Saturday, April 28, 2018

Emergency Preparedness, Food Storage and Monthly Assignments (May 2018)

Health Emergency Preparedness  . . . 
                                 Are we ready for this?


This blog has been mostly directed at temporal emergency preparedness, food and water storage, emergency supplies for cooking, shelter, heating, lighting, etc. and spiritual preparedness. After the experience we have had the last 3 months I feel I need to address health emergency preparedness. We never know when a family member, or ourselves, will need care, possibly100 percent care, for an extended amount of time. It can happen at any time, immediately.  Let me share what has been going on with us . . .


About 3 months ago my husband's cousin, 75 years old, received some very serious injures. He lives in a senior living complex with various levels of care, his being more independent. He fell and was unconscious for awhile, when he came to he could not get up or reach the emergency cord. When the staff came in around 7:00 a.m. to check on their residences he was in agonizing pain. He was immediately transports by Peri-medics to the hospital and later transported to another hospital who had the critical care unit he needed. He was there for about 3-4 weeks after having surgery and treatment, then transferred to a rehab/skilled nursing facility for another 4 weeks. Then he went back to his senior living complex requiring a full time caregiver. The senior living facility he is living in does not offer full time caregivers so we had to hire an independent company. The cost, $17 and hour, over $12,000 a month. Ouch! Even though he has full time caregivers, we are still very much involved with his care and needs. 

During this time we learned he did not have the important documents that should have been in place. He did not have a Healthcare Advanced Directive, a Durable Power of Attorney, a Do Not Resuscitate, and a Will/Trust. Thank goodness he has Long Term Care Insurance to cover his full time care, but it has a 60 day deductible/elimination period. Which means he has to pay for the first 60 days of full time care. Yes, he has Medicare with Supplemental insurance, but it does not cover Long Term Care with a full time caregiver unless you spend down your money to a certain amount to go on Medical Long Term Care and go into a nursing home facility, not always the best care. We have tried for several years to have him put these into place, but he never felt the need. Now he has the need! Fortunately, we were able to put all these into place, but it was stressful and a lot of work. What if he was unconscious or not mentally able to have done this? It would be a very difficult situation right now!

We all need to plan for this time of emergency in our life. It can happen to anyone of us or anyone we love.

What we have learned  . . . 

1. We each need a health care plan for extended care, age does not matter.
2. We need certain documents in place before the event happens to take care of our future needs and allowing others to handle our affairs when we cannot. Please, do not make it difficult on your family.
3. We need to know who will take care of us if and when the time comes.
4. We need health insurance to cover our expenses, especially, long term care insurance if at all possible. It can be expensive but important when you way the cost down the road when you are without it.
5. Make sure the appropriate people, those listed as decision makers on your behalf, have copies of the documents. Doctors, DNR and Healthcare Advanced Directive and family member(s) who are listed in the Healthcare Advanced Directive, Durable Power of Attorney and Wills and Trust.  We could not find my mother-in-laws will which made finalizing her affairs much more difficult. My brother-in-law did not have a Healthcare Advanced Directive which made the decision of turning off the respirator and letting him go our decision, so very difficult. Do not make your family make these decisions for you.

Please think about your care, or a family member, and your family if you became in need of care orfull time care or some type of long term medical assistance. Have a emergency plan in place!

  May Monthly Assignments
3-Month Food Storage 
 

3-Month Food Storage  . . . 

This year we are working towards a 3-Month Food Storage supply. Each families will be unique in that not one family eats the same things. You will tailor your food storage according to what your family will eat. Do not purchase items just because they are sale, your family will not eat foods they do not like, and you have just wasted valuable money that could be put towards foods they will eat.

A 3-Month Food Storage supply consists of commercially canned and packaged food and home canning foods. You can also include frozen foods.

In January we worked on keeping track of what your family eats in a month. Go back to January 2018 posting to see the details and a printable chart to keep track. Now that you have figured out what your family eats in a month you can set up an inventory notebook.

In February I showed you how to set up your Food Storage and Emergency Supply Inventory Notebook. Go back to the February 2018 positing to see how to do this.

In March and April we continued to add commercially canned and packaged foods, frozen foods, and home canned foods to your 3-Month Food Storage. Watch sales, allowing to purchase more. Keep track in your inventory notebook. Rotate as needed.

This month, May, continue to add to your 3-Month Food Storage. 

Big box stores vs regular grocery stores: Recently I purchased a case of Kirkland brand, 12 cans of green beans (14.5 oz each) at Costco for $5.99. That works out to 50 cents a can, a great price. At the regular grocery store like Safeway, Ralph's or Albertsons in Southern California, USA they run, on sale, about $.70-$1.00. And of course, at the discounts stores they are $1 each, but watch the expiration dates. So clearly in this case the big box store is less expensive, but it depends on the item. Do the math and watch your local grocery stores for the best price. Watch for case lot sales too.

  
Emergency Preparedness Supplies

Emergency Cooking 


What would you do if you could not use your conventional stove or it was not safe to cook inside your house after a disaster?

How would you cook in an emergency situation? 

We each need to think about this possibility and prepare for it. We each should have some other source for cooking, be it a BBQ (gas or charcoal),  Butane stove, Coleman stove, a fire pit, a fireplace or some other means. We should have have cooking equipment, like old pots, pans, skillets and utensils we can use. We have a large plastic container with such cooking equipment. You also need fuel for the type of cooking equipment you have, enough for 3+ months. 

Take inventory of your cooking equipment, add another type along with it's fuel, repair or replace broken ones, and add some pots and pans, etc. Keep all this equipment together in your garage or a backyard storage shed. Click here to learn about different types of emergency cooking equipment. Or, you can click under "Postings" on the right of this blog, scroll down and click on "Cooking, Heating and Lighting". 

Emergency Preparedness Ideas 

Another old saying I love . . .

Good old-fashioned horse sense!



What does it mean? The Webster Dictionary states, "the ability to make good judgments or decisions".  People with horse sense are smart and practical and can be counted on to make good decisions. In an emergency situation we need good old-fashioned horse sense. Keep your head on your shoulders, stay calm, pray and listen to the guidance of the Holy Ghost and make good decisions. It could save your life, others and help you when disasters are upon you and about to strike.

Have a great month, become better prepared than you are today, do not procrastinate your preparedness, add to your 3-Month Food Storage, acquire some emergency cooking equipment, and have some good old-fashioned horse sense when disasters are upon you. 

Friday, April 6, 2018

Emergeny Preparedness, Food Storage and Monthly Assignments (April 2018)

Lessons learned from our backyard   
                            neighborhood squirrel  . . . 


The other day I was sitting at my computer looking out of the window watching our backyard neighborhood squirrel. What a character! Each day I put out birdseed and bread for the birds and peanuts and sunflower seeds for the squirrel. There is also a small fountain and birdbath. As I watched the squirrel he was eating some of the peanuts and sunflower seeds and then taking some and burying them in my vegetable garden area. It is the beginning of Spring. Why would he already be burying and storing peanuts, Winter is a long ways away? 

But as I always say on this blog, do not wait until the storm is upon you to start preparing now! Just like the squirrel, we need to be preparing all the time, not just before the storm. 

What type of person are you? 


My husband once read, 

"There are 3 types of people" 

Those who make things happen!

Those who watch things happens!

Those who wonder what happened! 

Which type are you? Are you the type that works toward your emergency preparedness, 72 Hour Emergency Backpacks, 3-Month Food Storage, etc? Are you the type that watches others prepare? Or, are you the type that wonders when disasters and emergency hit why others are not helping you?

Throughout the scriptures in the Bible, Book of Mormon and Doctrine and Covenants we read about those who prepared and those who did not. Their outcomes were very different! We also here the admonishments and warning from our  community, state and federal leaders, church leaders and general authorities.

Spiritual Preparedness  . . .


Those of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and others, just experienced and witnessed the most marvelous Annual General Conference this past weekend. Over and over we were admonished to listen to and follow the promptings of the Holy Ghost, to pray, to have faith, to keep the commandments and our covenants, to be obedient and  prepare for the Second Coming of Jesus Christ. Our new dear prophet and president of the church, Russell M. Nelson, stated, "But in the coming days, it will not be possible to survive spiritually without the guiding, directing, comforting, and constant influence of the Holy Ghost".  (Click here to listen to or read his talk.) And, Elder Larry Y. Wilson, Of the Seventy, stated, "What an incomparable gift comes to those who put their faith in Jesus Christ. That gift is the Holy Ghost".  (Click here to listen to or read his talk)

I also know the Holy Ghost guides and directs us with temporally matters. It happens to me all the time. In the scriptures we are taught that all things are spiritually (Doctrine and Covenants 29:34).

To listen to or read all the talks given at the April 2018 Annual General Conference click here. Each one is amazing and filled with the spirit and will help guide our lives in these troubled times.


If we are constantly close to the Holy Ghost and listen to and follow the prompting immediately, we will be guided. directed, comforted and protected as promised in the scriptures and by our dear prophet and president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Russell M. Nelson.

April Monthly Assignments

3-Month Food Storage 
 

3-Month Food Storage  . . . 

This year we are working towards a 3-Month Food Storage supply. Each families will be unique in that not one family eats the same things. You will tailor your food storage according to what your family will eat. Do not purchase items just because they are sale, your family will not eat foods they do not like, and you have just wasted valuable money that could be put towards foods they will eat.

A 3-Month Food Storage supply consists of commercially canned and packaged food and home canning foods. You can also include frozen foods.

In January we worked on keeping track of what your family eats in a month. Go back to January 2018 posting to see the details and a printable chart to keep track. Now that you have figured out what your family eats in a month you can set up an inventory notebook.

In February I showed you how to set up your Food Storage and Emergency Supply Inventory Notebook. Go back to the February 2018 positing to see how to do this.

In March we continued to add commercially canned and packaged foods, frozen foods, and home canned foods to your 3-Month Food Storage. Watch sales, allowing to purchase more. Keep track in your inventory notebook. Rotate as needed.

This month, April, continue to add to your 3-Month Food Storage. 

Big box stores vs regular grocery stores: Recently I purchased a case of Kirkland brand, 12 cans of green beans (14.5 oz each) at Costco for $5.99. That works out to 50 cents a can, a great price. At the regular grocery store like Safeway, Ralph's or Albertsons in Southern California, USA they run, on sale, about $.70-$1.00. And of course, at the discounts stores they are $1 each, but watch the expiration dates. So clearly in this case the big box store is less expensive, but it depends on the item. Do the math and watch your local grocery stores for the best price. Watch for case lot sales too.

  
Emergency Preparedness Supplies

Emergency Sanitation 


Sanitation is another important part of emergency preparedness. What would you do if you could not use your toilet or had drinkable, usable water? Check out the posting on the right of this blog under "Postings",  "Sanitation", or click here.

Emergency Cleaning Bucket



Each house hold should have an emergency cleaning bucket. Click here to see what should be in it.

Emergency Preparedness Ideas



Recently we have been dealing with the care of a cousin and we have been once again reminded of how important it is for all of us to have certain paper work (documents) in place. They should be kept in a safe place, like a fire proof safe, where others know where they are. Documents that give designated people a responsibility or listed as the "agent(s)" should also a copy. I know we do not want to think about these things but it is necessary, It is really hard on others to leave important decisions about our life. Several months ago we were given the decision to let my husband's brother pass on, or be on life support. How much better it would have been if he had the right documents in place. Know the laws in your state or country regarding how they need to be signed and witnessed.

Here are some examples:

Do Not Resuscitate (DNR): A do-not-resuscitate order, or DNR order, is a medical order written by a doctor. It instructs health care providers not to do cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) if a patients breathing stops or if the patients heart stops beating. A DNR order is created, or set up, before an emergency occurs. A DNR order allows you to choose whether or not you want CPR in an emergency. It is specific about CPR. It does not have instructions for other treatments, such as pain medicine, other medicines, or nutrition. The doctor writes the order only after talking about it with the patient (if possible), the proxy, or the patients family. Your doctors and hospital should have a copy the DNR.

Advance Health Care Directive (or 5 Wishes): An advance health care directive, also known as living will, personal directive, advance directive, medical directive or advance decision, is a legal document in which a person specifies what actions should be taken for their health if they are no longer able to make decisions for themselves because of illness or incapacity. Your family, doctors and hospital should have a copy of this document.

Financial Durable Power of Attorney: The durable financial power of attorney is a simple way to arrange for someone to handle your finances. It allows someone else to manage your finances in the event that you become incapacitated and are unable to make those decisions yourself. The power is granted in a document, and is not only useful for you, but can really help your family in times of crisis. The one assigned as the "agent(s)", doctor and others you will needed should have a copy of this document.

Will and/or Trust: Click here to read the difference and why you might need both. The executor should have a copy of your will/trust.  There have been times when family members cannot find them in the event of a death and it was not filed with the courthouse, nor know who the attorney was.

Other documents you should have: You should also have copies of their driver's license or state ID, their Social Security card, medical and insurance cards, and know where they keep important papers like deeds to property, etc. 

All these documents should be kept in a safe secure place, like a fire proof safe.