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.

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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