Have You Talked About Emergencies With the People You Love

Some conversations get harder to have with the people we love as they get older. We want them to remain independent. They want to remain independent. Nobody particularly wants to talk about what might happen if, one day, something goes wrong and they can’t call for help. But that is exactly why these conversations are so important.

When we talk about emergency preparedness, we often focus on the “what ifs”—the accidents, the medical emergencies, or the sudden crises. However, the most critical part of preparedness is not just having a plan, but ensuring that the people we love know what that plan is and how to execute it when we are no longer able to do so ourselves.

If you’re expected home at 18:00 and haven’t arrived by 20:00, somebody knowing where you planned to be gives them somewhere to start.

Preparedness isn’t about believing every emergency can be prevented. We cannot promise that nothing bad will happen. What we can do is help people prepare for the moment when something does happen. This includes having a simple emergency plan, ensuring a trusted person has your basic itinerary when appropriate, keeping emergency contacts easily accessible, and considering what information emergency responders would need if you were unable to speak for yourself.

Technology can add another layer of support. For example, you can use Trip Monitoring when travelling longer distances or through unfamiliar areas, while the CrisisOnCall App provides access to emergency assistance when needed.