Emergency preparedness: what seniors and their families should know
As Lithuania faces increasing emergency situations, seniors and their families often overlook critical preparedness steps, according to a statement by the social services organization Senjoro, reported by LRT.
Modestas Bastys, head of Senjoro, which provides home-based social services, notes that seniors—especially those with mobility issues, serious health conditions, or bedridden individuals—cannot always follow standard advice, such as seeking shelter immediately after an alert. Preparation for them must begin long before a crisis strikes.
While public discussions often focus on emergency kits, experts emphasize that seniors need a clear action plan above all. Do they know what to do upon receiving a warning? Who to call? Who can assist if they cannot move quickly? Bastys explains that pre-planned decisions on evacuation routes, essential items, and emergency contacts make it far easier to act under pressure.
To address this, Senjoro has developed a checklist called My Safety Plan, which staff help clients complete and display prominently in their homes.
Loneliness increases risk during emergencies
Specialists highlight that isolation, rather than age itself, poses one of the greatest risks during crises. Seniors living alone, with limited contact with family or neighbors, may struggle to receive timely information, assistance, or even a welfare check.
Žygimantas Solovjovas, head of the Civil Safety Department at Vilnius City Municipality, stresses that emergency preparedness starts with community awareness. He urges residents in multi-family buildings to discuss in advance which neighbors might need help, while seniors should not hesitate to voice their needs openly.
“During emergencies, it’s crucial that those around know if someone requires assistance evacuating or reaching safety. This isn’t always obvious if it’s never been discussed,” Solovjovas says.
He adds that while municipalities have systems to identify individuals needing physical help during evacuations, these systems typically only include those already receiving official social or healthcare services. Bastys therefore advises seniors not to wait for a crisis and, if needed, to accept in-home assistance now—improving daily life while also ensuring they are accounted for in state safety protocols.
What should families discuss?
Experts say preparation begins with a simple conversation. When visiting elderly relatives, Bastys recommends reviewing their safety plan together—enabling emergency alerts on their phones, checking the radio, and ensuring essential contacts and medications are in one place.
Families should also discuss: the nearest shelter and whether the senior can reach it independently; who could assist in an evacuation; where important documents are kept; which medications to take; and who to call first in an emergency.
Solovjovas adds that shelters adapted for people with mobility limitations are already marked in the KOVO app.