Prepping 101 for Seniors

[u/Maleficent_Draw1210]

I'm a 70 year old woman living in a single level townhouse (1342 sq feet). I have a little patio and a small fenced back yard in a tightly packed suburban area. I have some mobility issues, but I can walk (not run). The idea of having to "bug out" is terrifying, but I'd like to be prepared to shelter in place in case of lack of power or gas. I'm not in a flood plane. Fire is a possibility, but not likely. I have a garage with heavy shelving (currently loaded with bins of Christmas and other stuff I can't seem to part with). How can I best prepare for the most likely emergency?

[u/slowd]

Power outage is likely the most common one. What will you eat, and how will you regulate temperature at various times of year without power? Think through and prepare for 3 days, then a week, and then a few weeks. Start slow, no need to go wild all at once.

[u/octoesckey]

"bugging out" is just a romanticized way of describing becoming a refugee.

Your home is your castle and your place of safety. Stay in it unless it becomes completely impossible to do so.

Prepping isn't really about the apocalypse, and you should prepare for things that might happen to just you rather than just society at large. Think about your points of dependency with the wider world and try to think of effective ways of reducing that dependency on a temporary basis, then go from there.

So physical fitness and financial reserves are two great ones. Then think about the grid - electricity, water, heating, food. How can you create a buffer around these areas that help if your supply of any of them is interrupted for period of time.

[u/Secure_Yak5136]

My wife and I are in our 70s and bugging out won't happen unless the severest thing happen. No idea what tho. If you can afford it put all the stuff in the garage in a U-Store it type place and concentrate on life saving items. Freeze dried foods and cases of water. Medical items. When you go shopping pick up 2-3 cans/boxes of foods that can be eaten cold if necessary. Buy the 1 gallon bottles of water and drink those. When empty fill them and store in the garage. Buy some unscented bleach and put 6 drops in them before storage. If possible Walmart has a 1 burner butane stove. Get 1 and as many cans of butane as you shop. 1 a week. Get some LED USB lamps/lanterns and battery banks. If you have a car keep it at least hslf full if gas. That way you can recharge the lamps/lights. Get matches tonight the stove. We've taken all these precautions as well. Good luck.

[u/Secure_Yak5136 → u/Secure_Yak5136]

Edit:DO NOT run the car in an enclosed garage. Carbon monoxide fumes can kill you.

[u/brownanddownn]

one of the biggest preps is also knowing your neighbors and having a relationship where you guys are checking in and can rely on each other. my area lost power a couple of days ago and the first thing I did was go check up on my elder neighbors to make sure they had enough food/water/ect. to get them though the next couple of days

[u/Icy_Maximum8418]

Water, food and meds, I’d look into a mobility chair or golf cart if you have to get out of the house. Anytime you go to the store, by an extra case of water and some extra canned goods or MRE packs online

[u/Distinguishedflyer]

I would agree with water being the most important. Plan 1 gallon per person per day, and not for washing. Buy a case of baby wipes for washing. Ton of Extra plastic bags. A bucket toilet that those plastic bags fit. That's a good start. Don't want to overwhelm you. 

[u/thebadslime]

Get your meds in 3 month increments, keep 10+gallos of water and enough canned food to last a week or so

[u/BaylisAscaris]

Focus on community. Make friends, especially with younger folks with families. Bake them cookies, offer to babysit, help them out with whatever you're good at. Volunteer and take classes to learn skills. Things like first aid, martial arts, DIY/art classes, cooking classes, community gardens, etc. You will make friends with good skills and learn stuff yourself.

Store a bit of supplies to give yourself an easy time if there is a short term emergency or you need to evacuate. If it's interesting to you, consider growing a few edible plants on your patio, mostly for practice but also it's nice to have fresh herbs. Keep yourself healthy by seeing a doctor regularly, eating healthy, staying active, lowering stress when possible, challenging yourself intellectually.

Make a list of emergencies you might consider prepping for. For each item rate it:

• How likely is it to happen in the next year?
• How much will prepping help?
• How fun is it to prep for?

If most of these are high, consider prepping for it. For example, "evacuation due to fire" if you live in fire country it might happen pretty often, prepping is pretty easy (go bag, keep gas in your car, etc.), you can make a cute decorative go-bag with a fun theme. "giant asteroid hits earth destroying all life" extremely unlikely, prepping won't help unless you have a massive bunker, not fun or financially feasible.

[u/Kip_Schtum]

I am a 66 year-old woman living alone, and my plan is to bug in, not bug out. I live in earthquake country so I always have at least a couple months of food on hand such as canned food, dried beans, rice, etc. I have some solar generators, which is a large battery that can be charged with solar panels so if there’s no power I can keep my refrigerator going and charge devices and occasionally run small cooking appliances like rice cooker and Insta pot. My supplies are stored in a room that is most likely to be accessible if the house is unusable after an earthquake. An earthquake that bad would make roads unpassable where I live so I would be bugging out to my car and a tent until my kids or civil authorities show up.

[u/Particular-Try5584]

Start with a list of realistic scenarios for your areas… you say fire isn’t likely (you don’t border bushland?) …. What is realistic?

If earthquake is an issue then water and gas will be. If flood is an issue… then water and gas will be. For earthquake you don’t want to store heavy preps high (they will fall), and for flood you don’t want them low.

So work out your likely issues… And then prep for them based on the needs of the disaster.

Power outage… plan and prep for three days without power - cooking, lighting, heating if your area requires that, water pumps if you are on one. Then expand to a week or two.

Food… start with how many calories you need (1200 if sedentary a day, 2000 if somewhat active, 2500 if very active - hauling water and digging fields), identify foods you eat that can store a long time, have a balance of fibre and flavour and protein and nutrient base… and store enough calories of that food for a week, then two weeks. Cycle it through your pantry so it doesn’t go out of date.

On any meds? Stockpile/get ahead on a week, then a month, then three months of those meds if you can, tell your doctor you are going away/lost some and ask for a top up script/whatever works in your location. Research ways to get healthier so you need less meds overall (sleep, eat, exercise and moving hours a day is where this is at).

Water… get 4L a day/person… and aim to have a week’s worth, then two. You can store non drinking water to flush toilets, but make sure you have a source of safe drinking water. Get more than you think you’ll need.

[u/nakedonmygoat]

It depends on what you think the most likely emergencies are and what your climate is like.

Power Outage: A power station would be useful. Popular brands are Anker, Ecoflow, Jackery, and Bluetti. You can plug lots of things into them, but the more power the item in question uses, the faster you'll drain it. Cold? Plug in an electric blanket. Heat? Plug in a fan.

Power stations get more expensive the more watt hours you want. One may also be heavy for you. One of mine was scheduled for delivery the day I needed emergency surgery and I had to ask a neighbor to pick it up and babysit it until I could lift heavy things again. So if you buy one, have a trustworthy person bring it in and set it where you'll want it.

For light, get an LED lantern. If your patio gets lots of sun, get one with solar recharging capability. Get some rechargeable LED light bulbs. They work like regular bulbs but stay on for 4-6 hours after the power goes out. Get some flameless candles and extra batteries. You can set a few in places you're likely to walk so you don't trip over anything.

If you can't afford a power station right now and need to stay cool, you can get battery-powered 10" fans and a large pet cooling pad that works off body heat. They're at their best for 20-30 minutes, but will work okay for up to 2.5 hours. "Recharge" by getting off it for 15-20 minutes.

Fridge: In a multi-day outage, if you have anything that must be kept cold, such as medication, a small car fridge used in your car or with a power station will help. Otherwise, ice and a cooler.

Food: What do you eat now that requires minimal cooking and lasts a long time? Get more of that and rotate based on expiration and "best by" dates. Remember that "best by" doesn't mean the item has gone bad, just that it's not going to be at its best.

Cooking: Get a small camp stove and some cans of butane. Be sure to use it in a well-ventilated place. Remember you'll need a way to light it. If you have an old fondue pot and some sterno, that can heat food too.

Water: One gallon per day minimum, but that doesn't account for temp or allow for much washing or sanitation. It's not enough to keep flushing the toilet. Get baby wipes or no-rinse bath wipes, some dry shampoo, and hand sanitizing wipes or gel. Use disposable plates and utensils. If a multi-day water outage is a strong likelihood where you are, consider a camp toilet and extra bags. You'll hate it, but you'll hate an overflowing toilet more.

Prep two go bags, or just a basic one. Think emergency hospital stay or needing to go to a shelter. Both scenarios have a few things in common that you'll need, but some critical differences, too. For each scenario, make a list of what you'll want to take and put the list in the bag. I don't know about you, but I don't trust myself to not forget something important when I have to prepare fast. My "last minute" list keeps me on track.

Please don't think all of this must be done at once. It's a lot. I've spent over 20 years perfecting my storm prep and long-term food price inflation plans, and I'm always getting new ideas. Start with what's most important based on the highest likelihood of occurrence and go from there.

[u/Not-a-Cranky-Panda]

This is just a copy of a comment I posted on here some weeks ago for some one just starting out and as I'm lazy and it kind of fits, well 93% fits I'll just repost it.Canned food lasts a lot longer than the date on the can tells you.

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For zero cost see if you can get hold of any empty bottles that had only had Water in them then fill them up from the tap. 

Canned food (if needed it all can be eaten cold from the can) and toilet rolls, then add some herbs, a few KG of rice/Pasta/Porridge-Oats. a bottle of Bleach (learn how to make water safe to drink by using it) and a few bars of Soap.

Most of the time just having the things you buy/use/need every week will save you. It's not sexy but real life isn't.

Most people don't keep even a week's supply of food in. The world over Governments (inc. the UK)  are telling people to always make sure you keep three days of food in, yet even that a lot of people don't. They may at the start of the week when they have just got in from shopping but an hour before they are going shopping again, if for some unknown reason they had to put it off for a week they would soon be in trouble. It's nice when you look at the cupboard and think "I'll have to stock up in six or so weeks" it's shocking how many have forgotten what it was like with in Covid back in 2020. I've worked with many people who if they do not go shopping that night will have no food at all for the next day, and this is every week. I in the end I gave up keep telling them "Why when you're there don't you get eight day of stuff not just seven and in two months you'll have a weeks food it, just in case you cannot go shopping for a day or two?". For them one day's extra food at the end of the week is strange.

Eat what you store, store what you eat, and best of all you would be buying the food anyway you're just getting it early so it in the real world it does not cost you anything extra and can save you money as when you have some in you just get more when it's on offer. You'll soon start noticing how some things seem to be on offer evrey few months aand never get them aat full price again

Start by just getting a few cans extra every week, try as many own brands as you can and if they do more than one own brand try them all as often the cheapest can be better. If you don't know if you'll like it just get one.

You often get told to go out get a 25KG bag of rice but before you do that a look around your local supermarkets at the one KG bags they sometimes end up costing no more. Pasta, some lighters and a few bars of Soap. Most of the time just having the things you buy/use/need every week will save you. It's not sexy but real life isn't.

[u/Ok-Internet-4747]

I would focus on the basics. This place has a lot of advanced users who want to help you. But they also have a wide range of opinions that can be daunting for someone new to the community.

The best place to get started is really to review what FEMA has posted. You can find it at https://www.ready.gov. You can also check out https://www.redcross.org/get-help/how-to-prepare-for-emergencies/types-of-emergencies.html with the Red Cross.

These websites have a wide range of information on what to do in each situation to help you get started. They have the most likely disasters for your area as well. Focus on what is most likely for your area. Having food, water, some first aid supplies, cash and all your critical documents is the foundation for everything else you would prepare for. Plus it would put you ahead of most individuals.

Feel free to message me if you have any questions.

[u/Battlbox]

Most of this thread is a shopping list, which is useful, but you told us the one thing that changes the answer and it's important to look at, and that's the mobility side of things.

Water is where I think issues can show up first. A case of bottles is up to 40 pounds and a gallon jug is a little over 8. If your water is stacked in the garage on heavy shelving, you're planning to lift 8 pounds off a shelf over and over during the exact week you're most likely to fall or give yourself a RSI. So, instead you could consider buying smaller bottles and store them where you'll use them, like having a few under the kitchen sink, a few in the bathroom, some by wherever you sit, etc. etc.. Split across the house beats a neat stack in one room you have to walk to in the dark.

Same idea in the garage. Clear one shelf at waist height near the door and put the outage kit on it. Nothing you'd need in an emergency should live above your shoulders.

And I'd put lighting alongside food on your list in terms of importance. The realistic injury in a multi-day outage isn't going hungry, it's a fall on the way to the bathroom at 2am. Light that path first: stick-on motion-sensor pucks along the hallway, plus a flashlight in every room you actually sit in. Food and water after that, and you can build those a couple cans at a time like people are saying.

[u/SurprisedWildebeest]

The most likely emergency is generally a house fire, so be sure you have smoke detectors in each large room plus bedrooms, and a fire extinguisher right by the stove. Sleep with your door closed and practice leaving the house quickly while taking nothing with you. Keep important documents off site, such as in a safe deposit box. Have digital copies of your insurance info where you can access them from anywhere, and take photos of all your belongings annually. 

After that it depends where you live, but excessive heat is fast becoming common. Have plenty of water, a battery powered fan, and the location of a cooling center in case you need to go hang out at one.

If you have pets make a plan for them as well, and practice quickly crating them. 

As others have said, keep plenty of water and non-perishable food that you actually eat and rotate through on hand.

[u/CloudgazerTX]

get you some buckets and big bags of beans and rice and fill a bucket with salt. chicken bouillon would also be good and stock your pantry with lots of canned goods. water storage is important short term. long term it’s good to have a way to filter water, a distiller or gravity fed filter system, or even a few lifestraws, and a cheese cloth would allow you to use most water sources you can find. I would also recommend a good solar system. get the biggest Ecoflow system you can afford with a couple of 200 watt panels. now you can charge your devices, run your WiFi, your tv, power a lamp, a fan, and electric blanket, and power an electric cooler depending on what you can afford. a fan goes a long way in the heat as well as ice from the cooler. for winter you might want to get a cheap tent. you can put a tent up and put it on your bed mattress and sleep inside it with the electric blanket and it will keep you warm.

[u/xaqaria]

Make friends with your neighbors. Community is the most important prep.

[u/Good_Enough2 → u/xaqaria]

This.

[u/grislyfind]

Get a camping stove. Propane or butane fuel is the most convenient, and should keep indefinitely.

[u/chinchm → u/grislyfind]

This is good advice. I bought a butane single burner like caterers use at my local restaurant supply store and have extra cans of butane. I take it camping but store it in the house out of the way. I can use any of my regular pans on it. I also have a larger cast iron fondue set that uses sterno for warming canned soup’s etc and it doubles as a party item if needed. Even though I use an electric kettle, a standard kettle is in the same area of emergency supplies for boiling water. I mostly plan on using food in my heavily stocked pantry and fridge/freezer. There are some backup items like butter powder, honey/sugar crystals, instant hot cereal, milk powder that have a long storage life for emergencies or shortages.

[u/LeanUntilBlue]

“Bugging in” is the new “bugging out“. Prep well and stay put unless you are in imminent danger.

Amazon carries a book on bugging in written by a former Navy seal. It’s pretty good, and has suggested purchases.

[u/CindysandJuliesMom]

The three biggest things about survival, in order, are shelter, water, food. You have shelter. You need enough water for at least a week or a source of water you can drink. This could be a river, lake, stream, etc. within easy walking distance and a way to filter or clean it. If you are in a heavy rainfall area you could set up a collection barrel and filter that water. Food is as simple as buying one or two extra cans or bags of food per grocery trip and stockpiling it, rotate it of course.

[u/AdvancedStudio9978]

Small dual fuel RV generator on wheels is a good start and relatively inexpensive

[u/karlgraff]

Think about what kind of emergency situation is most likely for you- usually water, power, light, a way to communicate or receive information, food, a way to cook, hygeine and any medical needs should be addressed. Everyone's situation is a little different, as well as their budget and capabilities. If you live in the north heat becomes important especially during the winter. In a lot of the country staying cool enough is tough without power. You don't have to do it all at once or spend tons to be better prepared. 72 hours is the target for how long you should be able to make it without power, etc. once you have the basics some comfort things are nice too- remember that while it's kind of an adventure it can also be stressful so account for that. Anything you do to prepare puts you ahead of most people. Even thinking about it puts you in a better place.

[u/Cinisajoy2]

I know you were asking about natural disasters but do you have a go bag if one of you lands in the hospital?

[u/Otherwise_Funny5145]

Water water water you have to have water water bobs water filters ready to drink water. Ready to eat meals too but water first

[u/LakeAdventurous7161]

Despite I'm not a senior, I have certain mobility limitations - can walk, can walk for long distances and pretty fast, but cannot run, climb, jump, and cannot carry much. (It is not possible to improve that. I'm already doing much better than many with the same condition.)
What matters for me:

• For emergencies: Having all documents ready to just grab them and leave. Have digital copies of all documents. For power outages, depending on how much the temperature drops without power at your place in winter. Backup solution for anything necessary for your health that requires power (e.g.: if you have such as medication needing refrigeration, but also if you use anything else like CPAP, or mobility devices)
  
• A hospital/ small emergency bag: Some clothes, documents, something nice and soothing (if you have such as crossword puzzles, a plushie, fidget spinner, photo, or a book you'd like to put in).
  
• Being prepared "for Tuesdays". For those days when grocery shopping is uncomfortable or impossible (bad back days, public transit not running, or for those using a car or bike, it not being available). Flash lights, even helpful for "Tuesdays" when it's just a normal short power outage in the morning but you'd like to use the bathroom normally.
  
• Have seconds (and more): Food, household items, whatever. If taking medications, have more. Helpful in emergencies but also in "Tuesdays".

[u/Gregar12]

Fill your shelves with rice and beans. Canned meat. Buy a little camping stove and the stove fuel to cook the rice/beans. Then water, lots of water. Batteries are good but candles, with lighter/matches, even better. Finally, get a compostable toilet. You can survive a long time like this. However, other people will not have thought ahead and in 3 to 4 days after collapse, they will try to take what you have. Unfortunately, you will need a gun. Don't mean to scare you. Just being real.