Family

One aspect of prepping that gets quite a bit of mention (but few articles or posts) is prepping for the whole family. Many preppers prepare for themselves and their children, but not many are prepping for extended family, elderly parents, aunts, uncles, grandparents and pets.

Prep for Everyone

When thinking about preparedness, it is easy – and quite common – to not take into account extended family.  Many of us have family members who have difficulty planning for the future, for emergencies, or just scoff at the idea of prepping in general. You may be tempted not to include these people in your prepping plans. However, chances are good that some of these family members may find themselves in need of assistance should disaster strike, and if they live in your area, they could end up on your doorstep. It is not easy to turn away a family member in need, even if it taxes your resources. Your best bet is to have a plan in place for unexpected guests in this scenario. If they never show up, you have extra supplies. If they do show up, your supplies will not be stretched too thin.

Preparing for the Aging Parents and Grandparents

Grandma and Grandpa may already be in your plans; if so, you have probably already realized that the elderly often have special medical, nutritional, physical, sanitary, and mobility needs. Try to bring up the subject of preparedness with them to see if they have already given thought to their particular needs in an emergency. Urge them to think about it if they have not already done so. Obviously, some elderly people are easier to prep for than others; if you do decide to prep for an older relative, it would be useful find out more about the first aid and dietary needs of that person.

Some things to consider having extra of on hand:

• Food
• Water
• Medications
• Wheelchair
• Crutches
• First Aid 
• Blankets

Having more than you need is never a real problem, but obviously, if your supplies run short it can be a problem for everyone.