Seniors need emergency evacuation kits

Q: My parents moved to Tampa, Florida, from New York City, and they need to get an emergency evacuation “go bag” together. Any tips on keeping them healthy when they face their first Florida hurricane? — Martina B., Hoboken, New Jersey

A: Despite the dangers, a new national poll found that less than a third of people over 50 have put together a kit with emergency supplies and medicines.

To get started on your own kit, you will need a waterproof to-go or evac-bag, and make sure it has wheels. Pack the bag with:

Nonperishable food and water.

Enough of your medications to last at least a week.

Maps with evacuation routes and device chargers.

Important documents: passports, birth certificates, insurance policies. Put them in waterproof packages.

Cash in small bills, at least $100.

Extra set of keys for home and car.

First aid kit and personal hygiene supplies.

Battery powered radio and flashlight.

Fresh change of clothes. Q: I had my yearly physical, and my doc says that I have an enlarged prostate, which is why I have to get up to pee a couple of times a night. He did a PSA test, and everything seems to be OK, so he wants to take a wait-and-see approach until he prescribes anything. I’d really like to sleep through the night. Should I get a second opinion? — Lester H., Cincinnati

A: A second opinion can never hurt, and get a third if the first two are conflicting opinions. There’s medication and new procedures that can remedy the problem.

If symptoms are mild, doctors will almost always take the watchful-waiting approach. It’s what the American Urological Association recommends. They also recommend lifestyle changes such as not drinking carbonated or alcoholic beverages before bed and going to the bathroom on a timed schedule, even if you don’t feel the need to go.

If symptoms get worse — say, you have to find a restroom every time you enter or leave a restaurant, and you have to get up more than twice a night to urinate — then you should discuss treatment options.

Your follow-up visits should be every six months. Urinary problems can also be aggravated by over-thecounter medications like decongestants and antihistamines. Make sure you talk to your doc about that and any other meds you’re taking, from blood pressure meds to vitamins.

Email questions for Mehmet Oz and Mike Roizen to youdocsdaily@ sharecare.com