If you’re wondering what to give an elderly loved one on your Christmas list, here’s a suggestion that could prove to be more valuable than jewelry and far more comforting than a simple sweater or mittens.

And the best part is that it’s something that can provide real peace of mind to both the givers and the receivers, no matter how far apart they might be.

The idea comes from the Eldercare Locator, a nationwide public service funded by the U.S. Administration on Aging that links older adults and their families with local agencies that can provide much needed help to elderly loved ones in crisis.

Through it’s campaign called “In Touch,” launched in response to this year’s many natural disasters that imperiled thousands of Americans across the country, the Eldercare Locator program is encouraging families to spend some holiday time mapping out an action plan that could go a long way in helping to make elderly relatives and friends secure in times of emergency.

Whether a hurricane in Florida, wildfires in Arizona, or the kind of ice storm that paralyzed much of Maine in 1998, emergency situations can hit quickly and with little warning, forcing the immediate evacuation of elderly family members or confining them to their homes alone for extended periods. Having a simple emergency plan in place can keep a temporarily rough situation from turning into a tragedy.

An effective family plan, program coordinators say, is one that attempts to identify potential emergency situations that aged relatives might face and identifies each of the many community resources available to assist them where they live. The plan should be outlined in writing, simple and easy to use, and made available to family members as well as those neighbors, clergy, doctors and others nearby who would be willing to be part of a support team.

“Having an emergency plan in writing is a good idea because you never know exactly what situations elderly individuals might come up against or how they’ll react,” said Steve Farnham, executive director of the Aroostook Agency on Aging, one of five elderly resource agencies in the state. “The ice storm is a perfect example of what can happen in Maine, but any snowstorm could create a lag time in getting help to people.”

While Eldercare Locator and its companion family plan can be invaluable tools during natural disasters, the resources work equally well in the everyday emergencies that can arise at any moment to jeopardize the well-being of our aging relatives.

At Thanksgiving, for example, a Connecticut woman who visited her parents in Madawaska after a long absence was disturbed at how their living conditions and health had deteriorated while she was away. Through Eldercare Locator, the daughter was put in touch with Farnham’s service agency, which quickly sent an outreach worker to the home to assess the situation.

The elderly couple had not been taking their medication because they felt the drugs were too expensive, Farnham said, so the agency helped them apply for Maine’s low-cost drug program which reduced their prescription costs by 80 percent. The agency also arranged for a nurse to do an in-home medical assessment of the couple, and worked with the daughter to arrange home-maker services for her parents.

“No matter where a relative calls from, Eldercare Locator can determine the agency nearest to the elderly person and make the referral,” Farnham said. “That’s a good thing here in northern Maine, too, where the outmigration of our young has caused many children to live far from their parents.”

When Fort Fairfield was flooded a few years ago, the evacuation of an elderly housing project caused many residents to flee without taking important records, food stamps, prescriptions, medical records and emergency contact numbers.

“So when disaster strikes, sometimes all the preparations go right out the window,” Farnham said. “People with dementia or other medical problems can get totally confused in an emergency. It makes it a whole lot easier when there are family members or second parties with information about the elderly individuals. Older people tend to be very reluctant to ask for help because they don’t want to be a burden. So often their children are the last to know if something’s wrong.”

That happened last month, he said, when an early cold spell swept through the County. A woman called the agency to say she was concerned about the condition of an 87-year-old friend she had recently spoken with.

“Things didn’t seem right, so we went in and found that the woman had run out of kerosene,” Farnham said. “She had been sitting every night in front of the electric oven with the door open until she fell asleep. And she was confused. She didn’t want any of her children to know, so we didn’t contact them. But because of her friend, we were able to get fuel oil for the woman. Eldercare Locator has been key for us in discovering clients we would not have known about. For family living away, it gives them a local contact that can assist them quickly.”

If you’re outside Maine, call the nationwide Eldercare Locator service of the U.S. Administration on Aging toll-free at (800) 677-1116. In Maine, call toll-free (877) 353-3771 to be routed directly to any one of the state’s five regional agencies on aging.