Senior Living News

Since 2004, September has been National Preparedness Month. Ready.gov notes that it's a time for individuals and organizations to prepare themselves to face unplanned events, mostly those associated with man-made or natural disasters. And while the residents and staff of Autumn View Gardens in Ellisville don't have to worry about issues such as earthquakes or hurricanes, unplanned events and weather issues can arise. Taking time to prepare yourself and your assisted living apartment can make a big difference when unplanned issues — big or small — occur.

The Benefit of an Assisted Living Community

A great benefit of an assisted living community is that a lot of preparation work is handled on your behalf by caring, expert staff. Ready.gov recommends that individuals learn lifesaving skills, including CPR, in preparation for the unplanned. And while it's never a bad idea to have such skills or keep a first-aid kit in your own residence, know that the staff at Autumn View Gardens keeps up with their own training and is always prepared to help in the event of a minor or major emergency.

Staying Prepared Yourself

While you can rely on staff to work to keep you safe during various events and assist with things like evacuation or immediate medical needs, not every unplanned event is a large disaster. You can plan ahead to deal with minor inconveniences and issues well within your own assisted living apartment.

Here are just a few steps you might consider taking toward better preparedness.

• Invest in a few LED flameless candles, battery-operated lanterns or flashlights. Stash one in each room or area of your apartment so you can quickly illuminate the space should the power go off briefly during a storm or other incident. Easy access to lighting reduces the chance that you might trip or fall if you need to move about during a power outage.
• Be aware of your surroundings. Learn all the ways in and out of the assisted living community so you're not caught unaware if you need to leave during an incident.
• Keep communication devices well charged at all times. It's easy to let a mobile phone languish with 15 percent power, especially if you don't use it regularly. But if an issue arises — whether it's personal or a larger-scale emergency — you may need an immediate way to communicate with someone, and you won't have time to search for the power cord.
• Don't let your medications run out. Life happens quickly, and you may realize you're on your last pill the day you're supposed to enjoy a family outing or take a short trip. Rushing to get medications refilled can be a real hassle when you have other plans, and it can be downright impossible during an emergency. Keep medications and any other items you need to care for your health well-stocked. You can reach out to the Autumn View Gardens staff for help with medication management to ensure you always have a good supply on hand.
• Keep assisted devices in places you can find and easily reach. If you need a cane or walker to get around, keep it nearby in a safe place. If you need a reaching device to help you navigate the items in your assisted living apartment, find a place to keep it where you'll always be able to find it. During an unplanned or urgent event, you may be stressed or nervous, making it more difficult to find items that aren't in their normal locations.

While almost every day at Autumn View Gardens is an enjoyable, normal day, life and emergencies do happen. The staff works constantly to ensure they're prepared to meet your needs during any such events, but by taking some small preparedness steps now, you can help reduce the impact of unplanned events on your own life.