Survival Planning for Seniors in 2024
If you’re a survival prepper or survivalist like I am, you’re always planning for unforeseen events. The entire premise is based on not only being ready for anything but being mindful of what’s going on in the world so that you can adequately predict what may happen. I admit I still have some organizing of survival gear/food/water that I have, but I’ve got it sorted and working on it for my survival planning for seniors.
Especially as a senior in survival, not only do you need to make a strategic plan for what you’ll gather and prepare ahead of time, but you also want to know what to watch for. Being tuned into the news can help you prioritize your plans better.
Table of Contents
- Be Aware of the Economic Outlook. BRICS Block PDF
- Watch for Political Unrest in an Election Year
- Keep an Eye Out for News of a Health Crisis
- Pay Attention to the Weather Warnings
- Know About Geographical Events
- Track Various Cyber Threats
- Staying Safe in Uncertain Times: A Senior’s Guide to 2024
Each year, new issues become forerunners in the minds of survival preppers/survivalists. One year it might be civil unrest, another year – the global economy, the supply chain, a pandemic or something else entirely.
You want to have an overall yearly plan for your survival preparations. But you also want to break down your planning process by month, task, and the supplies you’ll secure this coming year.
Survival planning for seniors must begin by looking at where you are now. What supplies do you already have, and when do they expire (if ever)? Know the amount you have and how much is needed for your family.
Are there any skills you need to learn in the coming year that you haven’t yet mastered? What about major survival gear purchases like home generators or solar panels?
Proper preparations require you to know what you have, what’s needed, what could happen and what money, time and skills you need to make your plans come to fruition for the coming year in 2024.
Be Aware of the Economic Outlook. BRICS Block PDF
“The government’s not going to save them,” warned financial expert Suze Orman recently. She was speaking of the fact that Americans are suffering from a financial pandemic, and many are hoping the government will do something to help.
This is one misconception many (especially younger generations) who hear the political hype and assume they’ll be bailed out of harrowing events that affect their finances. Most people are discovering that they’ve been over-spending and under-saving, putting them at risk for a genuine personal struggle.
Debt is at an all-time high (both for the nation and its citizens), but eventually, living on borrowed money will make everything come crashing down. You want to see if you’re living on a paycheck-to-paycheck basis and try to get ahead with money saved for a rainy day event if needed.
There will be continued inflation, squeezing people out of every last cent they earn. You have to pay attention to what’s going on financially – not just in your life, but in your city, state, country and even globally.
You must know if your area’s property or income tax is rising. Stay aware of the Internal Revenue Service’s changing rules. And globally, you also want to know if there’s anything to worry about.
For example, preppers are paying attention to the BRICS block, which is an alliance of countries now willing to ditch the American dollar. In a crash, you may want to fortify your financial outlook with backup means of stability.
“As the BRICS bloc expands, efforts by BRICS policymakers to increase global use of non-dollar currencies—particularly the Chinese renminbi—are accelerating. Washington should take note of how frustrations with the dollar are helping enable the rise of the renminbi in emerging markets and motivating strategic partners like India to push for greater use of non-dollar currencies.”
The Difficult Realities of the BRICS’ Dedollarization Efforts—and the Renminbi’s Role – Carnegie Endowment for International Peace
When analyzing your own life, don’t just glance at your bank account to see if you have money in your checking and savings. If you are still working as a senior, evaluate your job security. What would happen if your boss brought you into his office tomorrow and told you they no longer had a position for you?
Do you have long-term financial planning completed? Do you have your Medicare, Social Security, IRA, retirement account, or other investments taken care of? How about your will? Elderly care person/people/place? A Living Will/advance directive?
You want to diversify your finances to have a backup plan in several ways. That might be investing in gold or silver, having a savings account at different banks in case certain ones fold, having cash on hand, and having a variety of investments.
This will help mitigate any risk you are absorbing and keep you financially stable through the most uncertain times. Make sure that going into 2024, you have an emergency fund to care for you and your family when needed.
Look to the coming 12 months and set a plan in action to finally get all of your debt paid off, or at least make a significant dent in it. This may mean you have to stop spending as much on frivolous purchases or that you get a side hustle to supplement your income and attack it that way.
Put yourself on a budget for 2024, and stick to it so that you know how much money is going out and how much money is coming in. You also want to have some goals for your savings and retirement plans – and that includes some short term goals for things that you know you’ll need, such as planning a birthday for your child or Christmas.
Watch for Political Unrest in an Election Year
Whenever there is a major political election year, typically presidential, but sometimes congressional, civil unrest situations can be worrisome for many survival preppers/survivalists. Many topics simmering beneath the surface bubble up and ignite a storm between opposite ends of the spectrum that can sometimes boil over into the lives of ordinary citizens who don’t want to be part of the conflict.
You may get caught up in the middle of a protest or find yourself trapped in a car on a street in a violent situation. You want to pay attention to any demonstrations and protests that are taking place, even if they are public rallies that have permission to take place.
Because of the heightened tensions between different political groups, these can often snowball into something dangerous. Before you go places, you want to know if any movement is planning to be in your path so that you can take a different route. Geez. I’ve been reading some sci-fi books, mostly about EMP and nuclear survival. They will open your eyes.
Other things can arise in political years. In 2020 we saw many lockdowns happening during the pandemic, and there was suspicion about why they were happening, and if they were intended to affect elections somehow.
Whenever there is an election year, regardless of which side wins or loses, there’s bound to be a backlash that can often result in protests and instability in your local area. You want to be prepared for this not only in terms of where you travel, but also now at home, because we saw many past instances where these violent crowds went into neighborhoods.
Another thing you want to watch out for with politics is not just the social unrest but the policy changes that will take place. You want to know how your life will be affected, regardless of which party wins an election.
This could impact your taxes, laws concerning firearms, pandemic guidelines, and more. You want to be informed about both sides of the coin to know how to adjust your survival plans when the election is over.
Keep an Eye Out for News of a Health Crisis
In the past three years, health concerns have been more of an issue for those around the globe regarding survival preparations. In the past, we’ve had mentions in the news about various types of bird flu, the West Nile virus, the Zika virus, Ebola, and Mad Cow Disease.
More recently, it was the COVID-19 a pandemic that turned everyone’s world upside down, causing brands to go out of business, people to lose their jobs, horrible isolation and a lot of devastation. The various regulations in place caused much of this concern, the resulting supply chain issues, and the fear the media and various government outlets propagated.
Sometimes, the unknown is more dangerous than the known regarding health issues. There was a lot of controversy surrounding this pandemic, and it doesn’t matter which side of the fence you are on; you still want to be prepared for various health issues that may arise and affect your life.
Early warning signs that are expected to spread to America usually occur, sometimes in other parts of the world. You want to stay informed about these and any preventative measures, including medication and gear that may help you get stocked up ahead of time.
For example, during the early days of the pandemic, it was hard to find any N-95 masks, but if you had been paying attention to the global news, you would have seen this coming and could have stocked up beforehand.
Another thing you have to be prepared for is how much of a strain a health crisis will have on your local community. As we saw during the pandemic, hospitals were overwhelmed in some areas and empty in others.
Depending on the state and laws you live under, it also may affect things like where you can travel or how many people can even be in your home. The key to planning for a health issue is to be prepared well and stay informed to protect yourself and your family without panicking.
Pay Attention to the Weather Warnings
Weather events are a common survival situation that can cause damage and put you and your family’s lives at risk. The good news is that you often get advanced warnings about dangerous weather approaching your location.
But that means you must pay attention to this early on to leave the location temporarily or fortify your home and belongings to withstand the event. Weather forecasts are not always accurate, but you get enough information to make an informed decision.
For example, you want to know if you live in an area prone to hurricanes in the coming year. If so, make preparations for your evacuation plans, secure your belongings, and have some sort of emergency kit or bug-out bag ready to go when this occurs.
This can cause flooding, but it may not be from a hurricane. You may live in an area where a dam or levy breaks, and you must be prepared for any flood issue by paying attention to news about this type of situation.
Many people live in tornado locations, which don’t give you as much advanced warning. But you can stay tuned into immediate developments and know when and if there is circulation in your area so that you can take cover and protect yourself and your family. If you live in an area with many tornadoes yearly, you might want to plan for a tornado-safe shelter that you can build on your property or have installed in a room in the coming year.
Some events happen due to recent weather, even if they’re not weather-related directly. For example, wildfires can occur because there has been no rainfall and everything is dry in your area. There are also situations in the coming year that you must watch out for where there will be extreme cold or heat without necessarily being categorized as a blizzard, etc.
When you are dealing with an area that has extreme temperatures, you never know if the grid is going to hold up to the demand and leave you exposed to a situation that feels crippling. Pay attention to warnings about extreme temperatures and prepare early on. For example, we are in the year coming up of El Niño, which means it could be wetter than normal, bringing more snowfall.
You don’t want to have to rush out hours before a storm to stock up on things you might need. So, you want to make plans for the upcoming 2024 seasons according to what kind of weather your area typically has.
Don’t forget to also pay attention to whether that goes beyond Earth’s atmosphere. There is what is known as space weather that can affect you if there is a solar flare that knocks out communications and the grid, and you want to be aware of these threats, too. You know, like an EMP event?
Know About Geographical Events
Geographical events like earthquakes and volcano eruptions can also be something you need to track in the upcoming year. You can stay tuned into seismic activity alerts that predict whether or not there may be a tremor or eruption in the near future.
It’s always good to have this information, whether in an area you live or one you plan to visit. It could impact your activities and whether you stay or go from a location.
Typically, patterns and smaller activity levels lead up to a big one. This gives you time to put your evacuation plans in place. For preparations ahead of time, assess the risk in your area.
You must also monitor seismic activity and ensure your home is built to withstand any event. Your plans should include what you’ll do leading up and during an event, and afterwards if it’s unsafe for you to return home.
Track Various Cyber Threats
One survival topic that has grown over the recent years is cyber security. There are more threats now that result in scams of individuals for monetary reasons, but threats that affect an entire nation, industry, or globe.
Awareness is key. You want to protect your family from scams. Some are being made where they call your phone and mimic the voice of a loved one, sounding like they’re in danger unless you pay them a ransom.
There are other threats where humans will entice people into something where they can blackmail them. This often leads to a tragic ending for the person who was compromised.
These may not sound like “survival” threats. Still, anything that can threaten your loved ones or financial security is just as worthy as watching for a global economic disaster – and probably more likely.
If hackers have compromised your information on a platform that you use, you’ll be notified by the company as soon as they are aware. Make sure you’re taking precautions to alter passwords and warn your family about what to do (or to alert you) if they get a notice of something like this so you can verify its validity.
The year 2024 is poised to have more of the same survival events, but from year to year, things change slightly. Technology improves, which can be used to help or hurt citizens worldwide.
Weather patterns change, the political climate shifts, and you don’t want to be caught off-guard because you weren’t paying attention. It’s tempting to tune out of the news in today’s world.
Nobody wants to live a life mired in a depressed state of doomscrolling. But at the same time, you don’t want to put your head in the sand and remain ignorant of things that could have a small or dire impact on your family and their ability to weather any storm.
Make a plan for preparations and supplies for the coming year, evaluate threats consistently, and adjust your measures accordingly. You’ll be one who isn’t panicking and worried when the 2024 survival events happen.
Staying Safe in Uncertain Times: A Senior’s Guide to 2024
As a senior citizen, you’ve likely seen your fair share of changes in the world. 2024 might bring new challenges, but by being prepared, you can ensure your safety and well-being. Here’s how:
Planning for Potential Disruptions:
- Stay Informed: Regularly follow reliable news sources to stay updated on potential threats like economic instability, elections, weather warnings, or health concerns.
- Financial Security: Review your finances. Is your income stable? Do you have an emergency fund for unexpected costs? Consider paying down debt or finding additional income sources.
- Stock Up Wisely: Review your food, water, and medical/medication supplies. Consider potential disruptions and replenish essential items for an extended period if needed. Research the shelf life of various items.
- Review Home Safety: Is your home structurally sound and prepared for potential weather events? Consider securing loose objects outdoors and strengthening windows if necessary.
Staying Healthy and Calm:
- Maintain Routine: Stick to a regular sleep schedule and eat healthy meals. Exercise options such as walking in place or light stretches can help maintain physical health.
- Mental Wellbeing: Stay connected with loved ones through phone calls or video chats. Engaging in hobbies, reading, or mindfulness exercises can help reduce stress and anxiety.
- Medication Management: Double-check your medication supply and ensure refills are scheduled. Consult your doctor if you have any concerns.
Additional Considerations:
- Community Support: Consider building relationships with trusted neighbors for potential assistance during difficult times.
- Alternative Communication: Consider having a battery-powered radio for essential updates if phone lines go down.
- Cyber Security: Be cautious about phone scams. Protect your information by using different passwords for online accounts.
Remember This:
- Stay informed, but avoid excessive negative news that can cause undue stress.
- Focus on what you can control – your planning, resources, and mental well-being.
- Don’t hesitate to seek help from family, friends, or community resources.
By following these tips and staying prepared, you can face any potential challenges in 2024 with confidence and calmness.
Additional Resources:
- Local emergency management agencies often provide information and resources for staying prepared.
- Senior citizen centers or community organizations may offer support services or workshops on preparedness.
By following these tips and staying prepared, you can face any potential challenges in 2024 with confidence and calmness. Please leave a comment on your survival prepping plans. Do you have any tips or tricks you would like to share? Let us know!
