Elderly Care Tips: Preparing for Cool Weather Power Outages

Elderly Care in Framingham, MA

While the frequency of serious storms goes down once the summer winds to a close, power outages are still fairly common during the fall weather. The change of seasons, however, can make the experience of a power outage different in the fall than it was in the summer. Preparing for these power outages ensures you can keep your elderly care routine as intact as possible and protect your seniors from the potential hazards that arise from losing power.

You can use these tips from the Massachussetts Office of Public Safety to create a contingency plan in your elderly care routine for if you face a cool weather power outage:

• Invest in a generator. Generators make sure that you get through a power outage barely even noticing that the power goes out. These devices detect when the electricity to the home goes out and kicks on, providing supplemental energy that is not dependent on the power company resources to run. This means if something happens and the power goes out, your aging loved ones will experience only seconds, if any, actual lack of power.
• Back up medical devices. If your aging loved ones use medical devices that require electricity, make sure that you inquire with their doctors or a medical equipment professional about backup methods they can utilize to keep their equipment going, or what to do if they do not have access to supplemental power. Print out these instructions, laminate them, and keep them in a readily accessible area so that you, your parents, or their non-medical home care aide can reference them in this situation.
• Find shelter locations. Most communities have pre-determined locations where organizations will set up shelters for vulnerable populations during extended power outages. Find out the location of these shelters and know the determining factors for when the shelter opens so you can be prepared to bring your parents there if it becomes necessary.
• Have a “safe” room. While power outages are not inherently dangerous, they can be uncomfortable, and they do increase the risk for certain incidents such as fires. Prepare a “safe room” in the home where your parents and their referred caregiver knows to go if there is a power outage. Things you might want to include are: a battery-operated radio, blankets, extra clothing, an emergency kit containing a battery-operated cell phone power booster, non-perishable food, potable water, a first aid kit, any backup medications and treatments, flashlights, flares, and entertainment sources. This room will act as their personal shelter during a power outage, keeping them safe and comfortable, and giving you or their referred caregiver the confidence that they are secure throughout the experience.
• Unplug. If you anticipate a power outage, or as soon as an unexpected one occurs, go through the house and unplug as many appliances and electronics as possible. The sudden surge of energy that comes through when power is restored can cause a spark, igniting a fire, or could destroy the internal workings of some electronics, including computers. Unplugging the items protects against these incidents so you do not have to worry even if you are not at home when the power comes back on.