10 Crisis Preparedness Tips for People Over 65

Tip 1: Maintain a 30-Day Medication Supply

For many older adults, prescription medications are not optional extras — they're essential for daily function and survival. Running out of medication during a crisis is one of the most serious risks seniors face.

Action: Ask your physician for 90-day prescriptions (or 30-day if 90 isn't covered). Always refill when you reach 2 weeks remaining — not when you run out. This creates a rotating buffer.

Document each medication: name, dose, prescribing physician, pharmacy. Keep this list in your go-bag and share it with a trusted family member or neighbor.

Tip 2: Prepare for Temperature Extremes

Older adults have reduced ability to regulate body temperature. This makes heat waves and cold periods genuinely more dangerous:

For heat:

Know the coolest room in your home (north-facing, shaded)
Stock an electric fan and know it's accessible
Keep lightweight clothing available
Identify a cool destination (library, shopping center) if home becomes dangerously hot

For cold:

Extra blankets easily accessible
Warm layers (thermal underwear) in your storage
Know how to seal a small room for heat retention
Have someone who checks on you if heating fails

Tip 3: Build a Check-In Network

Social isolation is both a crisis preparedness problem and a general health risk for older adults. Having people who check on you is protective in multiple ways.

Practical steps:

Exchange phone numbers with at least 2-3 neighbors
Establish a regular check-in schedule with family or a friend (a brief call or text every 1-2 days)
Register with local social services' welfare check programs if available in your municipality
Know your neighbors well enough that they would notice if something seemed wrong

Tip 4: Simplify Your Go-Bag for Your Actual Mobility

Standard go-bag advice assumes you can carry 8-12 kg comfortably. Many older adults cannot. A simplified go-bag that you can actually carry is better than a comprehensive one you can't.

Simplified go-bag priorities:

Medications (most important)
Identification documents
Phone and charger/power bank
Cash
Water (500ml-1L is manageable; larger quantities can be transported in a rolling bag)
1-day food supply

If you have mobility limitations, a rolling suitcase rather than a backpack may be more practical for evacuation.

Tip 5: Address Medical Device Dependencies

If you use medical devices — CPAP, oxygen concentrator, home dialysis, insulin pump — their power requirements must be addressed in your crisis plan.

Questions to answer:

How long does each device run on battery backup?
Where is the nearest facility that can provide this care if your device fails?
Does your utility company have a medical priority program for power restoration? (Register if yes.)
Is there a battery or portable version of your critical device?

Discuss this with your physician and your utility company before a crisis.

Tip 6: Create a Simple Information Card for Emergency Responders

If you have a medical emergency and cannot communicate, emergency responders need information quickly.

Medical information card (carry in wallet, post on refrigerator — standard in Germany):

Name: ___________
Date of Birth: ___________
Blood Type: ___________
Medical conditions: ___________
Medications: ___________
Allergies: ___________
Emergency contact: ___________
Physician: ___________

The refrigerator is the standard location for this in Germany (Notfallpass am Kühlschrank). Emergency responders are trained to check there.

Tip 7: Prepare for Potential Evacuation Assistance Needs

If evacuation is needed and you have mobility limitations, proactive planning matters more for you than for physically mobile younger adults.

Plan specifically:

Who will assist you in an evacuation? Name them explicitly, confirm their agreement.
Does your building have evacuation assistance protocols for residents with mobility limitations?
Is there a community transportation network or emergency transport for people who can't drive?
If you drive: confirm your vehicle can carry everything you need

Don't discover during a crisis that your evacuation plan assumes capabilities you don't have.

Tip 8: Store Food and Water in Accessible Locations

A 14-day food supply stored in a basement or high shelf that requires climbing isn't practically accessible. Store your emergency supplies where you can actually reach them:

Shelf height appropriate for your reach and strength
Container weight you can lift
Location accessible without stairs if mobility is limited
Clear labeling in readable font size

Your emergency supplies help you only if you can physically access them when you need them.

Tip 9: Keep a List of Important Numbers Written Down

Your phone stores all your contacts — until it's lost, broken, or dead. Older adults who grew up before smartphones often had phone books. The modern equivalent for emergencies: a written list.

On a card in your wallet:

Emergency services: 110, 112
Family contacts (2-3 most important)
Physician contact
Pharmacy contact
Municipal emergency services number
A neighbor who can help

Tip 10: Involve Adult Children in Your Plan

If you have adult children, involve them in your crisis preparedness plan — not to create dependence, but to ensure coordination.

What they should know:

Your medication list
Location of your go-bag and documents
Your preferred destination if you need to evacuate
Who checks on you regularly

What you should know:

Can they come help if there's an emergency?
What is realistic? (If they live 3 hours away, they can't help in the first 24 hours)
What are their plans so you're not in conflict during a crisis?

The goal is coordination, not control. Your preparation is primarily your own responsibility. But coordination with family makes everyone more effective.