THE READY CAMPAIGN FOR SENIORS

Program Description

“Preparing Makes Sense for Older Americans. Get Ready Now. The likelihood that you and your family will recover from an emergency tomorrow often depends on the planning and preparation done today. While each person’s abilities and needs are unique, every individual can take steps to prepare for all kinds of emergencies from fires and floods to potential terrorist attacks.”

“Individuals and families must have a financial plan to face emergencies, big and small.”
-ready.gov

The Ready Campaign for Seniors encourages seniors to be aware of the different types of disasters which could affect their area and the appropriate response such as evacuation or shelter in place.

Seniors can take the following steps to be prepared for an emergency or disaster:

Prepare an emergency supply kit ahead of time with food supply, can opener, water, medicine, blanket, shoes, coats, flashlights, copies of important documents such as deeds, insurance policies, contact information for friends and family, and other essential supplies in a backpack or a bag with wheels.

The Ready Campaign for Seniors suggest that older adults create a support network of family, friends and others who will be able to help during an emergency. Seniors should notify trusted individuals where where emergency supplies and medicines are kept.

Older adults should plan ahead for pet or service animal care or shelter.

Seniors should consider changing Social Security or other benefits to electronic payments in case mail service is disrupted.

Older adults can become empowered by getting involved in their community and taking actions to prepare for emergencies such as joining a Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) for disaster response training.

FEMA has a guide on How to build an Emergency Preparedness Kit along with a very helpful guide on how considering how to financially handle a natural disaster or emergency to build an Emergency Financial First Aid Kit which covers financial literacy, setting aside an emergency savings account for emergencies or disasters, keeping a list of accounts, bills, passwords, photos and video of home for home insurance purposes, car insurance, legal documents on a hard drive and filing wills and living wills with health care professionals, regular review of insurance policies and being aware of identity theft,scams.
source:ready.gov

Aging Programs
Senior Safety
Elderly Emergency Response

WATCH VIDEO ON THE READY CAMPAIGN FOR SENIORS

WATCH VIDEO ON EMERGENCY FINANCIAL FIRST AID KIT

Find out more about The Ready Campaign for Seniors