An Emergency Meeting Place for Grandma and Grandpa

Natural disasters and the unexpected things in life are unavoidable. It doesn’t matter where we live – hurricanes, earthquakes, tornadoes, volcanoes or floods are some of the natural disasters we face here in the United States.

As we get ready to celebrate Grandparents day on the 7th, how about putting together a plan for Grandma and Grandpa where the entire family benefits? Do you have a family call plan? For example, who do you call first when there is an emergency? Who would be the second person? Do you have a family call tree in place and is it easily understood and is it written?

Where would you go in case of emergency? How about grandma or grandpa who may be living alone in Wyoming or Wisconsin?

This year’s May snowstorm left Grandma And Grandpa Smith alone in their home without electricity because of the power outage. Thank God they had enough wood to keep warm through the night. Their cell phones and home phone were not working during the power outage. The highway and local roads were closed for about 24 hours. But Grandma Smith put on her best care giving “hat” and helped Grandpa through the storm.

Who would have expected a spring storm? Not Grandma Smith or her family members living in the next town miles away.

Grandma Smith grew up during the Depression and had learned a few things about survival. She always says, “make sure you keep bottled water, canned food, batteries and lots of wood to build a fire for the what if moments.” Her own advice helped her survive during the cold power outage day in May this year.

To many, Grandma Smith is a brave woman. At 79, she has her usual Wednesday morning Bible study in her local church and her daughter visits her every Saturday and together they go to do the weekly food shopping. After the spring power outage, her family decided it was time to have an emergency plan for the family to take care of the “what ifs.”

It is like setting up an emergency call center for the family. Here are a few things in their plan:

1. Suggest everyone purchase an external charger for their cell phones. Make sure Grandma’s phone is always charged and buy Grandma an external battery for her cell phone. Teach Grandma how to use the external battery.
2. Decide in advance where they will  go in case of emergency.
3. Who to call first in case of emergency.
4. Who to call second in case of emergency.
5. A list of things to keep packed in in the pantry in case of emergency.
6. Grandma’s home is well stocked with wood if she has a wood burning stove or fireplace.
7. A designated place that everyone should meet up in case of emergency.
8. Collect family members’ phone numbers and addresses. Give every member the list of phone numbers and addresses, including the designated meeting place.
9. Make a last minute check list… for things to take with: like prescriptions, eye glasses, MD contacts, check books, any cash on hand, medical devices etc.
10.  What about transportation… if driving, where is the extra set of keys… do you keep plenty of gas in the tank for emergencies?

Grandma Sue and Grandpa have a close knit family that works together to take care of her needs. Not all grandmas are in the same situation. What would you do if you lived a few hundred miles away from your grandparents? What if Grandma lives alone with her cat Fluffy? What would happen if there was an emergency like a tornado or hurricane warning?

Does Grandma or Grandpa need a daily check call  in from one of our Keeping IN Touch Solutions friendly Care Callers?

At Keeping in Touch Solutions we are here to serve you… just knowing you don’t have to do it all by yourself is comforting. We call Grandma or Grandpa on your behalf every day just to check in and see if she/he is taking her medications and is doing well.  Let us help you find your peace of mind this Grandparents Day.

A daily check-in call could be the lifeline, the joy you give someone that makes the biggest difference in their perception of what old age is like.

Contact me at 317-480-1038 today. Let’s make a difference together.

I’m Diana Beam, Founder of Keeping in Touch Solutions. It is my heartfelt desire for every person to live a happy and healthy life in the place they call home, no matter what their age. You can’t put a price on peace of mind for your parents and yourself. It’s priceless . . . and significant.

For that reason, the goal of every Keeping In Touch Solutions program is to provide a caring connection and service that both the elderly and their caregivers can rely on to make living that good life easier.