Typhoons are inconvenient for young people, but they may be a crisis for elders
For young people who have good physical strength and can move freely, a typhoon will at best mean a power outage, no air conditioning, and no way to order food delivery. But if you have older relatives in your family, especially those who live alone, are chronically ill, or have mobility issues, the power outages, water outages, and difficulties in going out caused by the typhoon may cause a series of serious health risks.
Taipei and New Taipei are urban areas with a rapidly aging population. There are many old apartments and a low proportion of elevator apartments. The impact of typhoon weather on the living safety of the elderly deserves to be taken seriously by every family.
Five hidden dangers to elders caused by power outages
- Power outage of life-sustaining equipment: If elders use home oxygen machines, electric sputum suction machines, blood pressure monitoring equipment or electric hospital beds, power outages will directly affect the operation of these life-sustaining equipment. This is not a matter of "inconvenience" but a potentially life-threatening emergency. It is recommended to prepare a UPS uninterruptible power supply system or a large-capacity mobile power supply (at least 500Wh) in advance to ensure that key equipment can survive the power outage.
- Air conditioning outage and heat stroke: Typhoons usually strike in summer and autumn, which is the hottest period in Taipei. If a power outage shuts down air conditioning, temperatures in enclosed rooms can quickly climb above 35 degrees. The elders' ability to regulate body temperature is worse than that of young people. In addition, many elderly people are reluctant to turn on the air conditioner, making them more likely to suffer dehydration or even heat stroke in high temperature environments.
- Falls while walking at night: After a power outage, the room is dark. When the elders get up in the middle of the night to go to the toilet, there is no night light, and it is very easy to trip over furniture, thresholds, and debris. Elderly people with osteoporosis may suffer serious injuries such as hip fractures if they fall. It is recommended to place sensor-based LED night lights (battery-operated models) in the hallway and bathroom door in advance, or prepare a flashlight and place it easily at the bedside.
- Electric wheelchairs or electric scooters cannot be charged: For elders who rely on electric wheelchairs or electric scooters, if the power outage lasts for more than a day, the charging interruption will make it impossible to move, and even going to the toilet will be a problem.
- The elevator is out of service and unable to get out: It is okay to live in a building with an elevator, but after the typhoon and the power outage, the elevator cannot be used, and the elders living on high floors are trapped at home. If medical treatment or emergency evacuation is required, climbing stairs is a great challenge for elderly people with limited mobility.
Health effects of water outage
Most of the water supply in Taiwanese apartment buildings relies on rooftop water towers. The water in the water towers is pumped up by electric motors from reservoirs in the basement or first floor. Once the power fails and the motor stops, the water in the water tower will be cut off after the water in the water tower is used up.
Elders may therefore face:
- Dehydration caused by insufficient drinking water: Elderly people with chronic diseases need to take medicine regularly, and taking medicine requires water. If the water is cut off and there is no backup drinking water, it may affect the medication and even lead to dehydration.
- The toilet won’t flush: This problem may seem small, but it can be very stressful for seniors with limited mobility. It is recommended to fill a bathtub or a large bucket with water before a typhoon comes, specifically for flushing the toilet.
Typhoon Preparedness Checklist for Elders
| Preparing the project | Recommended practices |
|---|---|
| Medication for chronic diseases | Make sure you have at least a 7-day supply of medication on hand. If you are about to run out, go to the clinic to refill before the typhoon |
| Drinking water | At least 2 liters per person per day, enough for 3 days. Bottled water is the most convenient |
| Water for flushing the toilet | Fill the bathtub or large bucket with tap water and flush it manually when the water is cut off |
| Flashlight/Night Light | Battery sensor night lights are placed in the hallway and at the entrance to the toilet, and flashlights are placed beside the bed |
| Power bank/UPS | Users of life-sustaining equipment generally need to prepare a large-capacity UPS to charge mobile phones |
| Emergency contact card | Carry a card with the phone number of your family member, the phone number of the attending physician, and the name of the chronic disease with you |
| Easy to open ready-to-eat food | Foods that do not require heating: bread, biscuits, instant porridge packets, milk, nutritional drinks |
Reminder to your children: Make a phone call before the typhoon
If your parents or elders live in an old apartment in Taipei or New Taipei, before a typhoon comes, you don't just send a LINE message saying "be careful". Make a phone call to confirm the following things:
- Is the medicine enough? Is water ready?
- Where to put the flashlight? Is the battery charged?
- Is your phone fully charged? Do you have a power bank handy?
- Have the items on the balcony been collected? Can the windows be closed tightly?
- What should I call if I feel unwell? (119, 1999, or designated family members)
Conclusion: If you think a little more, your elders will take less risks
The core spirit of preparations for typhoon prevention is to "prepare everything that may be needed during abnormal times during normal times." Young people can improvise, but elders often don't have the physical strength and reaction speed. Help them think more carefully and prepare more, and they will have more peace of mind during typhoon days.
New knowledge on air-conditioning power consumption and Taiwan climate maintenance regulations in recent years (2025-2026 current situation)
With the high temperatures in summer breaking historical records and the adjustment of electricity price structure in recent years, the latest statistics from the Energy Administration of the Ministry of Economic Affairs show that air-conditioning equipment accounts for more than 47% of residential electricity consumption in summer. Many people mistakenly believe that if the air conditioner is not cold, they only need to "replenish the refrigerant." However, in fact, refrigerant is not naturally consumed during normal operation in a closed circuit. If the refrigerant is insufficient, it means that there are micro leaks in the copper pipes or joints. Simply replenishing the air conditioner will only treat the symptoms but not the root cause. Refrigerant leakage will aggravate the high temperature overload of the compressor and shorten its service life.
According to Taiwan's standard operating specifications for air-conditioning projects, it is recommended that professional technicians with a refrigeration and air-conditioning decoration technician license perform "full machine high-pressure water washing and evaporator deep sterilization" every 1 to 2 years for detached air-conditioning indoor units. Especially in the humid summer in the Shuangbei Basin, the air drum and water collection tray are easy to breed black mold and jelly-like biofilm. This is also the main reason for the sour smell in the air-conditioning outlet and the backflow of the drainage pipe. Regular maintenance can maintain CSPF (Air Conditioning Seasonal Performance Factor) level one energy efficiency level, which can save an average household 15% to 20% of air conditioning electricity bills every year.
Autonomous simple maintenance vs professional maintenance safety red line
- Homeowners can do by themselves: Remove and clean the nylon filter regularly every 2 to 3 weeks (rinse with clean water and dry in a cool place, do not expose it to the sun to avoid deformation and embrittlement); clean the air outlet blades of the indoor unit with a dry cloth; check whether there is any accumulation of debris within 50 cm around the outdoor unit that hinders heat dissipation.
- Professional technicians must be entrusted according to regulations: Refrigerant pressure testing and leakage repair welding, high-pressure cleaning of indoor unit air drums and aluminum fins with liquid chemicals, reset of the drainage slope of hidden cold water pipes in the ceiling, and 220V dedicated power circuit configuration and leakage circuit breaker replacement.
