Hurricane Ike just bore down on the Texas coast and the news of the aftermath reminds us of the importance of having a family plan in place to prepare for disaster.

If you have a chronically ill or an elderly family member in your home you need to take some special precautions. For example, those with chronic illnesses such as diabetes need to pay special attention to what they would do without their medicine or supplies.

The American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists and Olympic skier Kris Freeman who has Type 1 diabetes, offers tips on how people with diabetes can be prepared for an emergency by stressing the importance of having on-hand:

* An emergency kit that contains basics like a radio, flashlights, batteries, whistles,food, water and a list of emergency contacts

* At least one week of supplies in a central locations

* A few ice packs to keep insulin cool

* A kit of diabetes supplies, including blood testing supplies, health insurance cards, copies of your prescriptions, a glucagon kit and fast-acting carbohydrates.

Additionally, the American Red Cross has much more information about how to prepare a Disaster Supplies Kit.

Many seniors may also depend on in-home care for vital supplies and services such as oxygen or some types of dialysis and it’s important to confirm the emergency plan with the home heath agency.

Take a moment to plan what you would do to manage yours or a loved one’s condition in the event of a disaster. Also, be sure that any aging friends or relatives living away from you are prepared and their supplies are updated.