Your Not yet list
Copy these into a notebook, or into the household plan in Family Ready. Nothing here is saved.
Is my parent prepared for an emergency?
An older adult is reasonably prepared for an emergency when at least one helper has a key and knows the plan, medicines and copies of insurance cards are in a kit, and there is a way out that does not depend on driving. That summary comes from Ready.gov's page for older adults (updated February 2024), which is where every card above comes from.
Seven cards. Five minutes. One honest list.
Who this quiz is not for
If your parent lives in assisted living or a care home, the building has its own emergency plan; ask staff for a copy instead of building a parallel one. If someone relies on oxygen, dialysis or other power-dependent equipment, this quiz is too light. Ask the clinic or supplier about their emergency plan, as Ready.gov suggests, and register with your utility if it offers a medical priority list.
What the app shows after the quiz
Honest limits
- The quiz covers seven items, not a full plan. Ready.gov's page also covers weather alerts, pets and service animals, and switching benefits to direct deposit.
- Family Ready organizes what you type. It does not monitor anyone, detect a fall or call for help, and it is not a medical service.
- Sharing sections with a sibling or helper inside the app is Family Ready Plus (monthly or annual). On the free tier you print the dated Emergency Snapshot PDF and hand it over.
A mini story: the key under the mat
A daughter two hours away takes the quiz with her father on speakerphone. He says yes to the spare key, it is under the mat, and yes to medicines, they are in the bathroom cabinet. Then card two asks whether anyone could give him those medicines. Silence. His neighbor has checked in on him for years but has never seen the list.
The fix was small: a printed medicine list in the kitchen drawer, the neighbor shown where it is, and a real spare key instead of the mat. That is what a Not yet list is for. One design decision we made: the quiz says Not yet instead of No, because nobody finishes a plan in one sitting, and a list of gaps is a starting point, not a grade.
Senior emergency checklist options compared
| Option | Best for | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|
| Ready.gov older adults page | The official checklist, free | No place to write your own answers |
| A paper binder | Parents who prefer paper | One copy, easy to let go stale |
| Local senior center or Area Agency on Aging | In-person help near you | Hours and programs vary by area |
| Family Ready (we make it) | Cards per person, offline Emergency Mode, free printable snapshot | iPhone only; in-app sharing needs Plus |
Who should pick something else: a parent without an iPhone, or one who will never open an app, is better served by the paper binder and a visit to a local senior center.
Quiz questions people ask
What should a senior's emergency plan include?
Ready.gov's page for older adults asks for a support network you practice with, at least one person with a spare key who knows where your supplies are, medicines and medical supplies in your kit, a plan for assistive devices and transportation, and copies of Medicare, Medicaid and insurance cards.
How much water should an older adult store?
Ready.gov's basic kit list says one gallon per person per day for several days, for drinking and sanitation. Many medicines need water too, so do not count on less.
Can I take this quiz for my parent?
Yes. Answer for them, or better, sit with them and let them answer. The Not yet answers become the list you work on together.
Is Family Ready hard to use for older adults?
It asks one plain question at a time, lets you answer I don't know, and has a Read aloud button. Emergency Mode uses large, high-contrast text. It is iPhone only.
What is free in Family Ready?
The Emergency Card, Emergency Mode, offline access, the household plan, the kit checklist, encrypted backup and the dated Emergency Snapshot PDF. Family Ready Plus, a monthly or annual subscription, adds trusted-person invitations, household sync, guided reviews, reminders, drills and extra printable packs.
Updated November 2026
Turn Not yet into done
Each card above has a home in Family Ready's free Emergency Card and household plan.
Related
- Family Ready: a family emergency plan on your iPhoneA family emergency plan you build at your own pace: a free offline Emergency Card, household plan sections and a kit checklist. Free on iPhone.
- Emergency plan for single parents: the first weekWhen you are the only adult at home, the plan has to cover you being the emergency. A 7-day first-week plan for single parents, one small task a day.
- Babysitter emergency information sheet builderFill in a babysitter emergency information sheet in two minutes, run a 20-second sitter drill on it, then print one page. Free, nothing saved.
- File of Life vs Medical ID, hour by hourA fridge packet, an iPhone Medical ID or an app card: one morning with an older parent shows where each works, where each fails, and why to keep two.