09/04/2026
Emergencies have a way of reminding us how important it is to have a plan before we actually need one. For older adults, people who spend most of their time at home, and anyone who relies on daily medications or medical equipment, a little preparation can make a stressful situation much easier to manage.
National Preparedness Month is a good time to sit down with a parent, grandparent, spouse, friend, or caregiver and make sure the basics are covered. Do you have an up-to-date list of medications? Are emergency contacts easy to find? Do you have several days of food, water, and other essentials on hand? If someone relies on oxygen or other equipment that needs electricity, is there a backup plan if the power goes out? And if you needed to leave home quickly, do you know how you would get there and where you would go?
These may not be things we think about every day, but taking a few minutes to talk through them now can save a lot of confusion later. Keep important information somewhere that family members or caregivers can find it, and make sure everyone who may need to help knows the plan. You don’t have to have everything figured out today. Pick one thing from the list and start there.
Save this checklist to come back to, and share it with someone you care about. 💜 For additional emergency preparedness information and resources, visit Ready.gov. If you are experiencing an emergency, call 911.
