December 19, 2025 • 15 mins
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Emergencies rarely announce themselves, and when you live alone, those first few minutes can set the tone for everything that follows. We walk through a practical, step-by-step approach to staying safe at home—without sacrificing independence. From a simple one-page plan to realistic gear and smart routines, you’ll learn how to feel calm, prepared, and in control when the unexpected hits.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
SPEAKER_00 (00:33):
Welcome back to the Aging in Place Directory podcast
where we talk about practicalways to stay safe, independent,
and comfortable as we age, rightin our own homes.
I'm your host, Robin Schultz,and today we're diving into a
topic that might literally saveyour life: emergency
preparedness.
Now I know preparing foremergencies isn't nearly as fun
(00:56):
as shopping for a new whateverpiece of furniture or clothing,
or watching an episode of yourfavorite TV show, but if you're
living alone or you know someonewho is, being prepared isn't
just smart, it's reallyessential.
Whether it's a storm, a poweroutage, a medical emergency, or
even a wildfire, having a plancan mean the difference between
(01:20):
panic and peace of mind.
So grab a notebook or even yourphone because by the end of this
episode you'll have astep-by-step plan for how to
make your home and yourselfready for almost any situation.
Let's start with the big why.
Why is emergency preparedness soimportant for seniors who live
(01:41):
alone?
When we're younger, it's easierto take quick responses for
granted, running downstairs tocheck a breaker box, calling a
neighbor, or even driving to ashelter.
But as we age, mobility, vision,and stamina can change.
Something as simple as a fallduring a power outage or a
(02:01):
slippery fur floor, sorry,during a burst pipe emergency,
can quickly become serious whenno one else is home.
And emergencies happen moreoften than you think.
The Red Cross reports that olderadults are more likely to be
affected by disasters, notbecause they're less resilient,
but because they often facegreater challenges with
(02:24):
evacuation, accessingmedication, or communicating
during chaos.
So let's get practical.
Step number one is building anemergency plan.
This doesn't have to becomplicated.
In fact, a good plan fits righton a single sheet of paper.
Here's what it should include.
Your emergency contacts.
(02:46):
You should list at least threepeople, a local friend or a
neighbor, a family member out ofstate, and one trusted contact
for medical updates.
You want to put on there basichealth information, a current
medication list, allergies,doctors' names, and your
preferred hospital.
You also want to list escaperoutes.
(03:08):
Note at least two ways to exityour home safely.
One might be through a door, theother a window, or a secondary
egress, and then list meetingpoints.
If you do need to leave homesuddenly, decide where you'll
go.
Maybe a friend's house, a nearbycommunity center, a shelter, or
even a predetermined parking lotnearby.
(03:30):
Keep a printed copy on yourfridge or in a visible location.
At the same time, keep a digitalcopy saved on your phone under
the word or title emergencyinfo.
Now, if you have neighbors youtrust, tell them where you keep
your spare key or ask if theycan check on you during bad
weather or after power outages.
(03:51):
It's not about giving up yourindependence, it's about
ensuring that you're never trulyalone in an emergency.
In the next segment, we're goingto talk about creating a home
emergency kit.
So let's talk about everyone'sfavorite prepper item, the
emergency kit.
(04:12):
Think of your kit as yourindependence box.
It buys you time and safetyuntil help arrives or things
return to normal.
Here's what your emergency kitshould include.
A three day supply of nonperishable food, things you can
eat without cooking like proteinbars, canned soups, and fruit
cups.
(04:32):
A three day supply of water.
You should have at least onegallon per person per day, and
don't forget about water foryour pets.
Add that in as well.
You should have a batterypowered or crank radio excuse me
for updates.
A flashlight and extrabatteries, a first aid kit with
medical supplies including extracopies of your prescriptions,
(04:56):
personal hygiene items likewipes and hand sanitizer, extra
clothing like warm socks and ablanket, and a list of emergency
phone numbers includingutilities, local shelters, and a
power company, your local powercompany.
Now if you use medical deviceslike an oxygen machine or a
CPAP, it's essential to plan forpower outages.
(05:20):
Some devices have portablebattery backups.
If yours doesn't, talk to yourequipment provider about backup
options.
A good rule of thumb is to checkyour kit twice a year, replace
expired foods, rotate batteries,and make sure medications are up
to date.
You can even make it fun.
Have a preparedness Saturdaytwice a year to restock and
(05:43):
check items like changing yourclocks for daylight savings
time.
It's a similar principle.
Power outages are one of themost common emergencies for
people living alone, and let'sbe honest, they're also one of
the most frustrating.
The moment the lights flickeroff, confusion sets in.
Where's the flashlight?
(06:03):
Did I charge my phone?
How long is this going to last?
Here's how to make sure you'reready next time.
Charge ahead.
Keep your cell phone, tablet,and medical devices fully
charged during storm warnings.
Have a battery backup or powerbank that's fully charged and
available.
There are models that can chargephones several times and they
(06:25):
would make a worthy investment.
You want flashlights notcandles.
Candles are a fire risk.
Battery operated lanterns orbattery operated candles or tap
lights are far safer.
Keep your refrigerator closed.
A fridge will keep food safe forabout four hours, longer if the
(06:47):
door stays shut.
Stay warm or cool safely.
In winter, use blankets andlayered clothing rather than
small space heaters unlessthey're rated for indoor use.
In summer, hydration is key.
Open interior doors for airflowand avoid direct sunlight.
If power outages last longerthan twenty four hours and you
(07:10):
have breathing or difficultiesor mobility needs, call your
power company's priority serviceline.
Many utilities have speciallists that prioritize restoring
service to people with medicaldevices whenever possible.
Now let's talk about personalemergencies, the kind that can
(07:30):
happen any day of the week, notjust during natural disasters.
Falls, sudden illness, ordizziness can make it impossible
to reach a phone in time.
That's why personal emergencyalerts, those help button
systems, are a smart option foranyone living alone.
Modern versions are discrete,wearable as pendants or
(07:51):
wristbands, and many connectdirectly through a cell signal,
even if you don't have alandline.
Some even detect falls.
I would tell you to make surethat if you get one of those you
do not get one that iscancelable.
We have a friend whose fatherwas seriously injured because he
(08:13):
fell in his assisted livingapartment, he pressed the
emergency help button, nobodyresponded for the you know a
minute or so, and he panickedand pressed it again and
canceled the signal.
So he ended up laying there formore than four hours until his
daughter came and found him.
So do not get one with acancelable signal.
(08:35):
You also want to keep a phone inevery major room if possible,
including the bedroom and thebathroom.
And don't hesitate to ask afamily member or friend to test
your alert system once a month.
It builds confidence that it'llwork when needed.
I would also tell you to keepyour cell phone on you, on your
(08:56):
person, in a your pocket or in afanny pack or something.
My mother fell and she broke hershoulder.
She was not able to get up offthe floor in the kitchen and the
phone was three feet above heron the counter, but she couldn't
reach it.
Had no way of calling my dad whowas out for a couple of hours,
(09:16):
and so she laid there with abroken shoulder for hours till
he came back.
I know I'm a lot of I have a lotof good news today, don't I?
Anyway.
If keeping a phone in everymajor room isn't possible, um
you'll want to at least makesure that you have some way to
contact somebody.
Like I said, keep your personalcell phone on your person.
(09:39):
Make sure that emergencyresponders can enter your home
quickly as well.
A locked door can delay gettinghelp, so consider installing a
lockbox with the spare key andshare the access code with
trusted people, or install asmart door lock that has remote
access options.
So let's shift to biggeremergencies, the ones that can
(10:02):
impact your entire community.
If you live in areas prone tohurricanes, tornadoes, or winter
storms, keep an ear out forlocal alerts.
Weather radars can broadcastemergency instructions even if
cell networks go down.
And make sure you always have adesignated safe space in your
home, like an interior roomthat's away from windows.
(10:24):
You want to keep sturdy shoesnearby in case you need to walk
over debris if you're trying toevacuate.
And if you must evacuate, youwant to grab your go bag, which
includes or should includemedications, IDs, credit card,
phone, charger, and a spare pairof glasses.
If you're going to experienceflooding in your area, move
(10:47):
electronics and valuables tohigher shelves just in case the
flooding affects you.
Never wade through moving water.
Just six inches of moving watercan knock you over.
So also if you are advised toevacuate, go early.
Waiting increases your risk,especially if mobility is
limited or transportationoptions are few.
(11:10):
Now let's talk about fires.
For house fires, every secondmatters.
Make sure your smoke alarms areworking and test them monthly.
Keep an extinguisher withinreach of the kitchen, but don't
risk fighting a large fire byyourself.
Instead, get out and call nineone.
Create a simple fire evacuationplan and know at least two ways
(11:31):
out of your home.
Then practice that routeannually.
Next we're going to talk aboutcommunication and information
during emergencies.
Knowing what's happening duringan emergency can calm your fears
and guide your decisions.
So you want to sign up for localemergency alert systems.
Many counties will send texts orvoice notifications about
(11:55):
weather events, shelteropenings, or road closures.
You want to keep a batterypowered or hand crank radio
handy for official news.
If you use hearing aids, makesure to keep extra batteries or
rechargeable batteries in yourgo bag.
And make sure your neighbors,friends, and relatives know how
to reach you.
Even a quick check in textduring bad weather can make all
(12:18):
the difference.
And don't forget your furry andfeathered family members.
Pets rely on us completely inemergencies, so keep a small pet
emergency kit as well.
Included, bottled water,medications, a leash, copies of
vet records, identify petfriendly shelters because not
(12:39):
all shelters will allow pets,and identify pet friendly hotels
in your area ahead of time.
If you have to evacuate, neverleave your pets behind thinking
you'll come back soon.
If conditions worsen, that maybe the end of your pet.
Alright, let's touch ontechnology, because there's
fantastic tools that can helpmake emergency preparedness
(13:01):
easier than ever.
You have smart home devices likeAlexa or Google Home that can
call emergency contacts ifthey're set up properly.
There's medical ID apps onsmartphones that allow first
responders to access your healthinfo even on a locked device.
There's text message alerts thatcan reach you faster than phone
(13:22):
calls during disasters.
If you have vision or hearingimpairment, look into getting
vibration-based alert systems orvisual smoke alarms.
Technology can't replace humancare, but it can be the bridge
that helps you get to safetyfaster.
And even with all the bestplanning and equipment, one
(13:42):
thing still matters the most andthat's people.
Isolation can quickly underminesafety.
So it's invaluable to build whatI like to call a care circle.
This could be a trusted neighborwho checks in weekly or a friend
who texts you during storms, ora church or senior center that
adds you to their emergencyreach out list.
(14:04):
Many local area agencies onaging offer free wellness checks
for older adults that are livingalone.
These programs exist in citiesacross the US and they're worth
looking into as well.
Alright, let's talk aboutreviewing your plan, because an
emergency plan only works ifit's current.
So every six months, check tosee are your phone numbers and
(14:28):
medical information stillcorrect.
Have your medications changed?
Are your neighbors or caregiversavailable?
And practice things like firedrills and getting out of your
house.
It makes it much easier to notpanic if there's an issue.
Alright.
Thank you for joining me.
(14:49):
We're at the end of the episode.
So thank you for joining me.
If you found it helpful, pleaseshare the episode with a friend
and leave a comment if there isif you have anything to say.
Sorry.
And as always, we'd like you tostay safe and stay connected and
keep living well.
Thank you for tuning in.
(15:09):
Take care.
Bye.
Welcome back to the Aging in Place Directory podcast
where we talk about practicalways to stay safe, independent,
and comfortable as we age, rightin our own homes.
I'm your host, Robin Schultz,and today we're diving into a
topic that might literally saveyour life: emergency
preparedness.
Now I know preparing foremergencies isn't nearly as fun
(00:56):
as shopping for a new whateverpiece of furniture or clothing,
or watching an episode of yourfavorite TV show, but if you're
living alone or you know someonewho is, being prepared isn't
just smart, it's reallyessential.
Whether it's a storm, a poweroutage, a medical emergency, or
even a wildfire, having a plancan mean the difference between
(01:20):
panic and peace of mind.
So grab a notebook or even yourphone because by the end of this
episode you'll have astep-by-step plan for how to
make your home and yourselfready for almost any situation.
Let's start with the big why.
Why is emergency preparedness soimportant for seniors who live
(01:41):
alone?
When we're younger, it's easierto take quick responses for
granted, running downstairs tocheck a breaker box, calling a
neighbor, or even driving to ashelter.
But as we age, mobility, vision,and stamina can change.
Something as simple as a fallduring a power outage or a
(02:01):
slippery fur floor, sorry,during a burst pipe emergency,
can quickly become serious whenno one else is home.
And emergencies happen moreoften than you think.
The Red Cross reports that olderadults are more likely to be
affected by disasters, notbecause they're less resilient,
but because they often facegreater challenges with
(02:24):
evacuation, accessingmedication, or communicating
during chaos.
So let's get practical.
Step number one is building anemergency plan.
This doesn't have to becomplicated.
In fact, a good plan fits righton a single sheet of paper.
Here's what it should include.
Your emergency contacts.
(02:46):
You should list at least threepeople, a local friend or a
neighbor, a family member out ofstate, and one trusted contact
for medical updates.
You want to put on there basichealth information, a current
medication list, allergies,doctors' names, and your
preferred hospital.
You also want to list escaperoutes.
(03:08):
Note at least two ways to exityour home safely.
One might be through a door, theother a window, or a secondary
egress, and then list meetingpoints.
If you do need to leave homesuddenly, decide where you'll
go.
Maybe a friend's house, a nearbycommunity center, a shelter, or
even a predetermined parking lotnearby.
(03:30):
Keep a printed copy on yourfridge or in a visible location.
At the same time, keep a digitalcopy saved on your phone under
the word or title emergencyinfo.
Now, if you have neighbors youtrust, tell them where you keep
your spare key or ask if theycan check on you during bad
weather or after power outages.
(03:51):
It's not about giving up yourindependence, it's about
ensuring that you're never trulyalone in an emergency.
In the next segment, we're goingto talk about creating a home
emergency kit.
So let's talk about everyone'sfavorite prepper item, the
emergency kit.
(04:12):
Think of your kit as yourindependence box.
It buys you time and safetyuntil help arrives or things
return to normal.
Here's what your emergency kitshould include.
A three day supply of nonperishable food, things you can
eat without cooking like proteinbars, canned soups, and fruit
cups.
(04:32):
A three day supply of water.
You should have at least onegallon per person per day, and
don't forget about water foryour pets.
Add that in as well.
You should have a batterypowered or crank radio excuse me
for updates.
A flashlight and extrabatteries, a first aid kit with
medical supplies including extracopies of your prescriptions,
(04:56):
personal hygiene items likewipes and hand sanitizer, extra
clothing like warm socks and ablanket, and a list of emergency
phone numbers includingutilities, local shelters, and a
power company, your local powercompany.
Now if you use medical deviceslike an oxygen machine or a
CPAP, it's essential to plan forpower outages.
(05:20):
Some devices have portablebattery backups.
If yours doesn't, talk to yourequipment provider about backup
options.
A good rule of thumb is to checkyour kit twice a year, replace
expired foods, rotate batteries,and make sure medications are up
to date.
You can even make it fun.
Have a preparedness Saturdaytwice a year to restock and
(05:43):
check items like changing yourclocks for daylight savings
time.
It's a similar principle.
Power outages are one of themost common emergencies for
people living alone, and let'sbe honest, they're also one of
the most frustrating.
The moment the lights flickeroff, confusion sets in.
Where's the flashlight?
(06:03):
Did I charge my phone?
How long is this going to last?
Here's how to make sure you'reready next time.
Charge ahead.
Keep your cell phone, tablet,and medical devices fully
charged during storm warnings.
Have a battery backup or powerbank that's fully charged and
available.
There are models that can chargephones several times and they
(06:25):
would make a worthy investment.
You want flashlights notcandles.
Candles are a fire risk.
Battery operated lanterns orbattery operated candles or tap
lights are far safer.
Keep your refrigerator closed.
A fridge will keep food safe forabout four hours, longer if the
(06:47):
door stays shut.
Stay warm or cool safely.
In winter, use blankets andlayered clothing rather than
small space heaters unlessthey're rated for indoor use.
In summer, hydration is key.
Open interior doors for airflowand avoid direct sunlight.
If power outages last longerthan twenty four hours and you
(07:10):
have breathing or difficultiesor mobility needs, call your
power company's priority serviceline.
Many utilities have speciallists that prioritize restoring
service to people with medicaldevices whenever possible.
Now let's talk about personalemergencies, the kind that can
(07:30):
happen any day of the week, notjust during natural disasters.
Falls, sudden illness, ordizziness can make it impossible
to reach a phone in time.
That's why personal emergencyalerts, those help button
systems, are a smart option foranyone living alone.
Modern versions are discrete,wearable as pendants or
(07:51):
wristbands, and many connectdirectly through a cell signal,
even if you don't have alandline.
Some even detect falls.
I would tell you to make surethat if you get one of those you
do not get one that iscancelable.
We have a friend whose fatherwas seriously injured because he
(08:13):
fell in his assisted livingapartment, he pressed the
emergency help button, nobodyresponded for the you know a
minute or so, and he panickedand pressed it again and
canceled the signal.
So he ended up laying there formore than four hours until his
daughter came and found him.
So do not get one with acancelable signal.
(08:35):
You also want to keep a phone inevery major room if possible,
including the bedroom and thebathroom.
And don't hesitate to ask afamily member or friend to test
your alert system once a month.
It builds confidence that it'llwork when needed.
I would also tell you to keepyour cell phone on you, on your
(08:56):
person, in a your pocket or in afanny pack or something.
My mother fell and she broke hershoulder.
She was not able to get up offthe floor in the kitchen and the
phone was three feet above heron the counter, but she couldn't
reach it.
Had no way of calling my dad whowas out for a couple of hours,
(09:16):
and so she laid there with abroken shoulder for hours till
he came back.
I know I'm a lot of I have a lotof good news today, don't I?
Anyway.
If keeping a phone in everymajor room isn't possible, um
you'll want to at least makesure that you have some way to
contact somebody.
Like I said, keep your personalcell phone on your person.
(09:39):
Make sure that emergencyresponders can enter your home
quickly as well.
A locked door can delay gettinghelp, so consider installing a
lockbox with the spare key andshare the access code with
trusted people, or install asmart door lock that has remote
access options.
So let's shift to biggeremergencies, the ones that can
(10:02):
impact your entire community.
If you live in areas prone tohurricanes, tornadoes, or winter
storms, keep an ear out forlocal alerts.
Weather radars can broadcastemergency instructions even if
cell networks go down.
And make sure you always have adesignated safe space in your
home, like an interior roomthat's away from windows.
(10:24):
You want to keep sturdy shoesnearby in case you need to walk
over debris if you're trying toevacuate.
And if you must evacuate, youwant to grab your go bag, which
includes or should includemedications, IDs, credit card,
phone, charger, and a spare pairof glasses.
If you're going to experienceflooding in your area, move
(10:47):
electronics and valuables tohigher shelves just in case the
flooding affects you.
Never wade through moving water.
Just six inches of moving watercan knock you over.
So also if you are advised toevacuate, go early.
Waiting increases your risk,especially if mobility is
limited or transportationoptions are few.
(11:10):
Now let's talk about fires.
For house fires, every secondmatters.
Make sure your smoke alarms areworking and test them monthly.
Keep an extinguisher withinreach of the kitchen, but don't
risk fighting a large fire byyourself.
Instead, get out and call nineone.
Create a simple fire evacuationplan and know at least two ways
(11:31):
out of your home.
Then practice that routeannually.
Next we're going to talk aboutcommunication and information
during emergencies.
Knowing what's happening duringan emergency can calm your fears
and guide your decisions.
So you want to sign up for localemergency alert systems.
Many counties will send texts orvoice notifications about
(11:55):
weather events, shelteropenings, or road closures.
You want to keep a batterypowered or hand crank radio
handy for official news.
If you use hearing aids, makesure to keep extra batteries or
rechargeable batteries in yourgo bag.
And make sure your neighbors,friends, and relatives know how
to reach you.
Even a quick check in textduring bad weather can make all
(12:18):
the difference.
And don't forget your furry andfeathered family members.
Pets rely on us completely inemergencies, so keep a small pet
emergency kit as well.
Included, bottled water,medications, a leash, copies of
vet records, identify petfriendly shelters because not
(12:39):
all shelters will allow pets,and identify pet friendly hotels
in your area ahead of time.
If you have to evacuate, neverleave your pets behind thinking
you'll come back soon.
If conditions worsen, that maybe the end of your pet.
Alright, let's touch ontechnology, because there's
fantastic tools that can helpmake emergency preparedness
(13:01):
easier than ever.
You have smart home devices likeAlexa or Google Home that can
call emergency contacts ifthey're set up properly.
There's medical ID apps onsmartphones that allow first
responders to access your healthinfo even on a locked device.
There's text message alerts thatcan reach you faster than phone
(13:22):
calls during disasters.
If you have vision or hearingimpairment, look into getting
vibration-based alert systems orvisual smoke alarms.
Technology can't replace humancare, but it can be the bridge
that helps you get to safetyfaster.
And even with all the bestplanning and equipment, one
(13:42):
thing still matters the most andthat's people.
Isolation can quickly underminesafety.
So it's invaluable to build whatI like to call a care circle.
This could be a trusted neighborwho checks in weekly or a friend
who texts you during storms, ora church or senior center that
adds you to their emergencyreach out list.
(14:04):
Many local area agencies onaging offer free wellness checks
for older adults that are livingalone.
These programs exist in citiesacross the US and they're worth
looking into as well.
Alright, let's talk aboutreviewing your plan, because an
emergency plan only works ifit's current.
So every six months, check tosee are your phone numbers and
(14:28):
medical information stillcorrect.
Have your medications changed?
Are your neighbors or caregiversavailable?
And practice things like firedrills and getting out of your
house.
It makes it much easier to notpanic if there's an issue.
Alright.
Thank you for joining me.
(14:49):
We're at the end of the episode.
So thank you for joining me.
If you found it helpful, pleaseshare the episode with a friend
and leave a comment if there isif you have anything to say.
Sorry.
And as always, we'd like you tostay safe and stay connected and
keep living well.
Thank you for tuning in.
(15:09):
Take care.
Bye.
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