HJBR May/Jun 2026

HEALTHCARE JOURNAL OF BATON ROUGE I  MAY / JUN 2026 41 Melissa Brunvoll Marketing Director Assisted Living and Nursing Care Lambeth House family members are unaware that this ser- vice exists. Equally important is the role of so- cial support. Social isolation is one of the greatest risk factors for poor outcomes during disasters. Older adults who live alone may delay evacuation, may not have transportation, or may attempt to ride out a storm in unsafe conditions because they do not want to be a burden to fam- ily members. Healthcare providers should encourage patients to identify at least one or two people who will check on them be- fore and after a storm. If a patient has no reliable help, it might be a good time to start the conversation about moving into a supportive living environment, such as an assisted living community or nursing home, where shelter-in-place or evacua- tion needs can be managed for them. There is also a psychological com- ponent to hurricane preparedness that should not be overlooked. Many older adults have lived through previous hurri- canes and may feel confident in their abil- ity to manage another one, particularly if they successfully sheltered in place in the past. However, aging changes physical and medical needs over time, and a plan that worked ten years ago may no longer be safe or realistic. These conversations can be difficult but are necessary, particularly for patients with worsening mobility, new medical diagnoses, or cognitive decline. Planning for Continuity of Care Ultimately, hurricane preparedness for older adults is about maintaining conti- nuity of care when normal systems fail. It is about ensuring that medications con- tinue, medical equipment functions, and patients remain connected to caregivers and healthcare providers even in a dis- rupted environment. When preparation is done well, we see fewer hospitalizations, fewer emergency evacuations, and better outcomes overall. When preparation is delayed, manageable chronic conditions can quickly become life-threatening situ- ations. Along the Gulf Coast, hurricane season is predictable. We know it is coming every year. For healthcare providers who work with older adults, preparedness should be viewed the same way we view fall risk assessments, vaccination schedules, or chronic disease management. The goal is not to create fear, but to create a plan. Because when the next storm forms in the Gulf, the most important question will not be how strong it becomes, but whether our most medically vulnerable patients were prepared before the forecast began. n REFERENCES Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response, “Disaster Preparedness Planning for Older Adults,” U.S. Department of Health and Hu- man Services, n.d. S. A. Bell et al., “Hospitalizations for Chronic Conditions Following Hurricanes Among Older Adults,” Journal of the American Geriatrics Soci- ety 70, no. 6 (2022): 1695–1703. “Preparedness and Safety Messaging for Hurri- canes, Flooding, and Similar Disasters,” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2025. “Planning for Older Adults in Disasters,” Sub- stance Abuse and Mental Health Services Ad- ministration, n.d. J. Young et al. “Improving Hurricane Prepared- ness Among Older Adults: A Community-Based Quality Improvement Model,” Gerontology & Ge- riatric Medicine (2024). require mobility assistance, accessible transportation, or help coordinating medi- cations and medical equipment. Patients with cognitive impairment or dementia may become disoriented or agitated when removed from familiar surroundings, making evacuation emotionally and medi- cally complex. After major storms, studies have shown that older adults experience higher rates of injury, illness, and mortal- ity during evacuations, particularly when plans are made at the last minute rather than in advance. The Provider’s Role in Preparedness For healthcare providers, this is where preparation becomes part of preventive care. Hurricane preparation should not begin when a storm enters the Gulf. It should begin in the spring, during routine office visits, medication reviews, and care planning conversations. A simple question such as, “What is your plan if you need to evacuate?” can open the door to a much larger and necessary conversation. At a minimum, older adults should have an updated medication list, a two-week supply of medications when possible, and a plan for how they will keep medications dry and at the proper temperature. Pa- tients who rely on oxygen or other elec- trical medical equipment should know how long their backup power will last and where they can go if power is not restored quickly. Many utility companies allow pa- tients to register as electricity-dependent so they can be prioritized for power res- toration, but many older adults and even “Ultimately, hurricane preparedness for older adults is about maintaining continuity of care when normal systems fail.”