Information reviewed: September 25, 2026

Key Takeaways

If you live alone after 60, emergency preparation is not only about food, water, flashlights, or a medical alert button.

Someone you trust should also be able to quickly answer a few practical questions if you are sick, injured, unable to communicate, evacuated from your home, or otherwise need help:

Who should be contacted?
What medications or allergies matter?
Do you use equipment or need help moving or communicating?
Is there a pet that needs care?
Where are important documents kept?
Who has access to the home?
What information is safe to see quickly — and what information should stay protected?

The goal is not to leave your private life open for anyone to see.

The goal is to create a simple system so that the right person can find the right information when it matters.

Living Alone Requires More Than an Emergency Kit

Living alone can support independence, privacy, and control over your daily life.

But it can also create a practical problem during an emergency:

What happens if you cannot explain what you need?

A family member, neighbor, caregiver, emergency responder, or trusted friend may need to help.

The American Red Cross recommends that older adults identify helpers, create a support network, prepare emergency contacts, keep medical information current, plan for medication and power needs, and organize important documents. American Red Cross

CDC emergency-planning guidance similarly emphasizes making a contact list, planning around individual needs, preparing for evacuation and transportation, and sharing the plan with people who may provide support. CDC

But there is another question that is easy to overlook:

If someone came to help you today, would that person know where to find the information they need?

That is the focus of this guide.

Watch: How to Build an Emergency

Preparedness Kit

This short American Red Cross video shows practical emergency supplies you can keep together so they are easier to find at home or take with you if you need to evacuate.

Tip for older adults: Keep emergency contacts, important medical information, medications, and mobility-related supplies where they can be found quickly.

1. Choose a Primary Helper — and a Backup

Start with one trusted person who would be likely to help if something happened.

This could be:

An adult child
A sibling
A trusted neighbor
A close friend
A caregiver
Another reliable person

Then choose a backup.

CDC recommends creating a contact list that may include family, friends, neighbors, and care providers, and making sure those people understand what support may be needed. CDC

A person does not automatically gain authority over your healthcare, money, accounts, or legal decisions simply because you list them as an emergency contact.

For this article, their role is much simpler:

Know how to reach you, know where basic emergency information is kept, and know who else should be contacted.

2. Create One Quick Emergency Information Sheet

Your first sheet should contain information that may be useful quickly.

Consider including:

Full name
Date of birth
Primary emergency contact
Backup emergency contact
Primary care clinician
Important specialist, if relevant
Preferred pharmacy
Current medications
Serious allergies
Important medical conditions
Health insurance plan or card location
Mobility needs
Hearing or vision needs
Communication needs
Medical equipment
Pet information
Location of more detailed documents
Date the sheet was last updated

The Red Cross recommends maintaining an up-to-date list of medical conditions, allergies, medications, prescription information, doctors, and insurance cards. American Red Cross

The sheet should be easy enough to understand that another person can use it without having to search through drawers, old paperwork, or several different notebooks.

3. Use a Two-Level Information System

This is one of the most important parts of the WYL approach.

Not everything should be kept together.

Level 1 — Quick Emergency Information

This is information a helper may need quickly:

Emergency contacts
Medication list
Allergies
Doctors
Pharmacy
Important support needs
Medical equipment
Pet information
Where additional documents are stored

Level 2 — Secure Documents and Sensitive Information

This may include:

Social Security information
Bank and investment records
Full account numbers
Tax records
Legal documents
Insurance policies
Property records
Passwords and PINs
Copies of identification

CFPB recommends organizing important documents in a safe but accessible location and letting trusted people know where they can be found. It specifically recommends keeping passwords and PINs securely stored rather than treating them like ordinary emergency notes. Consumer Financial Protection Bureau

Do not put highly sensitive financial or identity information on a sheet that is openly visible in your home.

The trusted helper may need to know where secure information is, not necessarily see or possess all of it in advance.

4. Keep Your Medication Information Current

If you cannot speak for yourself, an accurate medication list may be much more useful than relying on memory or searching through bottles.

Include:

Medication name
Strength, if known
How often you take it
Prescription medications
Important over-the-counter medicines
Relevant vitamins or supplements
Serious medication allergies

The Red Cross advises older adults to keep current medical information and plan for access to medications during emergencies. American Red Cross

Update the list whenever something changes.

5. Write Down Mobility and Communication Needs

This information may be just as important as a medication list.

A helper may need to know that you:

Use a cane or walker
Use a wheelchair
Have difficulty climbing stairs
Need help transferring
Use hearing aids
Have limited vision
Communicate better in a particular language
Need written instructions
Need extra time to understand spoken instructions
Use an assistive device

CDC recommends creating an emergency plan based on the person’s actual support and communication needs rather than relying on a generic plan. CDC

If pictures or simple written instructions help you communicate, CDC also notes that they can be included in an individual emergency plan. CDC

6. Make a Plan for Equipment and Electricity

Some people depend on equipment that may be affected by a power outage.

Examples can include:

CPAP equipment
Powered mobility devices
Refrigerated medications
Oxygen-related equipment
Hearing-device chargers
Other assistive or medical devices

Red Cross guidance specifically recommends backup planning when medical devices or medicines depend on electricity or refrigeration. American Red Cross

CDC also recommends planning how equipment will be powered, transported, replaced, or used during evacuation. CDC

Write down:

What equipment you use
Where it is kept
Whether it needs electricity
Whether backup batteries or chargers exist
Who to contact for equipment assistance

7. Decide How Someone Could Safely Enter Your Home

An emergency helper may know you need help but still be unable to reach you.

Consider:

Who has a spare key?
Is there a trusted neighbor nearby?
Does your building have a manager or front desk?
Are there building access procedures?
Is there another safe method for authorized access?

Do not place alarm codes, door codes, passwords, or other security information somewhere strangers could easily see them.

Instead, make sure your trusted helper knows how authorized access is handled.

This is another example of the two-level system: the emergency sheet can say who has access without displaying the actual security credentials.

8. Include a Plan for Pets

If you live alone with an animal, the pet may depend entirely on you.

Write down:

Pet’s name
Type of animal
Veterinarian
Feeding information
Medications
Where food is kept
Location of leash, carrier, or crate
Backup caregiver
Emergency contact for the pet

CDC recommends including pets, service animals, or emotional-support animals when creating an individualized emergency plan. CDC

Red Cross guidance likewise recommends including pet food, medication, carriers, leashes, and other supplies in emergency planning. American Red Cross

9. Think About Transportation Before You Need It

A plan should answer more than “Where would I go?”

It should also answer:

How would I get there?

Think about:

Who could drive you
Whether you can enter and exit a vehicle easily
Whether you need accessible transportation
Whether you use a wheelchair or mobility device
Where you could go if your home became temporarily unsafe

CDC recommends identifying multiple places you could go and planning transportation in advance, especially when accessible transportation may be needed. CDC

Do not assume that your usual transportation will always be available during a major emergency.

10. Organize Important Documents Without Exposing Them

Important documents may include:

Identification
Health insurance information
Homeowners or renters insurance
Advance directive, if you have one
Power of attorney documents, if applicable
Will location
Property or lease information
Financial contacts
Insurance contacts
Other important legal or financial records

CFPB recommends keeping important financial documents in a secure, accessible location and telling trusted people where they can be found. Consumer Financial Protection Bureau

Red Cross preparedness guidance also recommends locating, copying, and protecting important personal, financial, legal, and medical documents. American Red Cross

The goal is organized access, not public exposure.

11. Keep a Backup Outside the Home

An emergency could make your home inaccessible.

Examples include:

Fire
Flood
Earthquake
Evacuation
Building damage

Consider keeping an appropriate backup:

With a trusted family member
With a trusted friend
In secure digital storage
In another protected location

Red Cross guidance recommends keeping personal, medical, and financial records safe and accessible, including secure backups. American Red Cross

A backup does not have to contain every sensitive detail.

It should contain enough information to help a trusted person begin assisting you.

12. Make Sure Someone Actually Knows the System

This is the step that can easily be missed.

Creating a beautiful binder does not help if nobody knows it exists.

Tell your trusted helper:

“If something happens to me, my emergency information is kept here.”

Then show them:

Where the quick sheet is
Where secure documents are kept
How to contact your backup person
What pet or equipment needs may exist
What they should not share with other people

CDC recommends sharing and practicing emergency plans with the people who support you. CDC

13. Review the Information Regularly

Plans become less useful when the information is outdated.

Review the sheet whenever:

A medication changes
A doctor changes
Your emergency contact changes
You move
Your insurance changes
You begin using new equipment
Your mobility or communication needs change
Your pet situation changes

The Red Cross recommends reviewing and refreshing plans, supplies, and important documents about every six months. American Red Cross

CDC recommends reviewing an individual emergency plan at least annually and when needs change. CDC

For WYL readers, a simple approach is:

Review every six months, and update sooner whenever something important changes.

A 15-Minute Emergency Information Check

You do not need to finish an entire emergency system today.

Start with these seven actions:

Write down your primary and backup emergency contacts.
Update your medication and allergy list.
Add your doctor and pharmacy.
Write down mobility, hearing, vision, communication, or equipment needs.
Add pet information if needed.
Choose where the emergency sheet will be kept.
Tell one trusted person exactly where to find it.

That gives you a practical starting system in a short amount of time.

If You Are Helping a Parent Who Lives Alone

Do not assume you already know where everything is.

Ask:

Who should I call first?
Where is your medication list?
Where are your insurance cards?
What equipment do you use?
Who has a key?
What should happen to your pet?
Where are important documents kept?
Is there an advance directive or other legal document, and where is it stored?
What information should remain private?
Who is your backup helper?
What would you need if the power went out?
How would you leave the home if you had to evacuate?

The goal is not to take away independence.

The goal is to reduce confusion when help is actually needed.

Download: Living Alone Emergency Information Sheet

Wise Years Living provides a large-print Living Alone Emergency Information Sheet to help adults 60+ and family caregivers organize essential information in one place.

The sheet should include space for:

Primary emergency contact
Backup emergency contact
Doctor
Pharmacy
Medications
Allergies
Important health conditions
Mobility needs
Hearing or vision needs
Communication needs
Medical or assistive equipment
Pet information
Home-access contact
Transportation plan
Location of secure documents
Trusted helper
Last updated date

What’s included:

Primary and backup emergency contacts
Doctor and pharmacy information
Medications and allergies
Mobility, hearing, vision, and communication needs
Medical or assistive equipment
Pet information
Home-access contact
Transportation plan
Location of secure documents
Trusted helper
Last updated date

Important Privacy Reminder

Do not place passwords, PINs, Social Security numbers, full banking credentials, or other highly sensitive financial or identity information on an openly accessible emergency sheet.

Frequently Asked Questions

Should I put my Social Security number on my emergency sheet?

Usually, there is no reason to place a Social Security number on a basic quick-reference emergency sheet.

Sensitive identity information should generally be kept separately and securely.

CFPB recommends organizing important financial and identity information but also keeping sensitive passwords and PINs safely stored. Consumer Financial Protection Bureau

Should my emergency contact have access to my money?

Being an emergency contact does not automatically give someone authority over your finances.

A CFPB “trusted contact,” for example, is someone a financial institution may contact in certain circumstances; that role does not itself give the person access to your money. Consumer Financial Protection Bureau

Legal authority over finances is a separate matter and depends on the arrangement and applicable law.

Should I give someone all my passwords?

Avoid casually sharing passwords or PINs.

If you want someone to be able to manage accounts in the future, consider appropriate secure and legal planning rather than simply handing over login information.

CFPB specifically recommends keeping password and PIN lists secure. Consumer Financial Protection Bureau

What if I do not have family nearby?

Your support network does not have to be limited to relatives.

Depending on your situation, it might include:

A trusted neighbor
A close friend
A caregiver
A nearby community contact
Another reliable person

CDC recommends including family, friends, neighbors, and care providers in emergency contact planning. CDC

Do I still need a plan if I wear a medical alert device?

Yes.

NIA explains that emergency medical alert systems can help in some situations, but they must be worn and maintained properly and do not replace regular check-ins by family, friends, or caregivers. NIA

Where should I keep my emergency information sheet?

There is no single location that is right for everyone.

Choose a place that is:

Easy for you to reach
Known to your trusted helper
Protected from casual viewing by strangers
Separate from highly sensitive passwords or financial information

The important point is not only where it is stored.

Someone you trust must know where to find it.

The Most Important Thing to Remember

Living alone does not mean preparing alone.

A useful emergency system allows a trusted person to quickly understand:

Who to contact
What medications or allergies matter
What support you need
What equipment you depend on
Whether a pet needs care
How authorized home access works
Where important documents are kept
Who else can help

You do not need to give up privacy.

You do not need to give someone unrestricted access to your accounts or personal records.

You need a system that makes essential information findable while sensitive information stays protected.

Next Step: Prepare Your Digital Emergency Plan

Your emergency information should be easy for a trusted person to find without exposing your passwords or private accounts.

Read our Digital Emergency Plan After 60 guide to learn what to prepare and how to protect your information.

Sources

American Red Cross — Older Adults Emergency Preparedness
Guidance on support networks, emergency contacts, medication and medical information, power-dependent devices, emergency supplies, evacuation, and key documents.

American Red Cross — Older Adults Preparedness Checklist
Large-print preparedness guidance covering medications, power-dependent equipment, pets, and protected personal, financial, and medical records.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention — Making an Emergency Plan
Guidance on individualized emergency planning, contact networks, communication, transportation, assistive equipment, evacuation, and plan review.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention — What Is an Emergency Plan? Why Is It Important?
Easy-read guidance on emergency contacts, personal needs, communication, transportation, equipment, and sharing plans with support people.

National Institute on Aging — Services for Older Adults Living at Home
Information about regular check-ins and the strengths and limitations of emergency medical alert systems for older adults living alone.

Consumer Financial Protection Bureau — Planning for Diminished Capacity and Illness
Guidance on organizing important documents, informing trusted people where they are stored, protecting passwords and PINs, and understanding trusted contacts.

General Safety & Educational Notice

This article provides general educational information about emergency preparedness and independent living. Individual medical, legal, financial, housing, security, and emergency-planning needs vary. It does not replace individualized advice from healthcare professionals, attorneys, financial professionals, emergency services, local authorities, or other qualified professionals when appropriate. If you are experiencing an immediate emergency, call 911 or follow instructions from local emergency authorities.

If You Live Alone After 60: What Should Someone Be Able to Find in an Emergency?