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Home Safety & Emergency Planning

At Connect Medical Group, we want to make sure that your home medical treatment is done conveniently and safely. Many of our patients are limited in
strength or unsteady on their feet. Some are wheelchair - or bed-bound. These pages are written to give our patients some easy and helpful tips on how
to make the home safe for home care.
Fire Safety and Prevention

  • Smoke detectors should be installed in your home. Make sure you check the batteries at least once a year.

  • If appropriate, you may consider carbon monoxide detectors as well. Ask your local fire department if you should have one in your home.

  • Have a fire extinguisher in your home, and have it tested regularly to make sure it is still charged and in working order.

  • Have a plan for escape in the event of a fire. Discuss this plan with your family.

  • If you use oxygen in your home, make sure you understand the hazards of smoking near oxygen. Review the precautions. If you are not sure, ask your oxygen provider what they are.

  • If you are using electrical medical equipment, make sure to review the instruction sheets for that equipment. Read the section on electrical safety.

Electrical Safety

  • Make sure that all medical equipment is plugged into a properly grounded electrical outlet.

  • If you have to use a three-prong adapter, make sure it is properly installed by attaching the ground wire to the plug outlet screw.

  • Use only good quality outlet “extenders” or “power strips” with internal Circuit breakers. Do not use cheap extension cords.

Safety in the Bathroom

  • Because of the smooth surfaces, the bathroom can be a very dangerous place, especially for persons who are unsteady.

  • Use non-slip rugs on the floor to prevent slipping.

  • Install a grab-bar on the shower wall, and non-slip footing strips inside the tub or shower.

  • Ask your medical equipment provider about a shower bench you can sit on in the shower.

  •  If you have difficulty sitting and getting up, ask about a raised toilet seat with arm supports to make it easier to get on and off the commode.

  • If you have problems sensing hot and cold, you should consider lowering the temperature setting of your water heater, so you do not accidentally scald yourself without realizing it.

Safety in the Bedroom

  • It is important to arrange a safe, well-planned, and comfortable bedroom since a lot of your recuperation and home therapy may occur there.

  • Ask your home medical provider about a hospital bed. These beds raise and lower so you can sit up, recline, and adjust your knees. A variety of tables and supports are also available so you can eat, exercise, and read in bed.

  • Bed rails may be a good idea, especially if you have a tendency to roll in bed at night.

  • If you have difficulty walking, inquire about a bedside commode so you do not have to walk to the bathroom to use the toilet.

  • Make sure you can easily reach the light switches, and other important things you might need throughout the day or night.

  • Install nightlights to help you find your way in the dark at night.

  • If you are using an IV pole for your IV or enteral therapy, make sure that all furniture, loose carpets, and electrical cords are out of the way, so you do not trip and fall while walking with the pole.

Safety in the Kitchen

  • Your kitchen should be organized so you can easily reach and use the common items, especially during your recuperation while you are still a bit weak:

  1. Have a friend or health care worker remove all common small appliances and utensils from cabinets and place them on your counters where you can easily use them.

  2. Have a chair brought into the kitchen to the counter work area if you have difficulty standing.

  3. Make sure you are careful lifting pots and pans. Not only might they be hot, but they can be heavy as well. Use padded mitts to firmly grasp pans and pots on both sides.

  • Ask your kitchen or hardware store about utensils for manually impaired or arthritic persons, including:

  1. Basic electric can openers

  2. Bottle and jar openers

  3. Large-handled utensils

  • When working at your stove, be very careful that intravenous tubing, tube feeding tubing, or oxygen tubing do not hang over the heat. They can be flammable.

Getting Around Safely

  • If you are now using assistant devices for ambulating (walking), here are some key points:

  • Install permanent or temporary guardrails on stairs to give you additional support if you are using a cane or are unsteady.

  • If you are using a walker, make sure that furniture and walkways are arranged to give you enough room.

  • If you are using a walker or wheelchair, you may need a ramp to get into or out of the house. Ramps can be purchased ready-made or may be constructed for you. Talk to your durable medical equipment provider about available options.

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If you have any questions about safety that are not in this booklet, please call us and we will be happy to give you recommendations for your individual needs.

Emergency Planning

This pamphlet has been provided by Connect Medical Group to help you plan your actions in case there is a natural disaster where you live. Many areas of the United States are prone to natural disasters like hurricanes, tornadoes, floods, and earthquakes.
Every patient receiving care or services in the home should think about what they would do in the event of an emergency. Our goal is to help you plan so that we can try to provide you with the best, most consistent service we can during an emergency.
Know What to Expect

  •  If you have recently moved to this area, take the time to find out what types of natural emergencies have occurred in the past, and what types might be expected.

  • Find out what, if any, time of year these emergencies are more prevalent.

  • Find out when you should evacuate, and when you should not.

  • Your local Red Cross, local law enforcement agencies, local news and radio stations usually provide excellent information and tips for planning.

Know Where to Go

  • One of the most important pieces of information you should know is the location of the closest emergency shelter.

  • These shelters are opened to the public during voluntary and mandatory evaluation times. They are usually the safest place for you to go, other than a friend or relative’s home in an unaffected area.

Know What to Take with You

  • If you are going to a shelter, there will be restrictions on what items you can bring with you. Not all shelters have adequate storage facilities for medications that need refrigeration.

  • We recommend that you call ahead and find out which shelter in your area will let you bring your medications and medical supplies, in addition, let them know if you will be using medical equipment that requires an electrical outlet.

  • During our planning for a natural emergency, we will contact you and deliver, if possible, at least one week’s worth of medication and supplies. Bring all your medications and supplies with you to the shelter.

Reaching Us if There Are No Phones

  • How do you reach us during a natural emergency if the phone lines do not work? How would you contact us? If there is warning of the emergency, such as a hurricane watch, we will make every attempt to contact you and provide you with the number of our mobile phone. (Mobile phones frequently work even when the regular land phone lines do not.)

  •  If you have no way to call our mobile phone, you can try to reach us by having someone you know call us from his or her mobile phone. (Many times, mobile phone companies set up communication centers during natural disasters. If one is set up in your area, you can ask them to contact us.)

  • If the emergency was unforeseen, we will try to locate you by visiting your home, or by contacting your home nursing agency. If travel is restricted due to damage from the emergency, we will try to contact you through local law enforcement agencies.

An Ounce of Prevention...

  • We would much rather prepare you for an emergency ahead of time than wait until it has happened and then send you the supplies you need.

  • To do this, we need you to give us as much information as possible before the emergency. We may ask you for the name and phone number of a close family member, or a close friend or neighbor. We may ask you where you will go if an emergency occurs. Will you go to a shelter, or a relative’s home? If your doctor has instructed you to go to a hospital, which one is it?

  • Having the address of your evacuation site, if it is in another city, may allow us to service your therapy needs through another company.

Helpful Tips

  • Get a cooler and ice or freezer gel-packs to transport your medication.

  • Get all of your medication information and teaching modules together and take them with you if you evacuate.

  • Pack one week’s worth of supplies in a plastic-lined box or waterproof tote bag or tote box. Make sure the seal is watertight.

  • Make sure to put antibacterial soap and paper towels into your supply kit.

  • If possible, get waterless hand disinfectant from Connect Medical Group or from a local store. It comes in very handy if you do not have running water.

  •  If you are going to a friend or relative’s home during evacuation, leave their phone number and address with Connect Medical Group and your home nursing agency.

  •  When you return home, contact your home nursing agency and Connect Medical Group so we can visit and see what supplies you need.

For More information
There is much more to know about planning for and surviving during a natural emergency or disaster.

  • Get informed about hazards and emergencies that may affect you and your family.

  • Develop an emergency plan.

  • Collect and assemble disaster supplies kit, which should include:

    • Three-day supply of non-perishable food.

    • Three-day supply of water - one gallon of water per person, per day.

    • Portable, battery-powered radio or television and extra batteries.

    • Flashlight and extra batteries.

    • First aid kit and manual.

    • Sanitation and hygiene items (moist towelettes and toilet paper).

    • Matches and waterproof container.

    • Whistle.

    • Extra clothing.

    • Kitchen accessories and cooking utensils, including a can opener.

    • Photocopies of credit and identification cards.

    • Cash and coins.

    • Special needs items, such as prescription medications, eyeglasses, contact lens solutions, and hearing aid batteries.

    • Items for infants, such as formula, diapers, bottles, and pacifiers.

    • Other items to meet your unique family needs.

  •  Learn where to seek shelter from all types of hazards.

  • Identify the community warning systems and evacuation routes.

  • Include in your plan required information from community and school plans.

  •  Learn what to do for specific hazards. ·

  •  Practice and maintain your plan.

  • Review information from FEMA at https://www.fema.gov/.

An Important Reminder!!
During any emergency situation, if you are unable to contact our company and you are in need of your prescribed medication, equipment, or supplies, you must go to the nearest emergency room or other treatment facility for treatment.


SPECIAL NEEDS SHELTERS
Please note: The special needs shelter should be used as a place of last refuge. The evacuee may not receive the same level of care received from independent contractors in the home, and the conditions in a shelter might be stressful.
(1) If the patient has a caregiver1, the caregiver must accompany the patient and must remain with the patient at the special needs shelter.
(2) The following is a list of what special needs patients need to bring with them to the special needs shelter during an evacuation:

  • Bed sheets, blankets, pillow, folding lawn chair, air mattress

  • The patient’s medication including the dose, frequency, route, time of day and any special considerations for administration, supplies, and equipment list, including the phone, beeper and emergency numbers for the patient’s physician, pharmacy / facility and, if applicable, oxygen supplier; supplies and medical equipment for the patient’s care; Do Not Resuscitate (DNR) form, if applicable.

  • Name and phone number of the patient’s home health care provider, if applicable

  • Prescription and non-prescription medication needed for at least 5 to 7 days; oxygen for 5 to 7 days if needed.

  •  Identification and current address

  • Glasses, hearing aids and batteries, prosthetics, and any other assistive devices

  • Personal hygiene items for 5 to 7 days

  • Extra clothing for 5 to 7 days

  • Flashlight and batteries

  • Self-entertainment and recreation items, like books, magazines, quiet games.

(3) Shelterees need to know the following:

  •  If the patient has a caregiver, the caregiver(s) will be allowed to shelter together in the special needs shelter. If the person with special needs is responsible for the care of individuals without special needs, those persons may also shelter together.

  • The shelteree caregiver will have floor space provided. The caregiver must provide his or her own bedding.

  • Service dogs are allowed in the shelter. However, check with your local Emergency Management office to see if other pets are permitted.

  • Bring personal snacks, drinks, and any special dietary foods for 72 hours. It is possible only sparse meals will be provided.

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Caregivers can be relatives, household members, guardians, friends, neighbors, and volunteers.

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