What To Expect from A Senior Community During A Natural Disaster

Every senior community is required by law to have a plan in place in the incident that a natural disaster occurs. The plan should include having adequate supplies of food, water, and medicine, transportation arrangements, and agreements with other communities for evacuation purposes. In addition, senior communities are required to have an agreement with another community outside of their region to come up with an evacuation plan.

Senior communities do all they can to ensure that residents are safe at all times and that their families have peace of mind. Balfour Senior Living tells you what you can expect from their senior communities in Colorado during a natural disaster.

What happens during a mandatory evacuation?

In the event of a mandatory evacuation, all residents must be relocated to another community. Families have the option to take their loved ones home or keep them in the evacuated community, where they will receive continuous care from familiar staff. The receiving community is equipped with the necessary supplies and essentials to sustain the evacuees during and after the storm.

An official representative of our senior community will inform families and caregivers of the evacuation details, including the destination and transportation plans. Transportation is arranged ahead of time as part of the disaster preparedness plan, and accompanying staff from the evacuating community ensures a smooth and familiar transition for the residents.

How do I ensure my parent is getting the care they need?

Before weather events and storms, senior living communities have a comprehensive staffing plan in place. They designate which staff members will remain on-site during the storm and which staff members will provide relief after the storm has passed. At Balfour Senior Living, we ensure that we plan out the most efficient and safe way to manage staffing during natural disasters.

Additionally, corporate and regional staff may be deployed to assist affected communities and offer support with tasks such as meal preparation, hosting activities, and healthcare needs.

Will I be able to communicate with my loved one?

We inform families about any mandatory evacuation orders and share the evacuation plans with them, including if any residents will go home with family. We also communicate the plan for during the storm, such as if power or communication is lost, giving families confidence in the community’s plan and understanding that there may be a lack of communication for several days.

What happens afterward?

After the event, the official representative will communicate the storm’s impact to families and let them know when it’s safe to visit their loved ones. The staff will work to restore routine operations, replenish supplies, repair any damage, and clean up after the storm, during a busy post-emergency period.

Senior Communities in Colorado

At Balfour Senior Living, the safety of our residents is always a top priority. If you are interested in our senior communities in Colorado or Michigan for your older loved one and would like to inquire about our safety plans, call our staff to have your questions answered.