In most northern regions of the United States during the winter, bad weather can hamper one’s ability to get to their destination. Snowfall, especially during blizzards, can make road impassable and they can actually become closed to anyone except ‘essential’ personnel. So are home care services determined to be essential personnel?
That all depends on what services the particular individual is providing to the elderly patient. They may very well be, but what if your grandmother only requires some assistance at times during the day? What happens if the in home care provider can’t make it to her home during bad weather in the winter?
First, with today’s modern meteorological technology, most of us are not caught off guard by major storms. We know days in advance that a storm is on the way, and can make the proper preparations to ensure that we have all of the provisions that we need. When you know that your elderly loved one will be snowed in by a major storm, you want to make sure that he or she will have everything that they need during that time and for a couple of days afterward. In the northeast in the winter of 2013, more than 3 feet of snow fell in a twenty-four hour period, which effectively closed roads for days. Many of them were impassable for up to 72 hours.
If your elderly loved one requires more direct care, then it may be prudent to hire a live in caregiver for a couple of days, if that’s possible. The home care services agency that you hire will be able to tell you what, if any, provisions they generally make when it comes to bad weather, and what would happen if the roads were impassable for a period of time. They may be able to send a caregiver to your loved one’s home to spend a couple of days, or they may recommend that your loved one be admitted to a nursing home or other facility before the storm hits, just for a couple of days until the roads are cleared, and to make sure that electrical service is working at their home.
When it comes to bad weather during the winter months, there’s no reason why you can’t, or shouldn’t, be prepared. Don’t expect home care services to make all of the arrangements as they generally have hundreds of patients in their care at any given time. Make a few phone calls on behalf of your elderly loved one, and you’ll rest more comfortably knowing that they will be safe this winter.
If you have a loved one who could benefit from home care services in San Ramon CA, contact the caregivers at Hillendale Home Care. We help seniors and their families with many levels of home care service. Call (925) 933-8181 for more information.
