Senior & mobility-limited · Power
What electricity can you not safely lose?
For many households, a power outage is an inconvenience. For some older adults, it threatens oxygen equipment, CPAP therapy, refrigerated medication, stair lifts, and powered mobility. The right question is not "which generator should I buy?" It is "what must keep running?"
Inventory your critical loadsStep 1: inventory
List everything that needs power to keep you safe.
The CDC notes that power outages caused by large-scale disasters can be life-threatening for people who depend on home-use medical devices. Ready.gov advises talking to your medical provider about a power outage plan for any medical device powered by electricity.
Before researching backup power options, walk through your home and write down every piece of equipment that requires electricity and that you depend on for health or safety. Then note how many hours per day each device runs. That list, not a product catalog, determines what you need.
If the list is empty, a power outage is an inconvenience. If it is not, that list determines everything that follows in this guide.
Common medical loads
- Oxygen concentrator (300 to 600 watts, runs continuously)
- CPAP or BiPAP machine (5 to 80 watts depending on humidifier settings)
- Nebulizer (50 to 150 watts per treatment)
- Powered wheelchair or scooter (200 to 500 watts to charge)
- Stair lift (300 to 600 watts, battery backup varies)
- Refrigerator for medications (100 to 200 watts when running)
- Medical alert system (5 to 15 watts, often has battery backup)
- Hospital bed (150 to 400 watts for adjustment motors)
Check the label on your specific device or measure with a plug-in watt meter. These ranges are typical but not universal.
CPAP and BiPAP machines
The most common and the most solvable.
CPAP backup power is one of the best-solved problems in medical preparedness. The devices draw relatively little power, especially without a heated humidifier, and a moderately sized portable power station can run one for multiple nights.
Power draw by configuration
Turning off the heated humidifier during an outage is the single most effective way to extend battery runtime. The power difference can be 4 to 8 times.
Sizing the backup
A portable power station in the 300 to 500 Wh range ($150 to $300) covers most single-night CPAP backup needs and doubles as general emergency power for phones, lights, and a fan.
Test it before you need it.
Run your CPAP from the battery for a full night before an outage happens. Verify that the power station produces pure sine wave AC output (check the specifications). If your CPAP manufacturer offers a DC-to-DC converter cable, use it instead of the AC adapter to skip inverter losses and extend runtime significantly. Test with the settings you would actually use during an outage.
Oxygen concentrators
A harder problem. A layered solution.
Home oxygen concentrators are fundamentally different from CPAP machines. They draw 300 to 600 watts continuously, sometimes more. A standard home UPS with 160 watt-hours of capacity powers a concentrator for roughly 20 minutes. A portable power station provides hours, not days. Battery backup alone is not a complete plan for oxygen-dependent households.
Critical guidance
Never reduce your prescribed oxygen flow rate to extend battery runtime.
Your prescribed flow rate exists because your body needs that amount of oxygen. Reducing it to make a battery last longer creates a medical risk that no amount of extended runtime compensates for. Work with your healthcare provider and oxygen supplier to build a backup plan that maintains your prescribed flow.
The American Lung Association advises oxygen-dependent households to maintain backup oxygen cylinders or a portable oxygen concentrator through their medical supplier, in addition to any battery backup.
A layered backup plan
- Layer 1: Portable power station for bridge power (buys 2 to 6 hours depending on your concentrator's draw and the battery capacity)
- Layer 2: Backup oxygen cylinders from your medical supplier (ask about their emergency program and how many hours each cylinder provides at your flow rate)
- Layer 3: A pre-arranged plan to relocate to a powered facility if the outage extends beyond your backup capacity
Talk to your oxygen supplier now
Your home medical equipment supplier or oxygen delivery company should have an emergency plan. Ask them these questions before an outage happens, not during one:
- Do you provide emergency replacement cylinders?
- What is your after-hours emergency number?
- How many hours of backup do my current cylinders provide at my prescribed flow?
- Can I keep additional cylinders at home as emergency backup?
Other medical equipment
Stair lifts, wheelchairs, and the rest.
Stair lifts
Many stair lifts have built-in rechargeable batteries that allow several trips after power loss. Check how many trips your battery supports when fully charged. If you rely on a stair lift to move between floors, consider whether you can safely remain on one floor during a prolonged outage rather than depending on a backup that may not last.
Power wheelchairs and scooters
A fully charged power wheelchair battery typically lasts 8 to 15 miles of travel. Charging requires 200 to 500 watts over 6 to 8 hours. Keep the chair fully charged when storms are forecast. A portable power station large enough to charge a wheelchair battery (1,000+ Wh) will also run most other medical devices in the home.
Nebulizers
Nebulizers draw 50 to 150 watts but only run for 10 to 20 minutes per treatment. Their total energy use is low. A small portable power station or even a large USB power bank with an AC outlet can run multiple nebulizer treatments. Battery-operated travel nebulizers are also available as a dedicated backup.
Hospital beds
Home hospital beds draw 150 to 400 watts when adjusting position but zero watts when stationary. If the power goes out, the bed stays in its current position. The concern is not power draw but the inability to reposition a patient. Know how to manually adjust the bed before you need to, and keep the manual accessible.
Medical alert systems
Most medical alert base stations have battery backup that lasts 24 to 72 hours. However, many depend on cellular or landline service, which may also fail during a major outage. Know your system's backup duration and whether it works without a cellular signal. Your personal support network is the backup when the technology fails.
Medication refrigeration
A closed refrigerator maintains safe temperatures for roughly 4 hours during a power outage. A small cooler with ice packs extends that for refrigerated medications. See the Medication Preparedness guide for FDA guidance on insulin and other temperature-sensitive medications during outages.
Technical requirement
Pure sine wave output is not optional.
Most medical devices with motors or sensitive electronics require pure sine wave AC power. Modified sine wave inverters, which are cheaper, can damage compressor motors in oxygen concentrators, produce inaccurate readings on monitoring equipment, and cause some CPAP machines to display error codes or shut down entirely.
What to look for
When selecting a portable power station or inverter for medical equipment, look for these words in the specifications: "pure sine wave" or "true sine wave." If the listing says "modified sine wave" or does not specify, assume it is not suitable for medical equipment.
Most portable power stations from established brands (EcoFlow, Bluetti, Jackery, Anker, Goal Zero) produce pure sine wave output. Verify before purchasing. If you already own a power station, check the specification label on the unit itself or consult the manufacturer's documentation.
If you use a generator
Carbon monoxide kills silently.
Safety requirement
Generators, camp stoves, and charcoal grills must always be used outdoors and at least 20 feet away from windows, doors, and air vents.
Carbon monoxide from generators is one of the leading causes of non-fire-related deaths during natural disasters. The gas is colorless and odorless. You cannot tell it is accumulating. Never run a generator inside a house, garage, basement, crawl space, or any partially enclosed area.
Never backfeed a generator into your home's wiring without a transfer switch installed by a licensed electrician. Backfeeding can electrocute utility workers repairing lines and damage your electrical system.
Install battery-powered carbon monoxide detectors on every level of your home and test them regularly.
Sources: Ready.gov, Power Outages; CDC, Carbon Monoxide Poisoning; CPSC. Accessed August 2026.
For most senior medical needs, a portable power station may be a better choice than a generator
A portable power station (battery-based, no fuel, no exhaust) can safely operate indoors, produces no carbon monoxide, makes no noise, and requires no refueling. For CPAP machines, nebulizers, phone charging, and lights, it is often the better solution. For oxygen concentrators that require continuous high-wattage power for days, a generator may be necessary, but the CO safety requirements are non-negotiable.
For a deeper comparison of generators, portable power stations, and solar systems, see the Energy & Power section.
Step 2: register
Tell your utility you depend on power.
Many electric utilities maintain medical baseline or life-support equipment programs. Registration does not guarantee uninterrupted power, but it may result in priority notification before planned outages and priority restoration during unplanned ones. It ensures the utility knows your situation.
Call your electric utility and ask about their medical baseline or life-support equipment program.
Register with your local emergency management office. Ask about SMART911, CodeRED, or your county's special-needs registry.
Tell your support network which equipment depends on electricity and how long your backup lasts.
This week
Build your power outage medical plan.
List every device that needs electricity. Check the label for watts or measure with a plug-in watt meter. Note how many hours per day each runs.
Time: 15 minutes
Talk to your medical provider about your power outage plan. Ask specifically about how long each device can be off and what to do if backup runs out.
Time: one phone call or appointment
Call your electric utility about their medical equipment program. Call your oxygen supplier about emergency cylinders and after-hours support.
Time: two phone calls
Identify where you will go if the outage exceeds your backup capacity. A family member with power, a community shelter, or a medical facility. Plan the transportation now.
Time: 10 minutes
Connected guides
Related sections worth knowing.
Senior & Mobility-Limited Hub
Back to the full section. Medication, evacuation, temperature, communication, and the complete topic map.
Medication Preparedness
FDA guidance on insulin storage without refrigeration, and the full medication list that your backup plan depends on.
Energy & Power
Portable power stations, generators, battery systems, and solar basics. The technical depth behind choosing and sizing backup power.
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