Hurricane Prep for Elderly Parents in Central Florida

November 5, 2026

The best hurricane preparedness for elderly parents living at home in Central Florida starts before June, with a written plan that covers where your parent will stay, how they will get their medications, and who will check on them when the power goes out. Most storm emergencies for older adults are not caused by the wind itself. They come from heat, missed medications, falls in the dark, and being alone for days afterward.

Hurricane season runs from June 1 through November 30. Here is a practical way to build a plan for your parent, whether they live in Orlando or elsewhere in Orange and Seminole County, and how in-home support such as 24-hour and live-in care can fit into it.

Start With a Calm Conversation

Talk with your parent early, on a quiet day, not when a storm is already on the news. Ask what they did in past storms, what worried them, and what they want this time. Many older adults have been through several Florida hurricanes and feel confident. That experience is valuable, but needs can change as health, mobility, and memory change.

Write the plan down and keep copies in your parent's home, in your phone, and with anyone else who might help. A plan that only lives in one person's head is easy to lose under stress.

Decide Ahead of Time: Stay or Go

Central Florida is inland, so storm surge is usually not the main concern. Wind damage, flooding in low-lying areas, falling trees, and long power outages are. The right choice depends on your parent's home and health.

Leaving earlier is usually wiser if your parent:

Lives in a mobile or manufactured home
Lives in an area that floods or is in a designated evacuation zone
Depends on electricity for oxygen or other medical equipment
Cannot tolerate heat well or has serious health conditions
Would be alone during and after the storm

If evacuating, decide exactly where they will go: your home, a relative's house, a hotel farther from the storm's path, or a public shelter as a last resort. Plan to leave early, while roads are clear and your parent is not rushed.

Check your parent's address with Orange County or Seminole County emergency management to learn whether they are in an evacuation zone and where shelters will open.

Look Into Your County's Special Needs Registry

Florida counties maintain special needs registries for residents who may need extra help during an evacuation, such as people who rely on medical equipment or need assistance getting around. Registration is not a guarantee of rescue or a specific level of care, and special needs shelters have their own rules about what to bring and whether a caregiver should come along. Contact your county's emergency management office well before a storm to ask whether your parent qualifies and how to sign up.

Medications and Health Information

Running out of medication is one of the most common problems after a storm, when pharmacies may be closed for days.

Keep at least a two-week supply on hand during hurricane season if possible. Ask the pharmacist or doctor about refilling early when a storm is approaching.
Keep an up-to-date list of medications, doses, allergies, doctors, and pharmacy phone numbers in a waterproof bag.
Ask the pharmacist how to store any medication that needs refrigeration if the power goes out.
Pack a pill organizer for several days so doses stay on schedule even in an unfamiliar place.

If your parent uses oxygen or other powered equipment, ask the supplier about backup options, and ask your electric utility whether it has a program for customers who rely on medical equipment. These programs usually do not guarantee faster power restoration, so a backup plan still matters.

Senior Storm Preparation Checklist

Use this list for your parent's home, adjusting for their needs:

Water for drinking and hygiene, enough for several days
Easy-to-open, ready-to-eat food that fits any dietary restrictions, plus a manual can opener
Flashlights and battery lanterns placed where your parent can reach them, never candles
Extra batteries for flashlights, hearing aids, and radios
A battery or crank weather radio
Charged phone and portable power banks
Spare glasses, hearing aid supplies, dentures, and mobility aids
Incontinence supplies, wipes, and personal care items
Copies of ID, insurance cards, and a list of emergency contacts
Some cash, since card readers may not work without power
A cooler and ice packs
Pet food and supplies if your parent has a pet

Clear walkways inside the home before the storm. Clutter and loose rugs become serious fall risks when the lights are out.

Plan for Power Outages and Heat

After a Central Florida storm, the heat and humidity can be more dangerous than the storm itself. Older adults often do not feel thirst or overheating the way younger people do.

Have a plan for a cooler place to go if the power is out for more than a day.
Keep battery-operated fans on hand.
Encourage regular sips of water throughout the day.
Watch for confusion, dizziness, unusual tiredness, or a rapid heartbeat, and call the doctor with concerns. Call 911 in an emergency.

If your family uses a generator, it must run outdoors, well away from windows and doors. Carbon monoxide from generators used indoors or in garages is deadly. A working battery-powered carbon monoxide alarm is worth having.

Decide Who Checks In, and How

Phone lines and cell service can be spotty after a storm. Agree on a check-in schedule and a backup contact, such as a neighbor or an out-of-town relative who can relay messages. If you live far away, give a trusted local person a key and permission to check on your parent.

For a parent with dementia, a storm can be especially disorienting. Familiar objects, a steady routine, and a calm person nearby help. Plan for someone to stay with them rather than leaving them alone with the plan written on paper.

After the Storm

The days after a hurricane bring their own risks: debris in the yard, wet floors, spoiled food, and the temptation for older adults to climb ladders or haul branches. Ask your parent to wait for help with cleanup. Throw out refrigerated food that has been warm too long, and keep an eye out for contractors who show up uninvited asking for payment up front.

Where Caregiver Help Fits During Hurricane Season

Some families add in-home support during hurricane season, especially when they cannot be there themselves. A caregiver can help with storm preparation tasks, keep routines steady, prepare meals, offer medication reminders, and provide company when a parent would otherwise be alone. Families who need someone present around the clock sometimes arrange live-in care for the season or for the days around a storm.

Talk with any agency before a storm about how they handle severe weather. Travel may not be safe during the storm itself, so arrangements work best when they are set up in advance.

If you are worried about your parent getting through hurricane season alone, or want help putting support in place before a storm is on the way, call Supporting Independence at (407) 434-0766. A real person will answer, and we can talk through whether 24-hour or live-in care or a few hours of help each week makes sense for your family.

Home care where you live

Supporting Independence provides in-home care across Orange and Seminole County: Maitland, Winter Park, Altamonte Springs, Orlando, Longwood, Casselberry, Oviedo, Sanford. Call (407) 434-0766 for a free in-home consultation.