Caring for Someone with Dementia in a Disaster
If You Know a Disaster is About to Occur
- Get yourself and the person with Alzheimer’s to a safe place.
- Alert others (friends, family, medical personnel) to the fact that you are changing locations, and give them your contact information. Contact them as regularly as you can as you move.
- Be sure there are people other than the primary caregiver who have copies of the person with dementia’s medical history, medications and physician information.
- Purchase extra medications.
Advance Preparations
Safe Return
As a precaution, register your loved one in the Alzheimer’s Association Safe Return program.
- Safe Return is an identification and support program that provides assistance for a person with Alzheimer’s who wanders off and becomes lost, either locally or far from home.
- If you are already registered in Safe Return, make sure personal contact information, medicines needed and doctor information are updated with the program.
Emergency Kit
Consider preparing an emergency kit in advance. Keep it in a watertight container and store it in an easily accessible location. Your emergency kit might include:
- Easy-on flotation devices, such as Floaties armbands
- Easy on/off clothes (a couple of sets)
- Velcro shoes/sneakers
- Back-up eyeglasses
- Incontinence products
- Wipes
- Lotion (good for soothing the person)
- Pillow, toy or something else to hug
- Favorite items or foods, liquid meals
- Supplies of medication
- Extra identification items for the person, such as an ID bracelet or clothing tags
- Copies of legal documents, such as power of attorney
- Copies of medical documents that indicate the person’s condition and current medications
- Copies of insurance and Social Security cards
- Zip-lock bags to hold medications and documents
- Physician’s name, address and phone numbers
- Alzheimer’s Association phone number and address and Safe Return phone number
- Recent picture of the person with dementia
Tips for If You are Relocated
In an emergency, people with dementia and their caregivers may find themselves uprooted or displaced to alternative living arrangements. Extra care and attention must be made to ensure the health and safety of the people with dementia. The change of location, plus unfamiliar noises and activities, may cause them increased stress and confusion. And, certain behaviors of persons with Alzheimer’s may puzzle or alarm others.
Be calm and supportive
- Remain flexible, patient and calm - a person with dementia will respond to the tone you set.
- Respond to an emotion being expressed by the person. Ask, “Are you feeling frightened?” Offer your hand or a hug.
- Don’t leave the person with Alzheimer’s alone. Don’t ask a stranger to watch the person. A person who doesn’t understand Alzheimer’s disease and its effects, and who doesn’t know you or the person, won’t understand how to react in a difficult situation.
Create a safe environment
- Try to spend extra time with the person to help him or her adjust to the new environment.
- As much as possible, try to maintain daily routines.
- Use simple sentences to indicate the need to stay where you are. Divert attention to a new topic. For example, “I know you want to go home. For now, we need to stay here. Let’s see if we can get some lunch.”
- As appropriate, inform people around you that the person has memory loss.
- Limit news media exposure to the disaster.
Take care of your loved one and yourself
- Ensure proper nutrition and hydration.
- Make it a priority to find a doctor and pharmacy.
- Find a good listener – seek spiritual support.
Last Modified: Tuesday, 08-May-2007 16:04:27 EDT