With an aging population, developing disaster plans that properly consider the needs of the elderly is a growing concern. Often facing impaired mobility, chronic health conditions, and mental, social or economic limitations that can restrict the ability of the elderly to respond to emergencies without assistance, according to an article in McKnight’s Senior Living.
Recent legislation and regulations have helped to push forward these considerations in planning, with long-term care providers and suppliers subject to the new emergency preparedness rules imposed by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. These new rules were designed considering the approaches of FEMA, and look to establish a national standard for response to disasters, in coordination with local and federal agencies.
Additional rules have also been imposed at the state level, with Florida creating new standards for assisted living communities and nursing homes, requiring them to maintain generators capable of running air conditioning for at least four days after an incident.
Comparatively, California introduced a new bill in September of 2018, requiring senior living communities within the state to maintain an evacuation chair at each stairwell to assist residents with limited mobility.
While California and Florida are ahead of the pack in introducing these new bills, as populations continue to age in other parts of the country, the integration of the considerations of the elderly in disaster planning will only grow.
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