SURVIVING A HURRICANE: Alzheimer's disease
08.09.06
While Floridians stash away bottled water, canned food and batteries in preparation for the next big one, there's one thing they may be forgetting – preparing to care for the elderly and victims of Alzheimer's disease.
Florida has the largest per capita elderly population in the country, with 17.5 percent of Floridians 65 or older in 2005. Additionally, almost 450,000 Floridians are living with Alzheimer's. That amounts to one out of every 10 Alzheimer's sufferers in the U.S. Many people with the disease live at home with loved ones. Caregivers must take extra precautions to care for their loved ones in a hurricane.
“Hurricane season is a reality in Florida,” said Melanie Meyer of Tampa's Johnnie B. Byrd, Sr., Alzheimer's Center & Research Institute. “Alzheimer's sufferers have special needs, and symptoms can worsen in high-stress situations. Caregivers must be prepared now for the challenges their loved ones pose in a disaster.”
HURRICANE PREPAREDNESS TIPS FOR ALZHEIMER'S CAREGIVERS
Don't forget to store or pack the following:
- Bottled water
- Non-perishable food
- 30-day supply of medications
- Extra copies of prescriptions
- Identification and other important documents
- Medical supplies
- Special nutritional items
- Adult diapers
- Hearing aid batteries
- Flashlights and radio with extra batteries
- Cooler with ice
- Changes of clothing
- ID bracelet
- Activity games
If you evacuate:
- Know where you and your loved one will stay in advance. Many shelters cannot adequately care for people with special needs. Make sure your temporary accommodations can handle any supplies or equipment you must bring.
- Know how you will get to your evacuation spot. Make sure you have access to a mode of transportation that can accommodate equipment such as a wheelchair, if necessary.
- Make sure your loved one wears an ID bracelet that lists the contact information for your evacuation spot as well as your home.
Did You Know?
- An individual lives with Alzheimer's on average eight years from the time of diagnosis to death.
- Direct costs of caring for an Alzheimer's patient average $174,000, and 70 percent of that is carried by loved ones, family members and caregivers.
- There is hope! Florida can cure Alzheimer's. Please visit www.byrdinstitute.org and curealzheimersnow.org for more information.
- The mission of the Byrd Alzheimer's Institute is established in statutory language, and more than 80 percent of the Institute's budget is used specifically for these purposes.
- The Institute provides grants for researchers throughout the state of Florida.
- The National Institutes of Health has designated the Byrd Alzheimer's Institute as the only Alzheimer's disease Research Center in Florida, generating more than $7 million in research money. There are only 32 of these centers in the country, and Florida is one of only 21 states with centers that have earned the designation.
Caregivers are Invited!
Caregivers are invited to attend a free hurricane preparedness seminar sponsored by the American Red Cross, Hillsborough County, Sweetbay, and the Byrd Alzheimer's Institute.
Who: Speakers from the American Red Cross, Hillsborough County Emergency Operations, Hillsborough County Aging Services and the Byrd Alzheimer's Institute.
What: Hurricane preparedness seminar with tips, information and disaster and caregiver kits. Respite, giveaways and refreshments provided. (Call 813-866-1610 ext. 4115 to reserve a respite spot.)
Where: Westshore Senior Center, 4102 W. Spruce St., Tampa, FL 33607
When: 10:30 a.m. – 1 p.m., Saturday, Aug. 19, 2006