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Preparing Seniors for Natural Disasters in North and West Vancouver

Preparing Seniors for Natural Disasters in North and West Vancouver
Senior couple stands before the aftermath of a natural disaster | Preparing Seniors for Natural Disasters | Comfort Keepers North and West Vancouver | BLOG POST

What Every Senior in North Vancouver and West Vancouver Needs to Know About Natural Disaster Preparation

A 2014 study revealed less than 25 percent of seniors have an emergency plan. Of those surveyed, one-quarter said they live alone, and one-third were disabled or in poor/fair health.

Preparing Seniors for Natural Disasters | As the seasons change, it’s a good time to evaluate how your family is prepared for emergencies. If you are the caregiver for an older family member, you may need to help your loved one get ready for unexpected events. Since most people over the age of 50 report that they are not prepared for natural disasters, it may fall to families and healthcare providers to help older adults become proactive in their emergency plans. Our older population is most vulnerable at a time of crisis, so getting prepared today means a faster response time and less stress in the future.

Preparing Seniors for Natural Disasters: The Emergency Kit

Your loved one may need to survive alone after a disaster. The general rule of thumb is to create a 3-day supply kit and keep its contents current. You may even want to consider creating a full “stay at home” kit and a lighter “emergency travel” kit with common items your loved one needs. Be sure your loved one knows where the kit is and what supplies are in it.

Recommended Items for The Emergency Kit

  • 3-day supply of non-perishable food and water (1 gallon of water per person, per day for drinking and sanitation)
  • Battery-powered radio or television (include extra batteries)
  • Flashlight (include extra batteries)
  • First aid kit
  • Sanitation and hygiene items (moist towelettes and toilet paper)
  • Matches and candles in a waterproof container
  • Extra clothing
  • Blankets
  • Basic kitchen utensils and a manual can opener
  • Multi-purpose tools, such as a Swiss army knife
  • Cash and coins
  • Whistle to signal for help
  • Medications
  • Medical devices (including hearing aids with batteries, oxygen, and wheelchair batteries)

Preparing Seniors for Natural Disasters: The Emergency Checklist

Along with a general emergency kit, older adults may need additional items to stay organized and safe. With your loved one’s help, create a list of items and information he or she might need in the event of a natural disaster.

The Emergency Checklist Could Include:

  • Names and dosage amounts for all medications
  • Doctor names/locations with phone numbers
  • Pharmacy names/locations with phone numbers
  • Special instructions for care or comfort in case your loved one has limited communication
  • Emergency contact information for family or friends
  • Blood type
  • Duplicates of important documents, including passport, driver’s license, social security card, wills, deeds, financial statements, and insurance information (should be kept in a secure location)
  • Personal care assistance plan (if your loved one receives help from a home healthcare agency, find out how the agency will respond to an emergency and designate backup plans for caregivers)

Preparing Seniors for Natural Disasters: How to Manage Stress

With some natural disasters, there is a time of warning when you can prepare, but there may also be a time to worry. As a possible emergency arises, older people may feel stressed and isolated. Having an emergency plan and a kit can help them feel prepared.

Strategies to Help Manage Stress Could Be:

  • Maintain typical routines, meal patterns, and normal sleep as much as possible.
  • Minimize talk about the disaster and avoid 24-hour news reports on the crisis.
  • Seek out positive activities to pass the time.

Older adults may also want to volunteer or provide assistance to others. This is a great way to showcase their strengths and resilience. Plus, finding ways for them to contribute to the efforts may ease some of the worry and helpless feelings.

As families and caregivers, we want to work together to help our loved ones feel empowered and safe, no matter what emergencies arise. At Comfort Keepers®, we understand that many seniors want to stay in their own homes and feel protected there. By starting preparations today, your loved ones can feel more peace of mind and reassurance that if a crisis happens, they are not alone.

A box being filled with canned goods | Preparing Seniors for Natural Disasters | Comfort Keepers North and West Vancouver

The Best Senior Home Care in North and West Vancouver is Comfort Keepers®

Our senior home care agency offers in-home care focusing on aging in place. Our services include dementia care, end-of-life care, post-surgery care, and palliative care. Comfort Keepers can assist seniors with living transition services, personal care, companionship care, and more! 

Quality and Accredited Elderly Care: Happier, Healthier, and at Home with 24/7 Senior Care Opportunities!

Do you need a home care solution for yourself or a loved one? Have you been thinking about retirement homes and their alternatives as a solution? Comfort Keepers® enables seniors to maintain happy, healthy lives in the comfort of their own homes. In-home care services are available in North Vancouver, West Vancouver, and the surrounding areas.

Comfort Keepers® is a Senior Care Agency That Can Make a Difference with Interactive Caregiving™

Our in-home caregivers ensure our senior clients have the best quality of life. The Interactive Caregiving™ program ensures that a senior’s safety, nutrition, mental well-being, and everyday needs are met. This program brings joy and good health to each client’s home.

Comfort Keepers® North Vancouver and West Vancouver Can Help with In-Home Elderly Care Services!

If you are concerned about the health and well-being of a loved one we can help! Comfort Keepers offers 24-hour care and delivers top-quality and compassionate care for seniors.  We are dedicated to safety technology solutions that foster independence and enhance well-being.

Locally Owned and Operated Home Health Care Agency

Our care centers around companionship for seniors. Empathetic care originates from the soul and allows us to meet our client’s requirements. The seasoned in-home caregivers employed by Comfort Keepers are carefully chosen based on their empathetic qualities.  

Contact the Comfort Keepers® North Vancouver and West Vancouver office at (604) 998-8806 to learn more about our unique in-home care solutions for seniors.

Comfort Keepers is an Accredited Senior Care Agency in North and West Vancouver, BC

Accreditation is a rigorous process that involves industry experts evaluating an organization’s processes, policies, and procedures. Comfort Keepers® North and West Vancouver has been awarded Exemplary Standing by Accreditation Canada. This achievement recognizes that Comfort Keepers® meets or exceeds the stringent quality standards for Home Care companies established by Accreditation Canada. 


References:

  • Abrahms, Sally. “A Caregiver’s Natural Disaster Prep List.” AARP.org. Web. 10 May 2012.
  • Soglin, Becky. “UI study: Older adults in U.S. not prepared for natural disasters.” Iowa Now. Web. 25 March 2014.
  • Sollitto, Marlo. “12 Tips to Prepare the Elderly for Disasters.” AgingCare.com. Web. 20 June 2015.
  • “Preparing Makes Sense for Older Americans. Get Ready Now.” Ready.gov. Web. 1 July 2015.
  • Tralle, Minnell L. “Before a Natural Disaster: Planning and Preparing Tips for Older Adults.” University of Minnesota Extension. Web. May 2015.
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COVID-19 Precautions – An Update from Comfort Keepers® North Vancouver and West Vancouver, BC

COVID-19 Precautions – An Update from Comfort Keepers<sup>®</sup> North Vancouver and West Vancouver, BC
Senior woman with caregiver both wearing mask | COVID-19 Precautions - An Update From Comfort Keepers | Comfort Keepers North & West Vancouver | BLOG POST

What Every Senior and Caregiver Needs to Know About COVID-19 Precautions

Are you prepared with COVID-19 Precautions?  You likely have heard a lot of information in the news about the Novel Coronavirus, called COVID-19. In recent days the growth of this virus has risen. Comfort Keepers is a company dedicated to compassionate and healthy care, and we have been actively monitoring the progression of the virus. We are also diligently following the guidelines and guidance of the BC Center for Disease Control (BC CDC). These include the COVID-19 Precautions the organization recommends.

We believe that home remains the safest place for you or your loved one. Indicators show that the virus spreads more quickly in larger groups or public settings. Possible exposure to the virus will remain low for those who can stay home with limited outside contact.

For this reason, we feel fortunate to be able to provide care that can keep people at home and limit their exposure through personalized care and support. 

The COVID-19 Precautions Employed by Comfort Keepers® North Vancouver and West Vancouver:

Most cases of COVID-19 present as mild and cause little more than a fever and cough. however, a small percentage of more severe cases may progress more quickly. This is particularly true for the elderly and those with underlying medical conditions. Because this is the primary population that we serve, we understand you may have concerns. For that reason, we want to share with you how our organization is responding to the threat of COVID-19.

Comfort Keepers® follow the COVID-19 Precautions, updates and procedures from the British Columbia  CDC, Vancouver Coastal Health and other local agencies and resources. We are vigilant about our need to help protect our staff and clients from illness be it COVID-19, the flu or any other communicable disease.

Comfort Keepers® COVID-19 Precautions: Protocols and Procedures

  1. Caregivers are trained in infectious disease control.
  2. Should not care for those who exhibit signs of or have tested positive for the virus as a safekeeping measure for themselves and their other clients and families.
  3. Have an established protocol to stay home if they are ill with any sickness to not infect any of our clients or their family members.
  4. Follow hygiene procedures directed by the CDC, including vigorous and frequent handwashing with soap and water, use of sanitizing gels (with 70% alcohol level or higher), use of disinfectant wipes to frequently wipe down surfaces, proper coughing and sneezing techniques, disposal of any items that may have virus or bacteria, and much more.
  5. Will report if any of our staff or their clients show signs of COVID-19 – we will then isolate and quarantine, as necessary, abiding by national and local guidelines.

COVID-19 Precautions: 10 Tips to Protect Yourself and Your Family

Tip #1 – Hygiene:

Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, including under the nails. Use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer that contains at least 70% alcohol if soap and water are not available.

Tip #2 – No touching:

Avoid touching your eyes, nose, or mouth as these are entry points for the virus.

Tip #3 – Avoid germs:

Avoid contact with people who are sick.

Tip #4 – Use a tissue:

Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when you cough or sneeze, then throw the tissue in the trash and wash your hands.

Tip #5 – Disinfect:

Regularly clean and disinfect objects and surfaces, such as cell phones, telephones, TV remotes, doorknobs, faucet handles, steering wheels, counters and tabletops.

Tip #6 – Healthy diet:

Eat well, drink lots of water and get rest to keep your immune system healthy.

Tip #7 – Be prepared:

Have a family emergency preparedness plan that includes care coverage and backup support as part of your COVID-19 Precautions.

Tip #8 – Stay Home:

Stay at home and away from others if you are feeling ill.

Tip #9 – Social Distance:

Avoid crowds and, wherever possible, practice “social distancing” by remaining at a distance of six feet away from strangers, as recommended by the CDC.

Tip #10 – Disclose Underlying Issues:

If you have underlying medical issues that put you in the high-risk category, avoid large public gatherings or other places outside the home. Limit your contact with others. Maintain a distance of 6’ from others where possible.

COVID-19 Precautions: Contingency Planning for You or Your Loved One

  1. Depending on the severity of the spread of illness in communities or the response taken by national and state authorities (ex., mandatory isolation, closure of schools, etc.), our staffing levels may be affected.
  2. We will make every effort possible to provide our clients with safe and appropriate care and seek to avoid cancelling shifts. However, we cannot guarantee this will not occur given the uncertainties about this situation.
  3. At all times, we strongly recommend that our clients have alternative arrangements for the provision of care in the event we are unable to provide services. We encourage you to begin considering and putting into place backup plans now, as the severity of the spread of this illness and planned interventions is still uncertain.

You can learn more about COVID-19 Precautions here.

The Best Senior Home Care in North and West Vancouver is Comfort Keepers®

Our senior home care agency offers in-home care focusing on aging in place. Our services include dementia care, end-of-life care, post-surgery care, and palliative care. Comfort Keepers can assist seniors with living transition services, personal care, companionship care, and more! 

Quality and Accredited Elderly Care: Happier, Healthier, and at Home with 24/7 Senior Care Opportunities!

Do you need a home care solution for yourself or a loved one? Have you been thinking about retirement homes and their alternatives as a solution? Comfort Keepers® enables seniors to maintain happy, healthy lives in the comfort of their own homes. In-home care services are available in North Vancouver, West Vancouver, and the surrounding areas.

Comfort Keepers® is a Senior Care Agency That Can Make a Difference with Interactive Caregiving™

Our in-home caregivers ensure our senior clients have the best quality of life. The Interactive Caregiving™ program ensures that a senior’s safety, nutrition, mental well-being, and everyday needs are met. This program brings joy and good health to each client’s home.

Comfort Keepers® North Vancouver and West Vancouver Can Help with In-Home Elderly Care Services!

If you are concerned about the health and well-being of a loved one we can help! Comfort Keepers offers 24-hour care and delivers top-quality and compassionate care for seniors.  We are dedicated to safety technology solutions that foster independence and enhance well-being.

Locally Owned and Operated Home Health Care Agency

Our care centers around companionship for seniors. Empathetic care originates from the soul and allows us to meet our client’s requirements. The seasoned in-home caregivers employed by Comfort Keepers are carefully chosen based on their empathetic qualities.  

Contact the Comfort Keepers® North Vancouver and West Vancouver office at (604) 998-8806 to learn more about our unique in-home care solutions for seniors.

Comfort Keepers is an Accredited Senior Care Agency in North and West Vancouver, BC

Accreditation is a rigorous process that involves industry experts evaluating an organization’s processes, policies, and procedures. Comfort Keepers® North and West Vancouver has been awarded Exemplary Standing by Accreditation Canada. This achievement recognizes that Comfort Keepers® meets or exceeds the stringent quality standards for Home Care companies established by Accreditation Canada.