How are seniors preparing for Hurricane Sandy?

As Hurricane Sandy barrels towards the east coast of the United States, residents from New York to North Carolina are bracing for a surge of rain and wind. The New York Stock Exchange is closed, and flights across the region are canceled.

For seniors, one of the most vulnerable groups of residents, natural disasters such as hurricanes can be fatal. If a home loses electricity and heating, and with many grocery stores in the region without food, a senior living alone could be without the most basic needs in the event of emergency.

As reported in the Ridgefield Daily Voice, shelters in Connecticut are stepping up to help protect local seniors. They are opening up their asylums to older people.

“Senior citizens who are alone and do not want to stay alone and are concerned, and for people who are ill, medically dependent, they need to call,” said Rudy Marconi, a local politician in the town of Ridgefield, Connecticut.

He told the newspaper that the shelters will only be available for the region’s most vulnerable citizens, and not the general public. Still, in the event of any emergencies, the entirety of Ridgefield’s police officers and firefighters, as well as volunteers, will be on-call to assist.

Are you a senior living in the northeastern United States? What are you doing to protect yourself from Hurricane Sandy? If you're staying at home, read these hurricane preparedness tips for seniors.