Retirement Community Prepares For Worst Case During Extreme Cold

CHICAGO (CBS) -- A local retirement community is preparing for the worst case scenario in case power goes out.

It's going to be cold for everyone in the coming days but especially for the elderly. That's why a Hazel Crest retirement community isn't taking any chances.

"It's pretty cold outside but nice in here," Josephine Taylor said.

Taylor's hand knitted sweater will be put to the test this week.

"Too cold to go out," she said.

But Taylor and other residents at the Waterford Estates Retirement Community have no plans on going outside.

"I just stay in my apartment," she said. "Wherever there's heat."

"That's the idea of being in a retirement home like this," resident George Boyle said. "You don't have to go out in this kind of weather."

"We went shopping today in preparation to make sure we have everything we need," said Jana Paez, the community's executive director.

Inflatable beds, pillow cases, space heaters and lanterns are all extra supplies for staff who will be working around the clock.

"If we lose power here, if there's issues here, if staff doesn't come in its easier to manage all of that," Paez said.

Paez says earlier Monday the lights flickered on and off. As a precaution residents were given the option to leave the retirement home and stay with loved ones for the next few days.

"It is a little nerve wracking just thinking about the possibilities," Paez said.

Paez worked in a retirement community during hurricane Irma. She's taking lessons learned from that storm and putting them in place in Hazel Crest.

"We've got a lot of windows," she said.

It will be too cold to eat in the dining room. Meals will be brought directly   residents.

With preparations in place to keep these highly susceptible residents safe, it's now a matter of holding on and riding this out together.

If the power does go out they will assess how long the outage will be and potentially have to find other temporary housing until the heat is restored.