Home-bound seniors receive free emergency-preparedness kits

January 27, 2015 Swedish News

American Preparedness, Senior Services and Swedish partner to provide supplies to some of King County’s most vulnerable residents

SEATTLE – Jan. 27, 2015 – American Preparedness, Senior Services and Swedish Health Services today launched delivery of free emergency preparedness kits to 1,000 vulnerable, home-bound King County seniors who receive Meals on Wheels. The kits provide emergency food and water, first-aid supplies, a flashlight, thermal blanket, hand warmers and other items to help individuals during the critical first 72 hours of an emergency.

“This is an opportunity to provide additional support to these older adults who may find it more difficult to obtain emergency supplies,” said Paula Houston, CEO of Senior Services. “It also allows us to address the larger issue of emergency preparedness with these clients and help them think about how to plan to connect with their caregivers or other means of support during an emergency.”

A recent University of Iowa study found that the majority of adults age 50 and older in the U.S. may not be prepared for a serious flood, earthquake, tornado or other natural disaster. In the Puget Sound region, such disasters as earthquake and inclement weather are most likely to impact these vulnerable populations.

“American Preparedness is committed to ensuring that the public—especially vulnerable people like home-bound seniors—are protected during an emergency,” said Jeff Guite, President and Founder of American Preparedness Company.

Swedish and Senior Services have teamed up on a number of initiatives such as mobile mammography services and tailored health and fitness classes to improve the health and well-being of older adults. This is the first time the two organizations have combined efforts with American Preparedness to make an even greater impact on this community. As part of its ongoing Community Benefits Program, Swedish provided approximately $30,000 in funding to support this important initiative.

For more information, visit americanpreparedness.com or call 888-431-4511.

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American Preparedness

American Preparedness is a service-disabled, veteran owned business and leading manufacturer and distributor of emergency preparedness kits for government, military, businesses, disaster relief organizations, and individuals and families. Founded in 1981, American Preparedness is committed to providing products that support our clients during natural and man-made disasters. Our focus on excellence is demonstrated by the review and approval of all of our kits by the American Red Cross through their PDM certification program. Information: www.AmericanPreparedness.com

About Senior Services

Senior Services’ Meals on Wheels offers frozen home-delivered meals for older persons who are unable to leave their home to shop or prepare nutritious meals. The meals are prepared with the special dietary needs of seniors in mind and are adaptable to a variety of special diets. In 2013, Meals on Wheels delivered nearly 390,000 meals to more than 2,100 older adults in King County.

Senior Services is the most comprehensive non-profit agency serving older adults and their loved ones in Washington State. Established in 1967, we promote positive aging for nearly 70,000 seniors and those who care for them in King County through our integrated system of quality programs and senior centers. More than 3,300 volunteers, together with 250 employees, make our work possible and efficient. For more information: www.seniorservices.org.

About Swedish

Founded in 1910, Swedish is the largest non-profit health provider in the Greater Seattle area. It is comprised of five hospital campuses (First Hill, Cherry Hill, Ballard, Edmonds and Issaquah); ambulatory care centers in Redmond and Mill Creek; and Swedish Medical Group, a network of more than 100 primary-care and specialty clinics located throughout the Greater Puget Sound area. In addition to general medical and surgical care including robotic-assisted surgery, Swedish is known as a regional referral center, providing specialized treatment in areas such as cardiovascular care, cancer care, neuroscience, orthopedics, high-risk obstetrics, pediatric specialties, organ transplantation and clinical research. In 2013, Swedish provided nearly $143 million in community benefit in Western Washington. For more information, visit www.swedish.org, www.facebook.com/swedishmedicalcenter, or www.twitter.com/swedish.

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