July 22, 2023
Across the United States, weather patterns are leading to a lot of firsts. Vermont had a 100-year flood that devastated many communities. States like Arizona, Nevada, New Mexico, California, and Texas are dealing with weeks of triple-digit temperatures. When heat and summer storms arise, is your mom going to know what to do to stay safe?
Your mom insists on checking her garden. Do that during the cooler morning or evening. She needs to avoid being outside in the hottest hours of the day, which is usually from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Your mom should have a few escape routes from her home. If it’s flooding and coming into her front door, she needs an escape route through a back door. Make sure she has a neighbor she can go to for help.
If lightning hits her house and starts a fire, she shouldn’t call 9-1-1 from her house. She should get to a neighbor’s house and call for help from there. If that’s not possible, she needs to be at a safe distance from her home and any propane tanks. Once she’s in a safer area, she can call for help.
Some older adults hate leaving their homes or pets. If there is an evacuation warning, make sure your mom listens and takes action. If authorities evacuate her area, she should attempt to stay or go back to her home to get one more thing before she leaves. It’s too risky.
If she has pets and won’t leave without them, make sure she knows that most shelters will allow her to bring pets as long as they’re in a crate or on a leash. Pets will go to a shelter for proper care or even stay with her. She just needs to ask and make sure they’re going to be safe, too.
What happens if a storm knocks out your mom’s power for days? Make sure she has a supply of non-perishable foods and water bottles. She can eat what’s in her refrigerator while it’s still cold, but after that, she needs to dispose of anything refrigerated and switch to non-perishable goods.
Is it time to ensure your mom has someone to help out each week? Home care aides can stop by, see how your mom is doing, and make sure she has food, water, electricity, and working AC. Her caregiver can help her refill prescriptions and get to a shelter or cooling station if she’s too hot, at risk of flooding, or near a wildfire.
You may live states away and feel helpless when the weather is creating stressful situations in your mom’s town, but that doesn’t have to happen. Arrange for home care to help out and ensure your mom is safe and on her way to you or another family member.
If you or an aging loved one are considering hiring Home Care in Squirrel Hill, PA, please contact the caring staff at In-Home Quality Care today. Serving the Greater Pittsburgh Area since 1990! Call 412-421-5202
