For expectant mothers, people managing chronic illnesses and families caring for someone with dementia or a disability, hurricane preparation involves more than shutters, batteries and bottled water. A carefully considered health plan can be just as important as securing the home.
When a hurricane approaches Bermuda, most households work through a familiar list. Outdoor furniture is brought inside, shutters are secured, electronic devices are charged and cupboards are checked for essentials. Yet for families caring for someone with particular health needs, ordinary storm preparations may not be enough.
A prolonged power outage can affect refrigerated medication or electrically powered medical equipment. A sudden change in routine may be deeply distressing for someone living with dementia, while an expectant mother nearing her due date may need to consider how quickly she could reach the hospital once conditions deteriorate.
The most important preparations are often those made before a hurricane dominates the forecast. A personal medical plan, developed with the person’s healthcare provider, can make an uncertain situation far more manageable.
Begin With an Individual Health Plan
No single emergency checklist can account for every medical condition. Two people with the same diagnosis may take different medications, use different equipment and face different risks during a storm. Preparation should therefore begin with a conversation involving the person, their caregiver and the healthcare professionals who understand their needs.
The plan should identify which medicines and treatments cannot be interrupted, what symptoms require urgent attention and where the person should go if remaining at home becomes unsafe. It should also answer practical questions. Who will provide care if the usual caregiver cannot reach the house? Does another family member understand the medication schedule?
Important information should be written down rather than stored only on a phone. A simple medical sheet should list diagnoses, allergies, medications and doses, healthcare providers, emergency contacts and any instructions another caregiver or first responder would need. Copies should be kept in a waterproof pouch, placed in the emergency kit and shared with a trusted relative or neighbour.
Prepare Medication Early
For someone who depends on daily medication, running out during or after a hurricane can quickly become more serious than the storm itself. Prescriptions should be reviewed well before severe weather threatens, particularly medicines that are difficult to replace, tightly controlled or required at precise times.
Families should ask their doctor or pharmacist how much medication it is appropriate to keep available and how each product must be stored. Medicines, dosage instructions, prescriptions and basic medical supplies should be placed together in a waterproof, portable container that can be taken quickly if the household relocates.
Medication requiring refrigeration needs a specific plan. An approved cooling case or insulated container may be necessary, but medicine should not be placed directly against ice unless a pharmacist confirms that freezing will not damage it. Families should also ask what to do if safe storage temperatures cannot be maintained during a prolonged outage.
Prescribed medication should never be stopped, doubled or otherwise altered because routines have been disrupted unless a qualified healthcare professional advises it.
Expectant Mothers: Planning Ahead for Two
Pregnancy can make hurricane season feel particularly uncertain, especially in the final weeks before a baby is due. Most expectant mothers will not require special intervention simply because a storm is approaching, but those in later pregnancy or with a high-risk condition should speak with their obstetrician well in advance.
The central concern is often access to care. The Causeway, roads and public transportation may close before conditions reach their peak, while ambulances may face delays once winds become dangerous. Someone nearing their due date may therefore be advised to make arrangements earlier than they ordinarily would, particularly if they lives far from the hospital or has previously experienced rapid labour.
A storm kit should include prenatal records or a medical summary, identification, insurance details, medication, prenatal vitamins, comfortable clothing, hygiene products and basic supplies for the baby. Hydration, regular meals and rest remain important, and pregnant women should avoid lifting shutters, furniture or heavy supplies.
Warning signs such as significant bleeding, severe abdominal pain, signs of labour, reduced fetal movement, difficulty breathing or a severe persistent headache should never be dismissed because the weather is poor. The woman or her caregiver should contact the hospital, maternity provider or emergency services for guidance.
Managing Diabetes Through Disruption
Storms can interfere with almost every part of diabetes management. Meals may be delayed, stress can affect glucose levels, sleep and activity patterns may change, and insulin or other medicines may be harder to store safely.
People with diabetes should prepare enough medication and testing supplies for an extended disruption. Depending on treatment, this may include insulin, syringes or pens, oral medication, a glucose meter, lancets, test strips, ketone strips, glucagon, pump supplies and spare batteries.
Everything should be packed together in a waterproof diabetes kit. Pump users should record the pump’s manufacturer and model and ask their diabetes team what to do if it fails. Anyone relying on a continuous glucose monitor should also have a backup method of testing.
Food supplies deserve equal attention. A cupboard stocked mainly with salty snacks and sweet drinks may not support someone whose glucose depends on reasonably consistent meals. Suitable non-perishable foods, drinking water and a fast-acting source of glucose should be available. Caregivers should recognise signs of hypoglycaemia and hyperglycaemia and know when emergency help is needed.
Insulin storage limits vary by product, so patients should seek instructions specific to their own medication. Monitoring may also need to occur more frequently during stress, illness or changes in food intake.
Supporting Someone With Dementia
For a person living with dementia, the emotional impact of a hurricane may begin before the first strong winds arrive. Moved furniture, shuttered windows, hurried conversations and changes to routine can all create confusion. Darkness and loud noises during the storm may increase fear, agitation or the urge to leave.
The best approach is often to preserve as much normality as possible. Meals, medication, bedtime rituals and familiar activities should continue at their usual times. Calm, simple explanations are generally more reassuring than repeated details about wind speeds and storm tracks.
Correcting or arguing with someone who is confused may intensify distress. It is usually more helpful to acknowledge the emotion, provide reassurance and redirect attention towards something familiar.
A dementia emergency kit should include medication, identification, medical information, clothing, continence products if needed, snacks, water and familiar comfort items. A favourite blanket, photograph album, music or simple activity can provide reassurance during a long period indoors or an unexpected relocation.
Because stress and unfamiliar surroundings may increase the risk of wandering, doors should remain secure without creating a fire hazard. The person should carry identification, and caregivers should keep a recent photograph available.
Medical Equipment and Power Loss
A storm may cause little structural damage yet still create a medical emergency if electricity fails. Oxygen concentrators, ventilators, suction machines, adjustable beds, mobility devices and other equipment may depend on reliable power.
Anyone using essential electrical equipment should speak with the supplying company and medical team before hurricane season. The plan should establish how long backup batteries will last, whether portable alternatives are available and when the person should relocate to somewhere with dependable generator power.
Batteries should be fully charged whenever a storm threatens, and spare batteries, cables and adaptors should be labelled clearly. Generators must never be operated inside a house, garage or other enclosed space because of the danger of carbon monoxide poisoning.
The decision to relocate should take into account not only the expected storm strength but also the possibility of several days without electricity afterwards.
Choosing Whether to Stay or Relocate
For many households, remaining at home is the safest and most comfortable option. Familiar surroundings may be especially valuable for people living with dementia, autism, anxiety or complex care routines. However, familiarity should never outweigh medical safety.
Relocation may be necessary if the home is vulnerable to flooding, difficult for emergency personnel to reach or unable to support essential equipment during a power outage. It may also be appropriate when a person’s condition is unstable, delivery is imminent or the sole caregiver cannot safely manage alone.
These decisions should be made early and in consultation with the relevant healthcare provider. Waiting until the Causeway closes or winds become severe can remove choices that were available only hours earlier.
The destination should be confirmed in advance. Families should know whether it has generator power, accessible facilities, space for equipment and room for a caregiver. Medication, records, supplies and comfort items should travel with the person.
Create a Circle of Support
Special health needs should not fall on one caregiver if a wider network is available. Family members, neighbours and friends can divide responsibilities. One person might collect prescriptions, another secure the property and another check on the patient if phone service is disrupted.
The support plan should be specific. “Call me if you need anything” is kind, but “I will check on you at 8 a.m. and 6 p.m., and I have a key if you do not answer” is far more useful.
Support may still be needed after the storm. Heat, debris, spoiled food, interrupted transport and delayed pharmacy deliveries can create problems even when the house itself is undamaged. Wellbeing should continue to be checked until electricity, healthcare access and normal routines have returned.
Preparation as an Act of Care
For households managing special health needs, the most important hurricane preparations are deeply personal. They are found in the extra prescription collected before it becomes urgent, the medical instructions sealed in a waterproof bag, the backup battery charged beside the bed and the quiet plan made for an expectant mother to reach the hospital safely.
No plan can remove every uncertainty. But thoughtful preparation can prevent a manageable medical need from becoming a crisis when roads, electricity and healthcare services are under their greatest strain.
Bermuda has always relied on strong homes and stronger communities to withstand storms. Caring for those who need additional help is part of that same tradition. It begins by asking not only whether the house is ready, but whether every person inside it is ready too.
Click here to read more from A Guide to Hurricane Season 2026
