In Georgia, winter storms often bring ice. Ice brings down trees and power lines. An outage can last longer than a family expects. For an older adult who uses an oxygen concentrator, a powered hospital bed, a lift, or medicine that must stay refrigerated, an outage is a medical problem.
This guide is for families who want the plan made before the forecast turns.
List what runs on electricity
Walk through the house and write down every piece of equipment the person depends on. Examples include an oxygen concentrator, a CPAP or BiPAP machine, a powered bed or air mattress, a lift chair, a nebulizer, a medication refrigerator, and a stair lift. Next to each, write how long the person can safely go without it. Ask the clinician or the equipment supplier if you do not know.
Call the equipment supplier now
Ask the oxygen or equipment supplier these questions before a storm:
How many hours do the backup oxygen cylinders last at the person’s prescribed flow rate?
How many backup cylinders should we keep, and how do we get more during an outage?
Does the equipment have a battery, and how long does it last?
What should we do if the power is out longer than the backup lasts?
Write the answers on the equipment and in the Next-of-Kin Box.
Call the power company
Call your power company and ask whether it keeps a list of customers who depend on powered medical equipment, and what being on that list provides. Keep the household’s own backup plan either way.
Plan where to go
Decide in advance where the person will go if the power stays out: a relative’s home with power, a hotel, or a place the county opens during outages. Plan how the person will get there with their equipment. If the person cannot safely leave, decide who will stay with them.
Keep warm safely
Cold is hard on older adults. Layer clothing and blankets, close off unused rooms, and keep the person in one warm room. Never use a gas stove, oven, grill, or generator indoors to heat the home, because these produce carbon monoxide. Run a generator outside, far from windows and doors. Keep heat sources and flames at least 10 feet from where the oxygen comes out.
When to call 911
Call 911 if the person is having trouble breathing, becomes confused or very drowsy, or if the backup oxygen is running out and you cannot reach the supplier.
OPA’s free Emergency Information sheet and Home Safety Walkthrough help you record equipment, contacts, and the plan in one place.
A first step this week
Write the list of powered equipment and call the supplier with the four questions above. Tape the answers to the equipment.
If a family member needs overnight or live-in care, see how care starts at OPA.
This is general information, not medical advice. Follow the instructions of the person’s clinician and equipment supplier, and call 911 for an immediate emergency.
