caregiving must include emergency planning

Caregiving demands a Stoic indifference to your own existence as a way of life. I must be slipping because I find myself overpowered trying to absorb the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.

 

New Orleans stands now as if a death's-head. I’m grateful to perpetuate memories of another New Orleans, treasured and safe forever.  

 

Unique disaster challenges faced by people who can no longer care for themselves were dramatically emphasized to us with a one-two punch as our home was 10 miles from the Pentagon during the Sept 11th terrorist attacks and then an F3 tornado tore a path through our community, miraculously jumping over our block, only two weeks later.

 

ANYTHING can happen at ANYTIME. Lessons from September of 2001 influenced caregiving and eventually care facility selection.

 

Do you have copies of medical and legal records? Are they safe? How long a supply of medicine? Water? Food? Batteries? Back-up wheel chair? How would you move someone if you couldn’t use a wheelchair? Are your emergency needs electricity dependent – is a generator appropriate? Not every question may apply to every situation. What ARE your plans?

 

Hurricane Katrina has added another crucial lesson - in a significant city in the numero uno advanced nation in the history of civilization, help can take a long, long time to reach you.