When emergencies strike – whether it’s a fire alarm or natural disaster – accounting for every resident, visitor, and staff member becomes crucial. For operators, managing evacuations in senior living carries unique challenges that demand modern solutions.
In this blog, we will dive into the critical importance of senior living emergency plans, explore best practices for evacuation procedures, and reveal how technology is transforming the way communities track and protect their residents, visitors, and staff in emergency situations.
Emergency Preparedness is Crucial in Senior Care
When families entrust their loved ones to a senior living community, they expect comprehensive safety measures to be in place to keep their loved ones safe in any situation. This includes having efficient systems for tracking residents and maintaining clear communication channels to ensure resident safety during emergencies.
There are many distinct challenges that make evacuation planning absolutely essential in senior living. Elderly residents often have limited mobility, cognitive impairments, or medical conditions that require special consideration. Some may rely on medical equipment that needs to be transported, and others may become disoriented or anxious in stressful situations.
Without a clear plan, residents can be put at significant risk. Additionally, senior care facilities must comply with strict regulatory requirements regarding emergency preparedness, making a robust evacuation plan not just a safety measure, but a legal necessity.
5 Steps for Effective Evacuation Management
1. Prepare in Advance
Comprehensive emergency plans should begin long before any crisis occurs. Effectively managing evacuations in senior living requires careful consideration of all potential scenarios and challenges. Your evacuation plan should include:
- Facility maps with clearly marked exit routes
- Alternative evacuation paths in case primary routes are blocked
- Specific procedures for different types of emergencies
- Regular updates to account for changes in resident needs and facility layout
Remember that preparation also means conducting regular drills and training sessions to ensure all staff members clearly understand their responsibilities and role in helping ensure resident safety during emergencies.
2. Clearly Define Roles
During an emergency, confusion can lead to costly delays. Every staff member must understand their specific role in the evacuation process:
- Designate evacuation coordinators for each floor or wing
- Assign specific staff members to assist residents with limited mobility
- Establish clear chains of command for decision-making
- Create backup assignments to account for staff absences
3. Designate Safe Zones
Safe evacuation zones should be predetermined and clearly communicated to all staff and residents. Here are some important things to consider:
- Primary and secondary assembly points outside the facility
- Temporary shelter locations with appropriate accommodations for seniors
- Transportation arrangements to move residents to alternate facilities
- Comfort considerations for residents who may need to wait for extended periods
4. Account for Every Resident
Maintaining accurate resident tracking during an evacuation is absolutely essential. Implement a reliable emergency system that will allow you to access a list of everyone in the building so you can account for every resident and make sure that no one gets left behind.
- View real-time records everyone in the building
- Access evacuation checklists instantly from multiple devices
- Generate status reports of who has been safely evacuated
- Have family contact information on hand
5. Plan for Safe Return After Evacuation
Getting residents safely out of the building is just the first step. Before residents can return to their rooms, communities need a thorough reoccupation process that prioritizes safety and resident wellbeing. A comprehensive reoccupation strategy should include:
- Safety assessments before allowing return
- Procedures for transporting residents back to their rooms
- Post-event wellness checks for all residents
- Documentation of any incidents or concerns
The Impact of Digital Visitor Management Systems in Emergency Evacuations
During an emergency evacuation, digital visitor tracking becomes an invaluable tool for resident safety. Unlike paper logbooks that can be left behind or become inaccessible, digital systems provide instant, accurate records of everyone in the building – from residents and staff to visitors and third-party caregivers.
This real-time visibility allows emergency response teams to quickly account for every person, identify those requiring mobility assistance, and ensure no one is overlooked during the evacuation process. Furthermore, digital tracking systems help maintain clear communication channels with families during emergencies. Staff can quickly verify if loved ones were in the building at the time of evacuation and provide accurate updates about their status. This real-time information sharing helps reduce family anxiety while allowing emergency teams to focus on the evacuation process.
Managing Evacuations in Senior Living with Accushield
The comprehensive data provided by digital visitor management transforms what could be a chaotic situation into a more organized, efficient emergency response that prioritizes the safety of everyone in the community. Accushield’s digital visitor management system helps communities instantly generate evacuation checklists that staff can access from any device, helping coordinate evacuation efforts efficiently across different areas of the senior living community.
Success Story: How One Senior Living CEO Managed Two Hurricane Evacuations
During Hurricane Irene, Dr. Carol McKinley, president and CEO of Simpson Senior Services, faced the daunting task of evacuating over 500 residents using only paper-based tracking systems while working at United Methodist Homes in New Jersey. The process was challenging, requiring constant manual checking of lists to track residents’ locations and communicate with concerned families.
One year later, when Hurricane Sandy struck, Dr. McKinley’s team had implemented Accushield’s digital visitor management system. This technology made a remarkable difference in their ability to ensure resident safety during a critical situation.
“The difference between [hurricanes] Irene and Sandy was major. Instead of dealing with all the paperwork, we now have Accushield Evacuation Management reports that we can look at to identify who’s in our communities or where they have evacuated to.”
-Dr. Carol McKinley, President & CEO, Simpson Senior Services
The experience emphasizes how digital sign-in systems like Accushield can significantly improve emergency evacuations in senior living.
Senior Living Evacuation Plans: Essential Investment
Creating and maintaining an evacuation plan is a critical responsibility for senior living operators, and it is an essential investment in enhancing safety and peace of mind for residents, visitors, and staff. By following these best practices, leveraging digital visitor tracking systems, and conducting regular drills and training sessions, communities can ensure they’re prepared to protect residents when it matters most.
