An innovative Hurricane Emergency Preparedness Service is now offered by a team of nurses and social workers to seniors in South Florida. After Hurricane Wilma, Rona Bartlestone Care Management & Home Healthcare responded to dozens of seniors and in addition to providing assistance to those in Hurricane Wilmas path, communicated important information to their adult children.
Rona Bartelstone Care Management & Home Healthcare now offers an extensive emergency hurricane preparedness planning service to the general public, for seniors and others who are vulnerable during hurricane season. With this service, a care manager works before the storm to ensure that seniors have a place to go if evacuated. If someone chooses to stay at home, staff make sure they have supplies and medications. Here’s what the service includes:- Providing a comprehensive needs assessment and developing an emergency plan, which might involve supplies for remaining at home or help with signing up for a special-needs shelter, hotel, facility or travel out of town.
- Making arrangements with seniors and communicating to family or other out-of-state emergency contacts.
- Coordinating and purchasing emergency supplies if needed.
- Remaining in contact during a hurricane watch to assure that the emergency plan is properly implemented.
- Calling or visiting as soon as possible after the storm to assure safety and wellbeing. The Bartelstone team will also attempt to reach family members and take steps to address any needs that have arisen during and after the storm.
Additionally, this service gives both the adult children and seniors peace of mind before, during and after the storm.
