everything they did.”
Daughter | Allen, TX
“Making the decision to place my mother in residential memory care was the hardest thing I think I have ever done. But living at Avalon has been the best thing for her at this stage of her life.”
Daughter | Allen, TX
“My grandmother has lived at Avalon Memory Care for 6 months now. I cannot speak highly enough about the warmth, dedication, and caring compassion of the staff. They always make us feel welcome and go out of their way to work with us to accommodate grandma’s needs.”
Grandson | Arlington, TX
“My grandmother spent her final days at Avalon and we couldn’t have asked for a better place to care for her. The caregivers are attentive and kind, and many of them have been with Avalon for years. If you are looking for a place to love on you and your family in a season that is inevitably difficult, Avalon is a wonderful choice.”
Granddaughter | Arlington, TX
“We are delighted with the facility of Avalon Memory Care. We just placed Grandma in an apartment with them and couldn’t be happier. It is clean and well-lit, and everyone greets us, down to the folks who clean up.”
Granddaughter | Arlington, TX

Schedule a Tour

Visit one of our 30+ campuses and experience our unique approach to memory care.

Book Now

Careers at Avalon

Explore our wide range of
career opportunities!

Learn More