Hurricane Season is only six days away!

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – May 26, 2011 – Hurricane season is only days away, and a University of Florida researcher says that planning is important for everyone, but especially for older adults or their caretakers.
Hurricane season begins June 1 and preparations can take a little longer and require a bit more attention to detail for older adults and their caregivers, says UF’s Linda Bobroff, a family, youth and community sciences professor who helped update a disaster preparation guide.The guide, called Disaster Planning Tips for Older Adults, is for anyone planning for disaster, but it includes special recommendations that apply to older adults.For example, the guide notes that everyone in hurricane-prone areas needs, ideally, a two-week supply of drinking water – one gallon per person, per day, and more if you have pets. But because older adults become dehydrated more easily, it’s a good idea to store more water than recommended. It also suggests that planners make sure the jugs aren’t too heavy, and a sanitized two-liter plastic soda bottle might be a better option than gallon jugs. Caps should be easily removed by someone with arthritis.Everyone needs a three- to five-day nonperishable food supply, the guide says, but for older adults, dietary needs such as low sodium or high fiber foods should be considered. Smaller cans of food that can be eaten at one meal or as a snack are helpful, because older adults are more vulnerable to food-borne illness. And make sure you have a manual can opener.
It’s vital for families to talk about disaster scenarios before they happen, Bobroff says. If a family has already decided what to do in an emergency, it can save precious time that would otherwise be spent debating whether or not to go and haggling over what to bring.“You have to talk about it,” she says. “Just knowing that if the roof blows off, or if we start to get flooded, we’re leaving – having the plan already mapped out helps.”
Carolyn Wilken, a UF associate professor emeritus, and Emily Minton, program coordinator for UF’s Elder Nutrition and Food Safety Program, also contributed to the update.For more information on preparing for disasters, visit the Extension Disaster Education Network (EDEN).© 2011 Florida Realtors®