FREE FIELD GUIDE / ACCESSIBILITY / ORIGINAL PLANNING WORKSHEET
Build a support plan around real access needs
Make preparation specific to the person, their preferences and the assistance they choose.
Let the person direct the plan
Begin by asking what support is useful, what is not and who the person wants involved. Do not assume that a diagnosis, age or visible mobility aid describes their needs. An emergency plan should preserve agency and dignity, not turn everyday assistance into a set of instructions written by someone else. Identify which information the person is comfortable sharing and with whom. Include preferred communication methods, accessible formats and language needs. Where care decisions are involved, work with the appropriate professional rather than using a general preparation worksheet as a clinical plan.
Map the everyday dependencies
Walk through an ordinary day and note the services, equipment, people and environments that make it work. Consider transport, charging, accessible entrances, personal assistance, communication tools and the availability of routine supplies. Record what would change if one of those supports were unavailable. Be specific: ‘needs power’ is less useful than identifying the exact device, approved power arrangement and provider to contact. For essential medical equipment, ask the provider or care team to establish the appropriate backup plan. A household battery estimate alone cannot establish medical safety.
Build a network with consent and backups
Ask several trusted people about clearly defined roles instead of relying on one helper for every situation. Confirm availability, access arrangements and what they are trained or comfortable doing. Write down a backup when the usual helper cannot travel or communicate. Do not distribute private health or access information more widely than necessary. The person should know what has been shared and be able to update the arrangement. Record how someone new can obtain the essential information safely without being handed every private record in the household.
Test routes and destinations for actual access
An address described as accessible may still present barriers for a particular person or device. Discuss entry, toilets, sleeping arrangements, charging, communication and service-animal needs with the destination when possible. Check the route from the room to transport, including ordinary obstacles such as doors, steps or a vehicle that cannot carry the equipment. Do not improvise lifting or transfer techniques. Ask for appropriate training and support where needed. Keep a second destination and transport arrangement because the first may not be available during the event.
Prepare a short communication card
With the person’s consent, create a brief card describing the assistance they want, their preferred communication method and the contact for more information. Use clear, respectful language. Avoid including a complete diagnosis list when a practical instruction is enough. Provide the card in a format the person can use themselves and keep the master updated. Make sure a helper can distinguish between a preference, a specific care instruction and something that requires professional judgment. The card supports communication; it does not replace consent or authorize procedures.
Practice at the person’s pace
Review the plan together in an ordinary safe setting. A practice can be a conversation or a route check rather than a timed evacuation. Identify the point at which extra assistance is needed and arrange it in advance. Watch for burdens the plan creates, such as a bag that cannot be carried alongside a mobility device or a contact sheet that cannot be read. Update the plan when equipment, care arrangements or living situations change. Record remaining gaps openly so a printed plan is not mistaken for a completed support arrangement.
Support-plan worksheet
Person directing this plan / preferred format: __________________ Information-sharing preferences: __________________ Essential supports and provider contacts: __________________ Primary helper / agreed role: __________________ Backup helper / agreed role: __________________ Transport / accessible destination / alternative: __________________ Professional backup-power or care plan location: __________________ Communication card location: __________________ Unresolved access gaps: __________________ Next review with the person: __________________