Older adults and disasters: Ready.gov's basics, and what Japan adds (support registers, welfare shelters, medication notebooks)

Older adults face the greatest risk in disasters. In Japan's 2011 earthquake and tsunami, about 60% of those who died were 65 or older, according to Japan's Fire and Disaster Management Agency. Ready.gov's guidance for older adults and their families starts with planning ahead; Japan adds municipal registers and welfare shelters.

Ready.gov's basics

• "Make sure at least one person in your support network has an extra key to your home."
• "Plan for your transportation if you need help evacuating."
• Keep "A complete list of medications and your doctors' phone numbers."
• "Not all shelters accept pets, so plan for alternatives."

What Japan adds

• Evacuation support registers. Since a 2013 law change, every municipality must keep a register of residents who would need help evacuating. Since 2021, municipalities are also asked to make an individual evacuation plan for each person (a duty to make efforts, not a strict obligation). Who qualifies varies by municipality.
• Welfare shelters. These are shelters for people who would struggle in a general shelter. Since 2021, municipalities can announce in advance which groups each designated welfare shelter is for.
• Medicines. Tokyo advises packing regular medicines, prescriptions, dentures, glasses and hearing aids, with at least 3 days of medicine and ideally a week. Japan's medication notebook (お薬手帳) helps: Tokyo's health bureau says pharmacies may be allowed to dispense regular medicines without a prescription if the notebook confirms them.
• Care providers. Since April 2024, all care service providers in Japan must have a business continuity plan, according to the health ministry.

For families (our suggestions)

• Ask the city office whether your parent is on the evacuation support register and has an individual plan.
• Ask their care provider how it will contact you and hand them over after a disaster.
• Keep a photo of the medication list or notebook on your phone, too.
• Call them yourself when heavy rain or a cold wave is forecast.

A Japanese version is available: "高齢の家族の防災" (in Japanese).