``I can sneak away to the kitchen where some of the roof is still hanging,'' she said. ``I try to stay in here because it's the only way I can survive the heat.''

Clement's mobile home, at the Port Charlotte Village, was badly damaged in Hurricane Charley, losing a roof and some walls. At 78, with a sick husband seeking shelter two counties away, Clement is left alone to salvage what she can.

``I'm one of the lucky ones. My family is on the way down, and we're moving with them to Richmond,'' Va., she said. ``I have a place to go. Many of the elderly don't.''

In Charlotte County, about 35 percent of the population is 65 or older, the highest percentage in the nation, according to the 2000 U.S. census. Many of them lived alone in the mobile home parks and other retirement communities that were badly damaged in the storm. Although agencies are trying to provide assistance to the elderly, many older residents have been left feeling helpless.

Gary Paro's mobile home in Palmetto Mobile Home Park in Port Charlotte was leveled in the storm. The 57-year-old has no place to stay and doesn't know what to do next.

``The Red Cross has been by with ice and water, but that's the only help I've had,'' he said. ``So I'm just living out of my truck until I can figure out where to go from here.''

Port Charlotte resident John Blair, 60, has spent the past three days looking for federal help.

``I can't find FEMA anywhere,'' he said. ``I take six medications, and I'm already out of two of them. I don't know how I'm going to get more.''

Wayne Sallade, emergency management operations manager, said that was an issue for people to work out with their doctors.

``That's not a government issue,'' he said.

Ellen Berger takes blood pressure medicine and said she has two days' worth left.

``I went to the doctor's office, but it was closed,'' she said. ``I can't call anybody. I need to know what I can do. My pharmacy is not yet doing any prescriptions, but some are. I've got to find one that is.''

Many elderly also are searching for a place to stay. Some have moved to special needs shelters; others are searching for friends to take them in.

Lillian and Bill Patteson, both 78, plan on roaming the state looking for a hotel room. They were on vacation when Charley hit and came home Saturday to find the roof of their home damaged.

``We have no idea where we are staying tonight,'' Lillian Patteson said. ``We're just going to drive up the coast until we can find a hotel that has a space.''

Port Charlotte resident Joyce Noble, 66, had the windows blown out of her home but considers herself one of the lucky ones.

``If you have four walls and a roof, you're living like a king,'' she said.

Reporters Michael Sasso and Michael Fechter contributed to this report. Reporter Michele Sager can be reached at (813) 977-2854 Ext. 32.