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Recorded Annual Meeting Presentations (RAMP) are now available for purchase.
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337279
Planning for Emergencies: Addressing the Needs of the Homebound Elderly and other Access and Functional Needs (AFN) individuals in Montgomery County


Monday, November 2, 2015

Gabriela Gottlieb, MPH, Health Policy & Public Health - Mayes College, University of the Sciences in Philadelphia, Norristown, PA
Tamar Klaiman, PhD, MPH, Department of Health Policy and Public Health, HepTREC at University of the Sciences in Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA
Brian Pasquale, PhD, MPH, Montgomery County Health Department, Norristown, PA
Background: The lack of public policy requiring emergency planning for elderly individuals has historically resulted in disproportionate morbidity and mortality rates for that group during times of emergency. Evidence from Super Storm Sandy, Hurricane Katrina, 9/11, and the Chicago Heat Wave in the 90s provide records of poor health outcomes for the frail elderly as a result of lack of planning. The frail elderly are considered Special Needs Population.

Purpose: The purpose of this project was to create an Emergency Plan that would serve homebound individuals and the elderly so they may have better access to the necessary medical countermeasures available through the National Response Framework.

Methods: We reviewed FEMA Training resources including the Incident Command System and National Response Framework, established bi-monthly meetings between Montgomery County Aging and Adult Services and Montgomery County Health Department, and developed a closed point of dispensing (POD) process.

Result: We amended the Montgomery County Emergency Operations Plan Special Needs Planning Annex with the inclusion of a closed POD workbook for Home-Meal Providers. We exercised the plan during a Medical Reserve Corps Regional Event, and updated it accordingly after the exercise.

Implications: Montgomery County Aging and Adult Services and the Bucks County Health Department Emergency Planning Office are interested in expanding the current closed POD plan to include senior care centers and other aging care networks.

Learning Areas:

Administration, management, leadership
Public health administration or related administration
Public health or related organizational policy, standards, or other guidelines
Public health or related public policy

Learning Objectives:
Formulate a hybrid closed (private) Point of Dispensing (POD) plan workbook for Meals on Wheels providers

Keyword(s): Emergency Preparedness, Special Populations

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I am the principal author of the project
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.

Back to: 3316.0: PHEHP Student Research Awards