New toolkit provides guidance for Veterans’ caregivers in times of disaster

As many of us know firsthand, caregiving can be one of the most rewarding experiences you will ever have, but it can also be one of the most challenging—especially when you are facing an emergency in your home or a disaster in your community. To make matters worse, resources to help families prepare for disasters often lack content that reflects the unique needs of family caregivers, despite the critical role they play in these crises.

In partnership with VA, the Rosalynn Carter Institute for Caregivers (RCI) set out to change that. Together, we developed a new toolkit, “Prepared Caregivers,” to support caregivers of Veterans and the unique challenges they may face in times of disaster, so that they are better prepared for even the most difficult days.

Prepared Caregivers is made up of plans, advice, insight and conversation prompts for caregivers of Veterans, with customizable checklists designed to create a plan suited to caregivers’ unique needs. Resources include but are not limited to:

• Explanations of key terms used in the preparedness sector but that are not commonly known 
• A military-caregiver-specific emergency plan  
• Checklists for caring for people with special needs, pets and service animals in an emergency 
• Insight into how the physical and mental wounds of war may cause Veterans to experience disasters differently than other care recipients 
• Strategies to help Veterans process their emotions in precarious situations  
• Tips for service animals  
• Month-by-month guides for assembling disaster kits
• Procedures for navigating life after a disaster

This toolkit is free for download, fully customizable to meet the unique needs of each military caregiver and is designed to be self-paced. To access the toolkit, please visit https://rosalynncarter.org/emergency-preparedness/.

Prepared Caregivers will walk you through every step of your emergency preparedness plan, because being prepared for these devastating events is one way to help offset the challenges you may face in times of emergency.

The Rosalynn Carter Institute for Caregivers promotes the health, strength and resilience of caregivers in the United States. Established in 1987 by former First Lady Rosalynn Carter, the institute’s priority is the unpaid family caregiver, the people who care for a relative, friend or loved one. To learn more about the institute, its advocacy and how to participate in programs or build a partnership, visit www.rosalynncarter.org.