You need to know the work of these two Daniels.

Daniel P. Aldrich

When we consider the wonderful idea of longevity and the new old age - we all want to believe that we will not just have more years, but more good years. As so many people around the world are dealing with natural disasters and their aftermath it is important to remember that preparedness is not just something you do in the hours leading up to a storm or the seconds you might have as the earth shakes beneath you, it is how you connect with those around you. 

In the aftermath of the recent earthquakes and hurricanes I remembered an NPR episode from 2011 about the way that Daniel Aldrich's friends and neighbors helped his family survive Hurricane Katrina and how the experience changed his work. He has said:

"Really, at the end of the day, the people who will save you, and the people who will help you, they're usually neighbors." 

His research has proven this out.

And we have witnessed this again and again. Along with potable water, canned goods and batteries; knowing your neighbors should be packed in your "PERK" or Survival Kit. 

The other Daniel is Dan Buettner whose 2008 book The Blue Zones introduced us to the places in the world where people experience the longest, healthiest, lives. Although many of these places show us the importance of what Buettner calls the Power 9; having or belonging to a tribe seems to be chief among the factors that make these long lives fulfilling. On his website Dan Buettner says, about the Okinawan women who are the longest living: "Perhaps their greatest secret is a strong dedication to friends and family. They maintain powerful social network called a “moai,” a lifelong circle of friends that supports people well into old age. Okinawans also have a strong sense of purpose in life, a driving force that the Japanese call “ikigai.”

Take the advice of these two Daniels and make knowing and caring for your neighbors a regular habit, then whether or not disaster strikes you have  one another.