Disaster Preparedness For Seniors

The casualties and destruction of recent tornado, cyclone and earthquake tragedies in our Midwest, the coastal areas of Myanmar and southwest interior China are so staggering as to be almost incomprehensible to most of us exposed to an occasional severe hurricane in central Florida. Advanced warnings and individual preparation often spare us such a catastrophic impact of nature's fury.
With that hope in mind, the Florida Department of Elder Affairs has released its annual disaster preparedness guide for the hundreds of thousands of older residents who receive the official publication of the agency, the Elder Update. It covers such eventualities as hurricanes, wildfires (which have plagued the state recently), floods, tornadoes, lightning and thunder. It also deals with hazardous materials and pandemic flu.
Dr. E. Douglas Beach, secretary of the Department of Elder Affairs, notes that preparation begins with a plan. "Each family needs to establish a plan for its protection during a disaster," he writes in the guide. "This plan should include the actions you will take and where you will go in case of evacuation. Share your plan with other family members so they know what to expect.
"As part of your plan, you should also organize a disaster preparedness kit that will sustain you and your family for three to seven days."
To that end, the guide includes a disaster supplies kit checklist. It includes the first-aid supplies that should be included; the medicines and medical equipment to have available; the sanitation and hygiene supplies that should be on your list; the tools and equipment to have on hand; the food and water supplies to include; the clothes and bedding supplies that are necessary; photocopies of important papers to have handy; and pet supplies for those who have pets.
Explanations of such things as the various categories of hurricanes; the difference between a hurricane watch and a warning; flood insurance options; what are hazardous materials and how to protect yourself from them; and what to do to obtain recovery assistance are among the helpful items included.
Perhaps the most important items in the guide are the phone numbers for all kinds of help. Among the most important are the Florida emergency information line, 1-800-342-3557, and the special needs registries for each county. For this area, the number for Hernando is 352-754-4083, for Pasco is 727-847-8959, or for Citrus is 352-746-6555.
If you don't already receive the Elder Update, you can subscribe to the free publication by contacting the Department of Elder Affairs at 850-414-2000 or writing to the department at 4040 Esplanade Way, Tallahassee, Fla., 32399-7000 or to Elder Update at P.O. Box 6750, Tallahassee, Fla., 32314-6750.
Shifting from natural disasters to the fiscal situation facing our state, as well as others, the Florida AARP concludes that the Legislature managed to avoid the worst cuts targeting such senior-friendly programs as those for the medically needy and Medicaid nursing homes.
By drawing on state reserves, lawmakers agreed to provide care for 19,500 men and women in the Medically Needy program, which provides care for those who lack health coverage but have slightly too many assets to qualify for Medicaid, according to Lori Parham, the state director of AARP. The Legislature also saved a program that helps 24,000 frail elders and disabled individuals age 65 or older, who are not eligible for Medicare, to get services in their homes and communities.
The lawmakers abandoned a proposal to eliminate state standards for certified nursing care for those confined to nursing homes but did cut $163 million in Medicaid nursing home reimbursements from the state budget.

If you have questions about any issue connected with aging, except medical conditions, please write to Life to the Fullest, Hernando Today, 15299 Cortez Blvd., Brooksville, Fla. 34613, or send e-mail to adontaft@yahoo.com