Disasters happen and sometimes without notice. Hospice agencies are required to have emergency plans should there be a disaster in their area. This episode describes the responsibilities of the agency and the unit of care when emergencies happen.

Hurricanes, floods, wildfires, tornadoes, chemical spills, blizzards, the list of potential emergencies can be frightening. No matter where you live you need to have an emergency plan, whether you're a hospice provider, or a patient or caregiver.  

Here are things you need to know when it comes to emergency preparedness:

• Hospice agencies will help patients and caregivers create an emergency plan of action. 
• Hospice agencies will advise patients and caregivers what the agency will do during an emergency.
• Mandatory evacuations means hospice agencies will not likely be providing services if the patient chooses not to evacuate, or is unable to evacuate.
• Hospice agency should provide a list of alternate agencies who can provide care in the area where the patient evacuates.

To learn more about emergency preparedness visit www.ready.gov, a government website with tips and resources on how to prepare for emergencies. 

For more resources and tips about hospice, caregiving, self care, and advance care planning, visit our website at The Heart of Hospice. Please take a moment to leave us a rating or a review here on your favorite podcast app. Thanks for listening to The Heart of Hospice podcast.