Summer is full of long days, fun in the sun, and social events galore, but it can be a particularly hazardous time for our elderly. Here are a few tips for keeping Grandma safe:

• Avoid being outside in the worst heat of the day (usually 10am-4pm) Older folks' internal thermostats can't regulate their body temperature as easily as ours can, so they are more sensitive to heat exhaustion or heat stroke. Their skin is also thinner and they can burn more easily.
  

• Make sure elderly relatives are drinking enough water, especially if they are on blood pressure medication. Not only can they become dehydrated very easily, but early stages of the problem can cause their blood pressure to drop when they stand, putting them at risk for falls.
  

• Ask them when they last had a tetanus booster. An adult needs a tetanus booster every 10 years, or sooner if he gets a bad skin injury. Since many elderly do not go in for regular physicals, their tetanus immunity can wane, putting them at risk for the infection. A tetanus infection is usually fatal, and those that live through it can be neurologically devastated. We do have tetanus in this area. Several cases are reported each year, most of which are in the elderly.
  

• Try to find out if they are taking their medications as directed. Late summer is when many of our elderly hit their "donut hole" in terms of prescription coverage. Unfortunately, quite a few of them just quietly stop taking their medications until January and the start of a new coverage year. Many hospitalizations and even deaths in the elderly come as a consequence of this.
  

• Encourage the use of insect repellent when outside. Mosquitoes and ticks can carry diseases that are particularly dangerous to the elderly.

Summer is a great season. Let's keep it a safe one for our elder population.

-Barbara Dunn, MSN

Editor's note: This is the second in a three part series telling you how to begin devising an emergency evacuation plan for the elderly.

In the last issue of Elder Law Update I stressed the absolute importance of starting on a written evacuation plan for older loved ones. I also promised to discuss some specific areas you must consider. These may seem obvious, but you must think through and plan for each.

Mobility Needs

Label every single piece of durable medical equipment (DME) no matter how recognizable you think it is. Walkers and canes packed into a van or bus begin to look the same.

Is an electric scooter needed? Be sure to plan for an extra battery. A dead battery is useless, whether going by private or public transportation. Does the vehicle have the means to transport the scooter? Too often families face having to leave the scooter behind. If a wheelchair is necessary, will it fit in the trunk or back seat and who has the upper body strength to load it?

Planning to take mom or dad home with you? If so, are there mobility barriers where you are going? How will your loved one bathe, negotiate the front stairs, or fit the wheel chair through the bathroom door? Do the bathrooms have grab bars and are there scatter rugs that need to come up?

Communication Needs

Eyeglasses and hearing aids can be a problem during an evacuation. Be sure to plan for an extra pair of eyeglasses along with the prescription. Even with a prescription, replacing broken or missing glasses hundreds of miles from home is time consuming and difficult at best. Don't forget to label the glasses in some way. Does your loved one wear a hearing aid? Take along plenty of batteries-you can't predict how long your loved one will be gone.

Medication Needs

Have a current, accurate, list of all medications. Keep it updated. During a hurricane evacuation is not a good time to be asking "Is Dad really on this medication or was it discontinued at the last visit?"

Have a current list of your loved one's medical providers. Even then, your loved one's primary physician will likely evacuate too and may not be reachable for medication issues. What plans do you have for a back up provider? Consider one of the web based vehicles that make medical records available no matter where you are (www.medicalsummary.com is one example). If medications are running low, will the pharmacy plan permit an early, emergency, refill?  Some will, some will not. Ask your pharmacy, and then put it in your plan.

Next month, in the last installment of this series, I'll point out a few very important and overlooked items . . . and I'll point you to some great resources.


Barbara Dunn, MSN, is owner of Elder Care of Coastal Georgia, as well as Chair of the Disaster Services Committee of the Savannah Chapter of the American Red Cross. You may email comments and questions to Barbara by clicking HERE.