About 80% of older adults have at least one chronic condition that makes them more vulnerable than healthy people during a disaster. These chronic conditions – combined with the physiological, sensory, and cognitive changes experienced as part of aging – result in frail older adults having special needs during emergencies. Planning and coordination among public […]
Abstract Topics: Emergency Preparedness
Emergency management: expanding the disaster plan. Ross KL, Bing CM.
A comprehensive emergency management plan (CEMP) is key to minimizing the disruption of patient care and services during and after a natural or man-made disaster. The home health nurse can play a key role in enhancing, expanding, and evaluating the effectiveness of the organization’s disaster plan. The components of a CEMP and lessons learned from […]
Hurricane emergency planning by home health providers serving the poor.
Five agencies providing home health care to indigent populations in New Orleans, Louisiana were evaluated in terms of emergency planning and implementation. This was to help improve response to community disasters for indigent populations. Preparation for Hurricane Katrina was examined looking at interaction with local and state departments of health. It was found that the […]
Caregivers and families in medical special needs shelters: an experience during Hurricane Rita.
INTRODUCTION: Local public health departments may assume responsibility for sheltering and providing care for medically needy populations displaced by disasters. In addition, medical special needs shelters will inevitably house persons not requiring medical assistance. The presence of nonpatients may help or hinder shelter operations. This analysis examines the composition, demographics, and medical requirements of a […]
Natural disasters and older US adults with disabilities: implications for evacuation.
We analysed 2003 and 2004 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) data from New Orleans-Metairie-Kenner, LA to produce estimates of the number of community dwelling people aged 65 years or older with a disability and requiring special equipment.(4) Approximately, 47,840 (31.6 per cent) older adults with a disability and 24,938 (16.6 per cent) older adults […]
Protecting nursing home residents during emergencies or disasters: an exploratory study from South Carolina.
PURPOSE: This is an exploratory study of nursing home preparedness in South Carolina intended to: (1) examine nursing home administrators’ perceptions of disaster preparedness in their facility in the absence of an immediate emergency or disaster, and changes in their views about preparedness following a large disaster; (2) study whether administrators’ knowledge of shortcomings in […]
Challenges and opportunities of nursing care in special-needs shelters.
Hurricanes Katrina and Rita forced many individuals along the coast of Texas and Louisiana to seek shelter inland. Among the evacuees were residents with special needs and residents of nursing homes and group homes caring for mentally retarded and physically disabled persons. Many nurses volunteered to provide health care for those in need. This article […]
Assessing emergency preparedness of families caring for young children with diabetes and other chronic illnesses.
PURPOSE: To help children with chronic illnesses and their caregivers assess emergency preparedness. CONCLUSIONS: Little work has been done to ascertain patient adherence levels to these recommendations. Additionally, little is known about the seeking patterns of healthcare providers and/or changes in interventions based on certain elements of emergency preparedness, such as the presence of medical […]
Rapid assessment of health needs and resettlement plans among Hurricane Katrina evacuees–San Antonio, Texas, September 2005.
Hurricane Katrina struck the coastal regions of Alabama, Florida, Louisiana, and Mississippi on August 29, 2005, resulting in one of the worst natural disasters in U.S. history. The city of New Orleans, Louisiana, was further damaged by severe flooding when major levees broke and released water from Lake Pontchartrain. Residents were evacuated to neighboring states […]
Bioterrorism and Emergency Preparedness in Aging (BTEPA): HRSA-funded GEC collaboration for curricula and training.
Frail elders living alone or in long-term care settings are particularly vulnerable to bioterrorism and other emergencies due to their complex physical, social and psychological needs. This paper provides an overview of the recent literature on bioterrorism and emergency preparedness in aging (BTEPA); discusses federal initiatives by the health resources and services administration (HRSA) to […]