Logic dictates, and the Elmhurst Fire Department concurs: “When a medical emergency occurs, every second counts.”
That is, when first responders need to know about a person’s medications and other vital information in order to provide immediate and appropriate on-scene treatment, that’s where Plan in a Can comes in.
The idea to provide emergency preparedness all in one place was demonstrated at The Roosevelt at Salt Creek on Tuesday, June 23, with Elmhurst city and fire department officials in attendance to outline how Plan in a Can is available to all Elmhurst seniors and others with medical conditions.
As First Ward Alderman Jennifer Veremis explained it, “A few years ago I was visiting my in-laws in Georgia. They live in a retirement community. They have this [Plan in a Can]. That’s how it started,” she said.
Veremis later elaborated: “One afternoon, a neighbor was sharing a story about a resident who had called 911 and was sitting on the front porch waiting for the ambulance, holding their Plan in a Can. Naturally, I asked, ‘What is Plan in a Can?’”
Georgia’s Plan in a Can was introduced through the Northeast Georgia Health System (NGHS) by a physician who had seen its successful implementation in Michigan, according to the NGHS website.
“The moment I saw it, I knew it was something that could benefit Elmhurst residents, especially our seniors and those with medical concerns. Supporting initiatives that help residents remain safe, independent and prepared has always been important to me,” Veremis stated.
Veremis spoke with the fire department about bringing the program to Elmhurst and additionally, having a local hospital in the community, “We wanted to talk to Endeavor Health about this,” she said.
“They immediately saw the value of the program,” Veremis continued, and provided a grant for Elmhurst to begin the distribution process.
Tam Wagner, executive director of The Roosevelt at Salt Creek, said she heard about the Plan in a Can program about six months ago through the Elmhurst Chamber, and wondered, “How are we going to get it going and expand it?”
“We’re always partnering with the first responders. We see the need,” she added.
The can, Wagner said, is “a vessel that holds important information when there’s a crisis, and maybe they want to throw in an extra pair of eyeglasses.”
Examples of items that can be stored in the can are an advance directive, a list of medications and medical history, glasses and hearing aids, eye drops, a phone charger, emergency contacts and any other relevant personal items and information.
In an Elmhurst Fire Department YouTube video, the message is clear: “Emergencies can happen when we least expect them, but when they do, every second counts.
“When you call 911, first responders arrive ready to help, but having the right information quickly can make all the difference.
“That’s why the Elmhurst Fire Department encourages all older adults to create a Plan in a Can … It’s designed to be easy to find and easy to use … and offers critical details about your care before you even reach the hospital.”
The Roosevelt at Salt Creek was the first senior living community to offer the Plan in a Can, but according to Veremis, it is available to all Elmhurst seniors and others with a medical condition.
“I would also like to thank my mother-in-law, who helped gather information from her friend involved with the program through Northeast Georgia Health System. Together, we learned more about how the program worked and how it could be implemented in Elmhurst,” she shared, adding that her message to Elmhurst seniors, and residents with a medical condition, is, “I want them to utilize the program.”
Interested individuals can pick up a Plan in a Can at The Roosevelt at Salt Creek, 700 W. Butterfield Road, Elmhurst, from 11 a.m. to noon at the front desk; or at the Elmhurst Fire Station #2, 605 S. York St., Elmhurst.
For more information, check out the fire department video at www.youtube.com/shorts/2UtGZwz5DNg or visit https://elmhurstfiredepartment.org/emergency_planning/plan_in_a_can.php.
