After Tragedy At Fla. Nursing Home, Advocates Say New Rule Protecting Residents Doesn’t Go Far Enough
A new federal rule will require that nursing homes have “alternate sources of energy to maintain temperatures to protect resident health and safety." But some say it is too vague and wouldn't have necessarily avoided the deaths of the eight residents in Florida even if it had been in effect. Meanwhile, police have obtained a search warrant in their criminal investigation of the Florida nursing home, and The New York Times offers tips on choosing a reliable facility.
The New York Times:
Nursing Home Deaths In Florida Heighten Scrutiny Of Disaster Planning
After an estimated 215 people died in hospitals and nursing homes in Louisiana following Hurricane Katrina in 2005, policy makers realized that the nation’s health care institutions were ill-prepared for disasters. One of the rules they created after years of discussion looked especially prescient in light of the tragic deaths on Wednesday of eight nursing home residents in Florida’s post-hurricane heat. But the rule, regarding power supplies and temperature control, will not be enforced until November, and even then, some patient advocates are concerned that it does not go far enough. (Reisner and Fink, 9/14)
Reuters:
Police Obtain Search Warrant In Probe Of Eight Nursing Home Deaths
Police obtained a search warrant on Thursday in their criminal investigation of the deaths of eight elderly patients exposed to sweltering heat inside a Miami-area nursing home left with little or no air conditioning after Hurricane Irma struck. The loss of life in Hollywood, Florida, brought the overall death toll from Irma to 82, with several hard-hit Caribbean islands, including Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands, accounting for more than half the fatalities. (Oliphant, 9/15)
Miami Herald:
Hollywood Nursing Home Employees, Operators Could Face Charges For Deaths
The Hollywood Police Department has opened a criminal investigation that could lead to manslaughter charges if the Broward state attorney’s office concludes that employees, administrators or the owner of the center acted with culpable negligence — “an utter disregard for the safety” of the deceased elderly patients. (Weaver and Teproff, 9/14)
Los Angeles Times:
'There For You 100%,' Trump Tells Floridians; Elderly Plight In Spotlight After Nursing Home Deaths
President Trump told Florida hurricane victims his administration is “there for you 100%” as officials moved urgently to safeguard the state’s vulnerable elderly and restore power to millions of homes and businesses still without electricity. The president and First Lady Melania Trump arrived aboard Air Force One in Fort Myers on the peninsula’s southwestern Gulf coast, then traveled by helicopter to Naples, 40 miles away. It was Trump’s third disaster-zone visit in less than three weeks. (Lee, McDonnell and King, 9/14)
The Associated Press:
Vulnerable Residents A Concern In Hurricane Irma Aftermath
Florida's fits and starts toward post-Irma recovery have shifted to urgent efforts to protect its vulnerable elderly residents after a string of nursing home deaths. Several nursing homes have been evacuated because of a lack of power or air conditioning, while utility workers raced help dozens of others still lacking electricity as of Thursday. Homebound seniors found help from charities, churches and authorities. (Kay and Reynolds, 9/15)
Health News Florida:
Heat Illness Can Be Deadly For Seniors Without Power
For the millions of people who are still without power across Florida, heat illness can be a concern. The old and the very young are most susceptible to heat-related health issues and the death of 8 residents at an assisted living facility in Hollywood that lost power after Hurricane Ivan illustrates the danger. (Ochoa, 9/14)
The Hill:
Walden Hints At Nursing Home Oversight In Wake Of Irma Deaths
House Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Greg Walden (R-Ore.) said his committee may begin looking at oversight of nursing facilities following the deaths of eight people in a Florida nursing home. The deaths occurred after the South Florida facility apparently lost its air conditioning amid widespread power outages in the wake of Hurricane Irma. The storm knocked out power for millions of people across the state. (Weixel, 9/14)
The New York Times:
Five Tips For Choosing A Reliable Nursing Home
The news that eight Florida nursing home residents died in the aftermath of Hurricane Irma has prompted a criminal investigation and spurred widespread outrage. But it also poses unsettling, difficult questions for people selecting a nursing home for themselves or a loved one. This emotionally fraught choice often must be made at a chaotic moment when a relative is sick, his or her time in the hospital is running short and the options seem confusing. (Thomas, 9/14)
WMFE:
Hundreds Of Elderly Residents Evacuate In Osceola County
The assisted living facility, Good Samaritan Village in Kissimmee, experienced up to four feet of flooding after Hurricane Irma passed through. On Tuesday morning, 356 elderly residents were evacuated from the facility, while close to 200 residents chose to leave. (9/14)
WBUR:
Florida Nursing Home Case: Many Questions, And Few Answers, After 8 Patients Die
The shocking news that eight people who were residents of the Rehabilitation Center at Hollywood Hills in Hollywood, Fla., died at the facility in the aftermath of Hurricane Irma has sparked many questions about how such a thing could happen. It has also led to nearly 150 patients being taken to local hospitals. (Chappell, 9/14)
In related news —
Health News Florida:
After Hurricane Irma, Food Insecurity In Miami-Dade's Poorest Communities
While some grassroots efforts are trying to bring food to poorer communities after the storm, it does not get to everyone who needs it, and some families report they’re going hungry. (9/15)
The Washington Post:
Texas Officials: Hurricane Harvey Death Toll At 82, ‘Mass Casualties Have Absolutely Not Happened’
Texas officials said Thursday that they believe at least 82 people died as a result of Hurricane Harvey and the intense flooding it brought to Houston and coastal areas, although it could take weeks to determine the exact death toll. The picture could have been much bleaker, given the amount of flooding and that entire communities were cut off for days. Hospitals had to be evacuated as water rose into buildings that had never before flooded; some residents found themselves trapped in their homes while chest-deep floods took over their streets; and emergency responders along the Texas coast were overwhelmed, leading civilians with watercraft to rescue one another. (Moravec, 9/14)
