Preparing Older Adults
Older adults are hit hardest when heating, lifts, water pumps and pharmacies stop working. Many live alone, depend on daily medicines or need help to move. Good preparation is mostly about people: who checks in, who helps, and what is written down where everyone can find it.
1. Build a support network
- Choose at least two people, a relative and a neighbour, who will check in during any emergency.
- Agree on a daily check-in when the phone network is down: a knock on the door, a note, a light in the window.
- Give one trusted person a spare key.
- Tell your home care service or doctor who your contacts are.
2. Medicines and health
- Keep at least one week of extra supply of regular medicines when possible. Ask your doctor or pharmacist.
- Write a list of medicines, doses, allergies, conditions and your doctor's number. Keep copies in the kit and on the fridge.
- Keep spare glasses, hearing aid batteries and denture supplies.
- If medicines must be kept cold, ask your pharmacist what to do during a power cut.
3. Heat, cold and power
- Older bodies lose heat and overheat faster. Keep warm layers, blankets and a hat ready in winter, and water and a cool room plan in summer. See Heat and cold waves.
- If you depend on powered equipment, such as oxygen or a powered bed, plan for backup batteries and ask your electricity company whether they keep a list of customers who rely on medical equipment.
- Keep a flashlight by the bed and a battery radio within reach.
4. If you have to leave
- Plan how you will get out if the lift stops. Ask neighbours now who can help on the stairs.
- Keep mobility aids, a walking stick or walker, by the door at night.
- Pack a small go-bag that is light enough to carry, or that a helper can carry.
5. Protect against scams
Fraudsters target older adults during every crisis, pretending to be the bank, the police or a relative in trouble. Agree a family password, and never give codes or passwords on the phone. See Cyberattacks and digital outages.
Checklist
- Two check-in contacts agreed
- Spare key with a trusted person
- Extra medicines and a written medicine list
- Glasses, hearing aid batteries
- Warm layers and a flashlight by the bed
- Battery radio
- Plan for stairs if the lift stops
- Light go-bag
- Family password against scams
Start with Make a Plan and the home kit for 7 days.
Sources
Educational material. Always follow instructions from your local authorities. Last reviewed: November 2026.