Creating a Caregiver “Emergency Kit”

Senior Care in McKinney, TX – When Unexpected Routine Changes Happen, Be Ready

As a caregiver for elderly parents the only thing you can really expect is that you never know what is coming. Even if you have gotten into a consistent care routine, emergencies and sudden needs can arise, meaning you have to change your plans and take care of these needs. This may mean having to sit in a waiting room for a long period of time, being called to help your elderly loved one unexpectedly, or getting stuck in traffic while running errands. Whatever the situation is, having an emergency kit packed and ready makes it easier to get over the bump in your care plan and back to routine.

Pack your caregiver emergency kit in a sturdy backpack, duffle, or tote bag to protect the contents and make it easy to stow in your vehicle or in a closet in your home so you can grab it whenever you need it. This kit is in addition to the regular emergency kit you should keep in your care at all times to handle breakdowns or weather emergencies.

Some of the items you should keep in your “emergency kit” include:

• Snacks. An empty stomach makes any situation worse. Make sure your emergency kit contains non-perishable snacks to help you power through a situation that keeps you from eating meals on time. Make sure you opt for high-protein, low-sugar snacks that will satisfy your hunger and give you high-quality energy as opposed to candy or snack cakes that might give you a spike of energy but will eventually leave you with even less energy than you already have

• Water. Dehydration makes you feel tired, cranky, and weak. It also makes it harder to focus and shortens your temper. Keep water on hand so you can sip throughout the day and stay hydrated. Avoid leaving regular plastic bottles of water in a hot car for long periods as some believe that the heat causes chemicals in the plastic to release into the water. Instead, store water in mylar pouches or pour filtered water into aluminum bottles

• Entertainment. Nothing makes a day drag like unexpectedly sitting in a waiting room for hours and having nothing to do but stare at the wall. Pack your kit with entertainment like a deck of cards, a few paperbacks, Sudoku or crossword puzzles, and even a pad and pen so you can make notes of thoughts that go through your mind

• Communication. Do not get stranded by the side of the road and not have any way of contacting your partner or roadside assistance company for want of a phone charger. Make sure you have an extra charger or an emergency battery booster so you can charge up your phone wherever you happen to be so you never end up out of touch. Consider buying a hot spot booster that creates your own area of secure internet access so your tablet or computer can connect for emails, social media, and other internet needs

• Information. When emergencies strike it can be harder to remember basic information you could easily remember in other situations. Keep a small notebook or even a laminated sheet that contains all of the important information you may need when facing urgent circumstances, such as emergency contact numbers, the phone number of your parents’ home care provider or home care agency, insurance information, Social Security numbers, doctors’ names, and allergy information.

If you or an aging loved one are considering senior care in McKinney, TX and the surrounding areas, contact Approved In Home Care at 972-212-5343 today.