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National Preparedness Month: Prepare to Protect
During National Preparedness Month, USAging encourages our members to provide tips and resources to the older adults they serve, to help them prepare for emergencies and disasters.
We're kicking off this month to highlight resources your AAA can share with older adults in your community on the importance of making a plan before, during and after a disaster happens. Disasters can strike without warning, but there are steps older adults and their caregivers can take to prepare themselves. However, it is important to remember that quickly changing circumstances often necessitate that people deviate from their plans and improvise when necessary—no matter how prepared they may be.
The Eldercare Locator, administered by USAging and funded by ACL, offers fact sheets, links and other useful information to help older adults, caregivers and professionals navigate emergency situations. Check out the brochure, Helping Older Adults Weather the Storm Before, During and After Disasters, which your AAA can share to offer steps older adults and caregivers can take to prepare themselves before, during and after a disaster. If a loved one lives far away, the Staying "IN TOUCH" in Crisis Situations brochure outlines how families can stay in touch with older loved ones and be prepared when a crisis situation occurs.
Additionally, FEMA's Ready campaign offers resources, social media toolkits, graphics and videos available to share and promote family and community disaster planning now and throughout the year.