Editor's Note: The Hartford's Advance 50 team and the MIT AgeLab offer research and life-saving tips to help caregivers, family and friends of those with Alzheimer's disease who live at home prepare for a natural disaster and get their lives back on track in the aftermath of a storm.
In a recent interview, Cindy Hellyar, Gerontologist with the Advance 50 Team, talks about the research and consumer guidebook, The Calm before the Storm: Family Conversations about Disaster Planning, Caregiving, Alzheimer's Disease and Dementia.
What is "The Calm before the Storm"?
The Hartford and the MIT AgeLab worked together to create a resource to help caregivers better plan for natural disasters by talking to – and planning with – family, friends and others. We know that most caregivers have their hands full and disaster planning is probably not at the top of their list. But it's critical to have a plan because the stress and disruption of a disaster would make someone with Alzheimer's disease agitated, confused and far less functional than they would be on an ordinary day. A disaster is no "ordinary day."
How did you come up with the idea for helping caregivers plan for natural disasters?
What we try to do with our research is examine a life issue where there is need for information but very little available. A few years ago we partnered with MIT AgeLab to do focus groups with older adults who lived in disaster-prone areas across The United States. We were trying to uncover what kind of plans they had in place if a disaster would occur and what concerns they had. That research highlighted for us that there were groups of people who would be particularly vulnerable or have greater challenges than others–including those with dementia who live at home and 10 million family members and friends who care for them. So we embarked on a second research effort to hear first hand from them. We created The Calm Before the Storm based on that research and our own expertise in this area.
Why is this beneficial for caregivers and older Americans living in disaster-prone areas?
The Hartford does the research and then translates the findings into valuable and practical worksheets, checklists and resources. The information we develop is free and it provides people with tools to open up the lines of communications within their families about issues that aren't often thought about or discussed. Disaster planning is one of those issues.
What are some of the suggestions you have to help caregivers prepare for a disaster?
Based on our research, we identified a TOP 10 LIST of essential elements of a disaster plan for those who provide care for someone with Alzheimer's disease at home.
What has been the most rewarding part about this research for you?
When you think about the issues that really worry people, it's nice to know that The Hartford is providing information to help them make informed decisions, keep them safe and ease their stress–basically to keep their lives moving forward. We always go into these studies knowing that in the end, we will be providing quality information that can make a true difference in someone's life.
For more information, request copies of The Calm Before the Storm: Family Conversations about Disaster Planning, Caregiving, Alzheimer's Disease and Dementia for you and your customers by visiting iMarket.
