Everyone know that there were outages and possibly no air conditioning at many locations. This is exactly why it is so important to check on your friends and relatives who may have health issues whenever there are outages and storm related issues. I find it distressing that relatives complain that the nursing home was negligent, but no one checked to make sure their loved ones were all right. How sad to be alone during such a crisis.
2
If they don't get power on at Century Village in Boca Raton and Pembrooke Pines- this scene will unfortunately repeat itself!
3
It's not about only the temperature. When a/c shuts down in Florida, and when windows are not the type that open, a closed space becomes oppressively hot and stale. The air does not move. The oxygen gets used up and people can literally suffocate. A younger person might survive, but folks with weak hearts, weak lungs, weak bodies are susceptible to dying in such conditions.
The question is why nursing homes are not required by law to have generators powerful enough to run the a/c units when the power fails. All of our hospitals in North Florida have such generators. Why not nursing homes?
The question is why nursing homes are not required by law to have generators powerful enough to run the a/c units when the power fails. All of our hospitals in North Florida have such generators. Why not nursing homes?
7
All these facilities assuredly had procedures set up for dealing with hurricanes and their aftermath. But it can be surmised that the procedures were meant for caring for patients and residents for a 72 hour period. They mention having a supply of food for 72 hours. With the new conditions resulting from climate change, the period for maintaining services could well be a week or two, but then, especially in Florida, Texas, etc., nobody wants to prepare for climate change
3
A couple of years ago in July a severe storm knocked out power for much of the city of 46,000 where I live. My daughter's nursing home was sheer misery, for 3 days without power. The backup generator had to get used for powering life saving equipment, not AC. While power company was clearly visible in neighborhoods, a live power line lay in the parking lot of the nursing home and the hospital remained without power. Inside the nursing home people with dementia screamed, not understanding their discomfort. I remember one woman yelling "mama help me." The facility called everyone they could, still nothing happened. I called the city emergency manager, power company, and mayor's office. The local officials I spoke with all passed the buck, and said "we don't control what the power company does." Also, we have had a lot of boil water orders here recently. The city doesn't even alert the nursing homes. I suspect someone dropped the ball in this case. It may not have been the nursing home. The real problem is nobody in gov't gives a damn about these people until something like this happens. Then, it's all deflect and blame.
9
The United States loves to brag about it has the best health care anywhere in the world. What they fail to acknowledge that the "best" is reserved for the very few who can afford it. The rest of the best is relegated to what's left.
The rest of US, the 99%, includes those making less than a half-mill a year, veterans, the poor, the middle class, the elderly are not so lucky. Politicians promise the world to their constituents. They're always claiming they want what's best for the American people. If you believe that crock, then you must have voted for Trump.
What veterans, the poor, the working poor, the middle class, the elderly, and yes those making under a half-mill or so need, is more money for services it has a responsibility to for the General Welfare of its citizens. That means money, and a lot of it.
It seems strict constitutional Republicans have no qualms about voting for gobs of money for the military, telling the people billions are direly needed to protect US from the evil boogeyman. The problem with that is there is so much going to protect Americans from enemies outside our borders we are neglecting to take care of US within our borders.
But please, don't tell that to Republicans. They'll tell you we've got to tighten our belts, suck it in, and cut taxes. Yeah, right, sure we do. There's this bridge in Brooklyn...
DD
Manhattan
11
https://www.amazon.com/Five-Days-Memorial-Storm-Ravaged-Published/dp/B00...
"Five Days at Memorial" by Shari Fink.
I highly recommend it.
I think an investigation will prove that someone at Hollywood Hills Rehab Center decided to play God.
2
The only thing America neglects more than its mentally ill people are its poor people and its elderly. If you aren't 18 to 50, white, college-educated, with a good job, America can ignore you with impunity.
10
Florida? Rick Scott is the gov'na! What do you expect. And the voters of Florida, re-elected him! Net worth over $147,000,000. He ain't goin' to any ole nursing home! You can't make this stuff up. And was not he involved with some sordid for-profit health insurance or hospital scam in another life? Like I said, you just can't make this stuff up.
3
From the standpoint of a person in Florida, not Vermont, Scott did a great job with this storm. Let's wait for the investigation before we start flinging accusations.
3
How about enforcing those "job-killing" regulations.
5
This quote is from this article - "Another (dead person) arrived at 4 a.m. After a third rescue call, around 5 a.m., the hospital’s staff was concerned enough to walk down the street to check the building themselves."
Where were they? Was there no one on hand?
Charges should be filed.
4
Just a few thoughts on the recurring comments along the lines of how the ambient temperature in Hollywood was in the low 90s when this tragedy occurred:
The atmospheric temperature has little to do with the temperature of the interior of a building that has been baking in the Florida sun all day and heating up the layers and layers of often dense building materials. The parallel is how hot an attic in a home gets during a summer day, without A/C or a substantial ventilation system, or how hot a reading you get from a thermometer left in the sun.
Also, I’m guessing that a makeshift ventilation of the building once the A/C failed probably wouldn’t have worked. These HVAC systems for these buildings are probably engineered to retain (insulate), in order to prevent the colder temperatures generated by the A/C from escaping. Conversely, this would make the hotter temperatures more difficult to dissipate (to the outside of the building) using a "makeshift ventilation" system, like fans and open windows.
To have felt the ambient outside temperature in a short time, residents would have had to been evacuated to the outside of the building. Like to a park with few heated surfaces, and in the shade. And I’m not saying that would have been practicable for these residents, or that the low 90s would have been a healthy temperature.
1
Right. You can walk past a building after sunset, when there is a cool breeze outside, and feel the heat radiating from the walls.
Someone take redponsibilty for the deaths of these people. Their deaths constitute a criminal offense. I heard on NPR this morning that hedge funds like to include nursing homes in thei portfolios because of they are highly profitable with a guaranteed cash flow from Medicaid. Part of their profitability comes from working around the margins of federal and state standards and maintaining skeleton crew staffing. All this mskes for poor accountsbility and lack of responsibility.
5
Know the worst part of this? Where were all the relatives and friends of these people? Did no one come to check on anybody and realize there was a major problem going on?
2
I think this is much larger than an issue solely relating to nursing homes. Our country prefers to react rather than act proactively. You know why we are so litigious? Because we use the tort system to "punish" companies that have done wrong, rather than have stringent regulations (and enforcement of those regulations) up front. So a tragedy occurs, family members have to sue, and if the amount is large enough, companies change their behavior. Of course, they will only do so in that circumstance, and for that specific industry. Other companies in other industries continue harming consumers and doing everything they can get away with so long as it helps their profits.
This is why tort reform, arbitration clauses and the like are so dangerous. If we are not going to regulate companies up front, and then we protect them from their malfeasance after it's occurred by making it hard and expensive to get into court, why would they change? The same dynamic is playing out with Equifax as well. We need more regulations.
6
I was deeply engaged in hurricane evacuation and response efforts for elderly communities during the storm, and I commend Gov Rick Scott's leadership. There were daily conferences calls with information and resources being applied to critical situations (too many to count). He gave his personal cell phone if anyone needed help and it didn't arrive. This is clearly a tragedy and there will be accountability, but the body count would have been far higher without his team's and his own personal support.
2
How is that nursing homes have not been designated by FEMA as priority critical facilities when a hurricane strikes? What about responsibility upon the part of the county which received the obviously deficient document that failed to properly designate nursing homes? After all, it's called a "nursing" home.
2
If you think your community is immune from this situation you are dead wrong. Emergency services and power companies can not help everyone in an emergency. These care facilities need to be properly equipped and they are not. Lack of money. The GOP keeps cutting and cutting. FEMA said last week that we need to fend for ourselves. Well here is the result. Think about it!
7
No excuses for these old people to have died! This was so preventable! Where was their protocol for this? I use to work at Memorial Regional Hospital in the ER and this Nursing Home is literally a minute drive, 3 min away walking. They should have been evacuated as soon as the hurricane passed Sunday pm even Monday morning with no electric - not to be discovered 3 days later! They would have received immediate medical care from Memorial being an excellent, well equipped Level ll Trauma Center. To die like this is barbaric. My heart goes out to their families!
12
Nursing homes are for profit organizations that typically skimp on basic needs for the elderly. Where were the attendants who were supposed to be caring for these poor souls?
7
The grim reality is that the nursing home industry is just that---an industry! These deaths were preventable. The cause was not the responsiveness of an overwhelmed municipal power company or broken generators. The blame is to be laid at the feet of the nursing home owners and administrators who FAILED the clients by either not moving them out to an air conditioned facility or securing functioning generators to adequately power the existing air conditioning system. Ah, but that would have cost money and would eat into the profit being made by the owners. SAD! GREED!
8
Instead of fueling the "blame fire " Mr/Mrs news media. Just report it. People who care for the elderly do a thankless job.
So before you become outraged, stoked by the media what for the facts. Of corse facts take time and thought, which we have little of these days.
Blame Irma, the real killer. Blame the conditions that brought Irma to our shores. Blame the real lack of preparation this country has to combat climate change. Blame the underfunded infrastructure of Florida created by a no state taxes.
6
So the staff from Memorial Regional Hospital could walk to this nursing home ? Why couldn't the Nursing Staff, Charge Nurse at the Nursing home make a decision to evacuate ALL the patients?
6
When Chicago had an intense heat wave in the 1990s, Mayor Daley asked neighbors to look in on old folks in the area, and upbraided the children of these elderly for not making sure of their conditions and expecting others including the police, to do it for them. After all, they're your parents. We don't know all the facts in this situation but the story says it's a 152-bed facility. I know people down there are preoccupied with their own recovery from Irma, but it still seems patient visitors could/should have noticed the dire conditions and alerted authorities earlier.
3
I'm wondering if they even fed these folks? I'd think at some point during meatime they would have noticed their deteriorating condition. It sounds like they were left alone for a long while. And a hospital was right across the street. So many nursing homes in America are a tragedy.
3
My department responded to a nursing home 390 times in one year. Do not let the media hype up the issue by talking about the response numbers There are sick people in these facilities who sometimes require transport to a hospital. What is alarming is that outside agencies were in this building earlier and did not report the situation to their superiors. You can see the finger pointing going on watching the news.
6
Rick Scott wants to know who is responsible for the tragic deaths of the nursing home residents? The elderly, among our most vulnerable citizens, died because their facility was ill-prepared for this storm? He can look no farther than the mirror. Gov. Scott came off very well during all those press conferences, in English and Spanish, but the cold hard fact is he and his pal JEB! can lay claim to the biggest trashing in history of any and all rules and regulations that would have protected the elderly. He wants the AHCA to investigate? Please, the fox guarding the henhouse. So many vital agencies in Florida have been gutted over the past 20 years, a long drawn out process that led to the loss of critical wetlands vanishing under more concrete, the huge increases in basic homeowner's insurance (and all other kinds), the loss of most basic consumer protections (like taking the teeth from AHCA and all other) and the steep increases in fees for things like closing costs when people buy a home. People in Florida pay the highest in closing costs nationwide, yet Scott has time after time raised the threshold on income taxes that corporations pay. It was already so very low as to be a joke.
Scott tried to do away with the county's mosquito control boards -- but relented in the face of the Zika virus. My fear is that Scott's performance on TV before and during the storm will once again overshadow so many troublesome things about this man.
10
I am simply at a loss to understand how it was that the nursing home staff either did not recognize how hot it was, did not complain about how hot it was or was ignored in their complaints about how hot it was. The staff found these people by going room-to-room. When was the last time that the residents were checked? The residents are not checked regularly, even under these conditions?
8
Antipsychotic medications increase the risk of heat stroke, especially in the elderly (see "antipsychotics, heat stroke"). Antipsychotics are commonly used in nursing homes to control patients' behavior and mobility (to keep them bedridden). If antipsychotics were used in this nursing home, that could explain why some of the patients were unable to withstand the high temperature resulting from loss of air conditioning.
6
It seems the nursing home had no evacuation contingency plans in place. Had they checked those patients into the hospital and they were admitted the nursing home would immediately lose revenue. So that might be a factor why they were hesitant to evacuate.
7
This is very sad - but we have just experienced a storm & titanic hit on our power grid systems. I think this episode & reaction to it is symptomatic of how much we depend on & take for granted that when we flip the light switch on - systems work.
These deaths are terribly tragic but in a slightly different perspective - we are spoiled to all the comforts we have and we should not take them for granted. It must be brutally hot in Florida, the islands are devastated, and parts of Texas are in a shambles.... maybe when rebuilding we should try & find a way to live more with nature rather than control it - although that would not have spared these folks.... life is a fragile experience.
8
Um, no. Please show some humanity. We're not going to ask elderly folks in nursing homes to try to "live closer to nature" in sweltering heat.
4
thanks for the only realistic comment. these people were old and/ or very ill. death is inevitable. "tragic" is not a word that applies to this situation-- as it would if this occurred in say a day care center. the lives of very frail elders will be more vulnerable to death in a storm of epic proportion. no need to exaggerate the loss of eight lives or to play a blame game. let them rest in peace.
Sadly, this criminal neglect could have happened anywhere in the US. We speak of an opium crisis and the like. But one of our biggest crises is the care given to our elderly not only in the home but also in facilities. These facilities are for-profit for the most part. Using my own county as an example, they are chronically understaffed with caregivers who are not trained well. Their wages are pitiful especially when one considers the responsibility expected of them. These seniors, particularly the individuals with dementia, are extremely vulnerable. Many have no one to advocate for them, having been placed in these institutions and forgotten about, even by family. This is no way to care for our seniors. They have earned their right to be treated with respect and dignity. Shame on us.
8
These facilities make thousands of dollars a month on each patient and don't have a backup generator installed above the flood plain?
Workers who are paid the least amount possible don't care about the patients.
Will the owners be help accountable?
9
Well the article gives insight into the parent company and its' sleazy medical director. After being fined millions of dollars for a kickback scheme, how does the good doctor still have the ability to run a nursing home. Wake up America, we have lost decency
6
It is indeed tragic what happened in the nursing home in this day and age. I cannot imagine what the staff of the nursing home were doing.
Having said that I wonder what people did before they had air conditioning? (I remember those days).
I wonder what all the people do today that do not have access to air conditioning even though they do have electricity? In cities like Chicago the politicians provide cooling centers and tell people to watch out for their neighbors. Why not just make it a requirement that all residential and health care providers must have air conditioning.
"but that the officials had not flagged the nursing home as “top-tier” critical infrastructure that would need power first."
And so it goes. An article filled with sacred truths about the state of affairs under current State management. It is good that our Governor can shed crocodile tears now, but veto enabling legislature for funding schools, hospitals, etc. and reject the Medicaid funding through the ACA is more like what really goes on.
All of South Florida should give thanks to the heavens that all we endured was a Level 1 hurricane. After Wilma, military-supplied housing, locations for picking up water and ice, a stream of tankers supplying gas stations with fuel, teams of power restoration trucks working 24 hrs. As of late Wednesday, almost 500,000 people in Dade County were without power and not one announcement about any location where water and ice could be found. Some distribution started in the Keys yesterday.
Since Wilma, gas stations required to have generators. No such requirement for nursing homes. Nice to have rules about what should be-hardly does any good for those still trapped by their frailties.
And I see Lena-Princeton "checked the weather in Hollywood" and stated "There are ways to deal with hot weather..." True. But when one is instantly subjected to 90+ heat, 90+ humidity, lack of services, unable to transport to service locations, it doesn't matter that "Around the world, people live in far hotter climates and are ok."
Thanks, Lena.
6
Yes remember how Scott made 100s of million
Isn't it funny how all references to old people in facilities use "them," "they," "The Elderly," like they're a separate species. They're not. They are us, some years from now. Remember that whatever is done to "The Elderly" now, awaits the rest of us in a few years.
18
As the Republicans are currently trying to pass legislation that will protect credit reporting agencies like Equifax from paying for the consequences of their failure to protect personal information, expect them to try to protect these abysmal, greed-driven nursing homes. The blame for these atrocities lies at the feet of the GOP, yet the American voter continues to vote them into office. American voters are ultimartely responsible for this tragedy because of their neglect to act as responsible citizens.
5
No generators that go on automatically, when the power goes off, is a sin. Poor helpless souls were the victims. In humane.
I want to know why didn't they get these people outside? Why didn't they take every one of them out of that oven?
4
Because the staff is under strick orders from the managing doctor and cannot do anything other than what they told to do. These profit driven institutions do no emphasis patent care, just patent management.
3
These deaths are a direct result of how little we care for anyone . These persons had money that were supposed to care for them .We have obviously reached
a point where the only ones that are going to survive are the people earning
way more than most of us live on in one year.
Think about the massive gentrification .Only those that can afford it , will buy
extreme amounts of property at discount prices well, you know the end of the
story.make America Great ? there is no room to make america great.
I'm reminded of the Bernie sander's hopeful ad ,using "ALL COME TO LOOK FOR AMERICA ".I realize so many on here have issues yet if we do not find our way together , we are subservient to the inept people that govern us.
That is SAD .I have serious remorse for our children's future.
9
How on earth were elder care facilities not a priority in such blistering temperatures? It is common knowledge that older people are very much affected by heat. Sadly, i believe that is typical of the treatment of the elderly in facilities of this kind. How could people be dead in their beds only to be discovered when they "decided" to do a room check. Just appalling and irresponsible! And sad, to dye alone in your bed because no one bothered to check because of heat. Perhaps this incident may bring the much needed attention to take a closer look at nursing homes and how they operate.
11
The room check was done by the staff at the hospital, they had to come across the street and search room by room because the NH staff couldn't come up with that idea. The NH staff would have kept sending people to the hospital one by one. Would we have ever heard of this if it weren't for the hospital staff? Kudos to the hospital staff. NH staff, what WERE you doing?
4
I live in a high-rise senior affordable housing building. Many of the residents have serious health and infirmity issues. We lost power and air conditioning during the Hurricane. Many apartments, including one used by the manager, suffered water damage either directly from broken windows or from water leaking down from above. A back-up generator provided minimal lighting in hallways only and power for the elevators but only one of the two elevators worked and the second one worked only erratically.
We only just got our power back yesterday afternoon. For many of the tenants this was a real horror story. The building, which is in a prime development location was bought by a developer anxious to tear the building down for high end condo's or apartments. I believe they "slow walked" their response in an effort to get tenants to leave. Due to the poor response I suspect their will be significant mold issues.
While we can certainly understand the overwhelming challenges created by Irma, handing out bottled water, peanut butter & jelly sandwiches, bottled water, and religious platitudes about god 4 days into the recovery doesn't cut it, while the manager had the staff immediately clean her apartment but not anyone else's.
Believe me, they have not heard the last of this!
19
We're hoping you can get this addressed properly for yourself and your neighbors.
2
Here come the vulture greed-driven lawyers!
There was no power so what was the nusing home supposed to do???
They had fans thanks to a small generator.
I grew up without AC and so did these old people.
This is tragic but there was no crime!
2
First I will agree with you no crime was committed. No one intentionally wanted the residence to die because there was no electricity.
The worst offense was that because these people who are elderly and or suffering various disabilities they were at the bottom of the totem pole. They were targets by nursing homes for their money yet unworthy of priority life saving measure she was like cool air to breathe and dialysis machines that worked because they were already too old or too sick. That is a crime against humanity.
4
If your parent had been one of those who died, you'd be singing a different tune. PS There is a lot the nursing home could have done. They could have had a generator that turned on automatically. They could have checked on the people sooner and moved them across the street to the hospital. They could have moved them elsewhere.
5
You probably lived in a house built for the heat, with large windows to create drafts. You probably were able bodied enough that when you felt too hot you could go outside where it was cooler. You probably had enough water to make up for what you were losing through sweat, or you could go get it, because you were healthy enough to walk. You could take care of yourself. You weren't ill or sick or confused from dementia, so if you were dehydrated you would know something was wrong and seek help.
Are you really suggesting that these old people who died weren't tough enough? Really?
And neglect can be a crime, when you have a legal duty of care.
23
If the owners lost a lawsuit for giving kickbacks to doctors maybe that would have been a good time to ban them from that line of business all together.
10
100 people die from the heat every Phoenix summer. Most are homeless. They are not front page news. They are barely news. This year the media focused on the affect of the heat on airplanes.
3
Seriously though, A study should done on the outage rate of overhead electric line compared to underground lines. In all weather, but especially in storms. It seems like underground would take the storm better.
1
Shameless and disgraceful ! When are we going to learn to value and show reverence to our elders?. I'm appalled that 8 senior citizens died due to apparent neglect. What is next concentration camps?
6
I hate to say it, but the victims spouses and families will probably be prevented from suing the nursing home and exposing their wrongdoing in court. Like most businesses, nursing homes now have mandatory arbitration in their contracts. Its disgusting.
10
This is clearly off-topic however if it saves one family from making a fatal error cross out all arbitration clauses. The individuals who sell spaces in nursing homes are no better than those who sell gym memberships.
6
Private healthcare and privatized utilities caused these deaths. It is as simple as that.
9
Nobody wants something like this to happen. So the criminal charge would have to be involuntary manslaughter, defined as culpable negligence. The offense is a misdemeanor in Florida with a one year maximum. That is not justice. Far better to close down the nursing home, revoke the license of the owner and sue him to the max so that the families get something out of this.
3
It isn't rocket science to have nursing homes and other critical care facilities with a back-up generator (with a dedicated fuel source) to completely run all the electrical needs for these type of facilities. We have a back-up 24 kw generator and a dedicated 300 gallon propane tank to allow us to completely run everything in our house with plenty of power to spare in the event we lose our electricity. We previously had a caterpillar diesel generator that ran very cheaply but wasn't as reliable and as quiet and clean burning for our needs.
It broke down after a week. We had no power after Katrina snapped poles and knocked out power for 3 to 4 months where we live. That month of September didn't see a single day under 95 degrees. State law should mandate that these facilities have a back-up power source, no different the most hospitals have.This story reminds me of the owners of a nursing home in Chalmette, LA that left 35 patients to drown in their beds during Hurricane Katrina. The owners were rescued off by the Coast Guard as their patients were drowning in a 28' storm surge. States need to regulate this industry more and jail the owners that could care less about their patients and are motivated strictly by profits.
9
A lot of comments seem to focus on the fact that it was 92F inside the home. But the bigger issue is that many of these homes could have run out of power to run their generators and as a result caused a major issue to ventilators and other medical equipment needed for critical care
1
this is bad but what do you think happens during natural disasters? after the Sandy storm, some people had no power for about a month and in evacuated areas for longer. when there is destruction of major power grids, and downed trees and wires tangled all over and transformers blown to bits for a few hundred miles, not to mention roads destroyed or impassible, the power grid is not restored in a 24 hr period. if you imagine that everyone will get AC, or heat or clean water in a reasonable period of time, you are wrong. 160 nursing homes without power... in neighborhoods, a lot of "ordinary" people- children, sick folks, older folks. there were gas shortages before the storm arrived, so is there gas to run generators? just do not be surprised how bad and persistent the lack of power problems can be, and do not imagine that the power companies can fix them all immediately. it is possible to stumble around with a flash light for a few days, but do you have batteries to use your flashlights 12 hrs a day for a month? Turn all the lights off in your house and see what you can find or do after the sun sets. yes, this is how humans lived for thousands of years without light, electricity, running water, AC or heat, but it is tough today and when the power grid is out, life is a struggle.
5
Here in Atlanta we experienced the same lack of electricity and I had the same thoughts.
1
So, if the power company didn't come for another week, the staff and administrators would have just watched more people die? It's ridiculous to blame an outside entity for what was going on inside that facility. One person dead, three hospitalized within three hours, and seemingly no action of the home's part to curb the problem. Oh, well, maybe they got on the phone to the FPL again. I have to wonder how well this place was even being staffed during the crisis. I would bet many staff were taking care of their own lives instead. And it is apparent from previous suits that profits matter, not lives. Hope the federal government, Medicare and Social Security take a long look at all the facilities run by this network.
12
Many nursing/assisted living facilities exist on bare-bones budgets with low paid staffs. These are often set up as profitable businesses because they can still make a lot of money for the owners.
6
Are you sharing that as a reason or an excuse for what occurred?
1
Prison time. Lawsuits. close down this facility and any others run by the same entity.
I read a couple ridiculous comments here about how elderly nursing home patients shouldn't die when it's 90 degrees with no a/c??
That's 90 outside - inside it could be easily 10+ degrees hotter, and these are NURSING HOME PATIENTS - they are not in there because of their rude good health. Nursing homes should be at the top of the list for evacuations. Where was the foresight?
Prison time. Lawsuits. close down this facility and any others run by the same entity.
25
Hopefully the authorities will perform autopsies and look for carbon monoxide poisoning. One commenter said the facility had a rented generator. It could have been vented improperly or vented properly and dislodged during the storm. Excessive levels of carbon monoxide will cause multiple fatalities and illness in a very short period of time like what happened at this facility. Those with infirmities will succumb sooner than healthy invidivuals such as staff.
We have to be patient and let the police do their investigation but there is no proper word to describe this disaster. Criminal is too lenient.
5
Negligent homicide pure and simple . Lots of people belong in jail. But this just reflects the care is the many of nursing homes across the country. No one will be punished. Business as usual.
7
Unfortunately yes. The people who regulate these places will say that it still provides a needed service so they can't shut it down... in my opinion they could deny the license and forces sale and the residents could remain with a new owner and managers.
1
Were any other nursing homes in the state without air conditioning? Did they have similar outcomes? Why or why not?
6
Read about the seven hundred deaths during the Chicago Heat Wave Tragedy of 1995 and you will learn how bad decisions can combine with warm weather to kill unnecessarily. Urban areas often create "heat islands" that are significantly warmer than reported regional temperatures. Humidity in combination with warmth also causes a rise in the "heat index" to dangerous levels. A governor bent on less regulation won't help rid Florida of underpaid, under supervised and under trained nursing care staffs either. As with most other human tragedies, a combination of factors conspired against these poor souls. The unfortunate truth is that like during that Chicago heat wave of 1995, most of them were likely preventable.
17
Many people here are saying that 92F is not hot enough to result in deaths, because this does not occur in other places in the world which do not have air conditioning. What people may not be realizing is that whether or not a heat wave causes death is related to frailty. It is likely that those American seniors living in a nursing were a lot more frail than the average person who has lived in that heat for all of their lives. Heat can also kill not only through heat stroke but by causing higher rates of heart attacks, strokes, heart failure exacerbations etc. Not only that but the amount of air pollution and other factors matter a great deal (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19758453). In this case, the details of what people died of and whether there were any warning signs are important. Did people die of dehydration or were there signs that were ignored of worsening illness that should have lead the nurses to take those individuals to the hospital sooner? If, so, that is what would indicate some sort of medical mismanagement. Let's use this tragedy to at least make better plans in the future for the vulnerable members of our society (i.e. elderly, the very young, the homeless etc.)
9
Often people with dementia are housed on the top floors of these institutions. If individuals with Alzheimer's could not care for themselves (i.e. make the decision to move to a lower floor or physically get out of bed) and were not moved by staff to a lower floor, I imagine it was even hotter and more dangerous for residents up there.
Depending on the availability of the space and population of patients in the home, moving these residents would have added another challenge that the nursing home would likely have not been able to handle. Dementia patients often need constant supervision and care, and are both entitled to and required to have a certain amount of privacy and dignity offered to them. Nursing homes are often understaffed (though this article notes that this home was above-average) by hard-working individuals who are underpaid and expected to do incredibly difficult work. Adding new logistical challenges of possibly moving, abiding by regulations, and physically caring for all the individuals in the home would have been risky, if not impossible.
Until a better way of caring for and respecting elders and their caregivers is given a priority, too many individuals will continue to suffer in these institutions.
4
Every nursing home from sea to shining sea should be required to have a permanently installed electrical generator installed, working and powerful enough for every need at the home.
7
Anyone remember that during Katrina patients were moved to Memorial Hospital - that didn't work out sowell either.
From this geriatricians view, the huge storms , lack of power, staffing challenges and fragile residents is going to lead to people dying. We are deluding ourselves to think otherwise. The people that moved their elderly relatives out of state did what had to be done.
7
My aged mother glued to CNN all day will see this story and make herself even more determined never to set foot in an assisted living or nursing home, as she warned me when I brought the subject up. She has made it abundantly clear that she wants to pass in her apt.- even during the hurricane where it sustained a lot of water and no ac. Fortunately, the electricity stayed on but central air turned off so we used fans and she was fine.
My heart goes out to the elderly folks who suffered an awful death in a place meant to keep them alive.
10
These deaths will be forever in the hands of all people working in the planning against Irma in that particular location, meaning the Florida Government and its leaders. The most vulnerable were left behind.
8
Why would you blame the government when this is a private facility that had on site management and staff who were in the best position to know what was happening (power but no a/c)? There's a statewide natural disaster and you think the Governor ought to know what's happening in each of the thousands if not tens of thousands of nursing bones within the state?? What is the staff for? Who was closest to this situation?
9
I am truly disappointed in the lack of concern for people who can't stand up for themselves. Management more than likely evacuated to the comforts of a home like environment leaving employees who should of took a stance for their patients. It is unacceptable for any person to turn a blind eye and especially collecting money while loved ones feel guilty placing them in the hands of others. I hope God finds a special place for those who may have decided a paycheck was more to them or government funding lines their pockets. They are the example of the worst people who can exist. I can only hope the hospital staff is praised and it's noted they didn't care about citations or law it was about the people who were in substandard care. At any level it's unacceptable and I hope every employee, CEO, nurse, care giver and investor never has a restful night and they resign and find their calling because it is not caring for others.
5
Are we to assume the nursing home has no staff capable of making the rounds? The place is an oven. Patients dying. A tree crushed a transformer. Anyone living staff around? Hello?
22
In my experience, nursing home staff do not "make rounds" in the middle of the night. Further, there aren't many staff on overnight shifts in nursing homes, and given what had just happened in Florida, some of those scheduled to work that night may not have shown up. In my experience, nursing homes are reluctant to bring in/hire replacements and usually just try to make do with what they have.
Also keep in mind Florida is a place where, presumably at voters' request or at least with their consent, there aren't many regulations or taxes.
8
ummm... really? i'll never understand why places like this aren't the first ones to be evacuated when storms like this are coming... they know they're going to lose electricity for days... it always boggles my mind.. these are elderly people, the most vulnerable, I mean are you kidding me?
16
I apologize. I re-read the article and even though the facility had electricity, a fallen tree knocked out the transformer that ran the
A/C.
5
A fallen tree and the damage it causes is considered to be an "act of God." An "act of God" is a legal term which means that it's a natural disaster, outside human control, and therefore no human can be held responsible for it.
5
The elderly may be especially sensitive to the effects of heat and humidity if they are taking medications which affect the body's natural temperature regulating mechanisms:
"Many classes of drugs, whether prescribed, over-the-counter, recreational, or illicit can predispose their users to heat-related illnesses, including heat stroke (a medical emergency). Among heat-interacting medications are antidepressants, antihistamines, antipsychotics, and diuretics... Unfortunately, many who prescribe these drugs, as well as those who dispense and those who use them, may be unaware of the risk presented by their use under conditions of extreme heat." - from "Drugs and Heat", National Collaborating Centre for Environmental Health Vancouver BC
“Check with a doctor about the effects of sun and heat when taking prescription drugs, especially diuretics or antihistamines.” (Texas Department of State Health Services, Public Health Preparedness, 2007)
11
As an immediate way to deal with the lack of air conditioning.
Move the patients to a shaded, high ventilation area.
Fill water bags, ice bags, balloons, large soda bottles, etc with water. Even tap water should work. Give one or more to each patient. Tell them to hold the water bottle against their body. Water absorbs heat quite well, even if it is only a few degrees below the temperature of the room.
Wet the patient's sheets. You can improvise a sprinkler by filling a soda or water bottle with water and piercing the cap with several small holes. You can give the patient the bottle and instruct them to use it. This requires more work and care and is very short term.
You can bathe the patient to lower their temperature. The sprinkler bottle can also be used on bare skin. Rinsing/wetting the hair will also serve to cool a person for fifteen to thirty minutes.
Have mosquito nets in the emergency supplies for a nursing home. They can be used to protect the patients against insects if you must move them outdoors or open unprotected/unscreened doors.
8
I looked up Medicaid rates for Florida and it seemed to average around $235/day. That is roughly $7k per patient per month which is consistent with Dallas prices, for example. They had 150 patients so that would be $1,050,000 a month and $12,600,000 per year. These patients' drugs would be paid by Medicare. I would like to see their financials, wouldn't you? Given that this facility was a for-profit operation paid with tax dollars I think these outfits should have disclose annual financials and/or tax returns.
29
I guarantee most, if not all of the patients were Medicaid, or short term Medicare patients. Certainly not their fault, but obviously the State Regulations, failed miserably. This was a warehouse, plain and simple. Don't blame the undertrained and severely underpaid staff. The blame falls squarely upon the Administration/ Owners of this facility. AND, the failure of the inspection and regulation process. The Deaths and illness could most likely have been prevented by transferring ALL the patients within hours of the power loss, not DAYS. Not done due to greed, period.
Transferring all the patients would have been a heavy hit to the bottom line.
Money over people, every time. Besides, they are old and poor. And I'll bet they won't be able to sue, or certainly collect a penny. Just wait.
27
The last years of our lives should not be spent in the cheapest care society will allow. Everyone who has given a lifetime should part this world in as much comfort as possible. This is shameful. A hurricane is coming and they didn't think to get as much ice as they could need to keep their patients safe? This is terrible. We need to do better.
8
Is it some sort of visual aesthetics that make modern humans think that big sheets of glass in a sleek, shiny square box is also a) cleaner, b) more functional, c) a form of suicide prevention, d) easier and less expensive to clean, or e) recirculated air is more healthy than outside air?
I lived in Southern California in the late 1960's to mid 70;s and never had air conditioning. My sister lived in Honolulu, Hawaii for over 35 years in a house with no air conditioning. What we both did have was lattice windows. Just crank the little handle and the windows open or shut.
Architectural design has improved so much over the years, both in safety and accommodation to changing lifestyles, but some of the old ways were not only practical, they were good.
14
After my experiences with different assisted living arrangements for my father, I have to say, they are run like businesses and not truely the care centers that make people trust them. After being with my father 1 month before he passed. A huge storm came in and knocked the power out. The generators worked, but some patients needed more power for other devices.
These homes are run like businesses. They treat your parent better when they know family members are stopping around and asking questions.
17
Perhaps we should consider whether we really want to spend years at the end of our lives being as helpless as newborn babies. Realistically, no one wants this for themselves, but it happens anyway. Why? There must be some alternative for those determined to avoid it.
12
Supposedly there was a hospital next door, or across the street, that did have A/C...?! Were these elderly people being checked in their rooms on a continuous basis? They should be checked on a continuous basis in the best of situations, and this hurricane was one of the worst of situations. I will tell you that my father was in a re-hab nursing home, and when he was still doing pretty well, they were responsive enough, although I had to move him from one rehab hospital where they paid no attention whatsoever, and he kept falling, because he would call for help to get up, and no one would come. Is it due to understaffing? Perhaps. When you visit many of these places, the employees are chatting each other up in the hallways...socializing. People other than my father were calling out of help, and I would go out into the hallway and try to flag someone down, and they would SAY that they were coming, but 15 minutes later the patient was still in need of assistance. I would take the patient to the bathroom, even if it meant lifting them, (as best as I could) because no one else was coming to help them! It is just awful! These were not employees who were busy with other patients; they were socializing. I was delighted when I put my dad into another rehab hospital, because we were there most of the day, and so they saw us, and were responsive. When he became too ill to speak or move at all, he was ignored., even though we were there. I hired private duty nurses.
21
In my experience, nursing homes have very few staff in the overnight shift, so may not have been possible to check all.
When my late mother was once in one of Manhattan's "top" nursing homes for "rehab" she once called me out of frustration after having tried unsuccessfully for an hour or two to get a nurse.So I took a taxi up there just before 11 at night and found what appeared to be most, if not all, of the staff in the "day room" chatting and having snacks.
6
NYT readers seem to be uninformed
(1) Medicare does NOT pay for long-term nursing home stays. It only pays for a few weeks of rehab. Long term is out-of-pocket, maybe long term insurance or Medicaid
If the patients are primarily Medicaid with very low payment rates, then cash flow is a huge problem --- and $100,000 generators are not in the category of 'just buy a new one"
(2) Many seem to assume that the nursing home could have zipped to Home Depot, bought a generator & plugged it in, Not gonna work
Just the AC in a place that size would take an 80,000 -100,000 watt generator - not available at big box stores (And a mere $100,000 or better to buy or install)
The generator has to be hard-wired into the building's electrical system with load distribution & transfer switches - complicated process that requires electricians
Generators of that size do NOT run on gasoline but LP or natural gas
So if the facility found a problem with its existing generator not kicking in, when preparing for the storm, forget it. No generator of that size can be quickly supplied & installed - particularly when installers are busy getting ready for the storm
(3) Where they understaffed the past couple days? Yeah The low wage workers would have evacuated or gone dealing with their own destroyed cars or homes.
(4) Why didn't someone act sooner when the 1st patient was in distress from the heat in the night? See staffing See LOW WAGE
On the other hand OPEN THE WINDOWS - break it even!
33
Agree...the staff are not getting rich doing this work. These outcomes should be expected with a storm like this.This is only the beginning.
And I think if charges should be pressed it should be against the climate deniers.
1
Thank you for your informative comment. Too many commenters really do seem to think that a trip to Home Depot and $500 could have prevented this tragedy!
1
Ah, America's private healthcare system at it again.
22
To all the commenters from places like Princeton NJ, CT, and other Northerners claiming it's not so hot down here, I'd like to see you sit under the same conditions for days and then we'll see how quickly you change your tunes! You have no idea what it's like especially for those whose health is already compromised.
21
This is absolutely heart breaking, especially as I have a grandmother in assisted living south Ga (she's OK). Read Chris Cillizza's piece in CNN on 9/12. Scott has been governor for almost 8 years. He owns this.
11
How do you figure that the Governor of a huge state like Florida, in the middle of recovery from a state-wide storm, "owns" the deaths of 8 people at a private facility? That facility had on-site management and staff who presumably could tell that it was unbearably hot but chose not to call for an evacuation to the neighboring hospital. I've heard of liberals wanting a nanny state, but you seem to want an omniscient state wherein the Governor is aware of every hvac outage across the state as it happens and, even though millions are without power, he knows exactly which facilities without power are the most urgent cases, etc. What foolishness. If you're looking to cast blame, blame a statewide storm that caused catastrophic damage and power loss and blame the people specifically employed to maintain a safe environment at that particular facility.
5
I am an engineer and for 20 of the last Thirt years a Licensed HVACR Contractor .When in New York Serving as Dow Jones Chief engineer We had redundant systems to keep the numbers coming It is not complicated To Have redundant systems For Our most vulnerable people in nursing homes . Remember this this week as our leaders want to turn you off life support
17
There's the rub. The Dow Jones could afford redundant and likely contract for one, two or more off site recovery data centers. Now I wonder why the stock and investment industry can afford all this. Well I don't really.
And I'm sure Dow Jones didn't pay its staff minimum wage or close to it either. A typical certified nurses assistant earns $25,000/year for their hard work. Of course there is absolutely no correlation with their salary and today's horrific events but the health care industry and more importantly the nursing home and rehab industry are not investing infrastructure unless required. They can't unless may be they pay their CEOs less.
It's time to end health care coverage for members of Congress at least for a few months to experience what many of their fellow Americans do. Believe me Trump and his ilk won't be medicaid but self-pay when the time comes and his family would have landed a helicopter on the main drag in front of that facility to extract him if he were in the same situation. Our country is quickly becoming Darwin's proof of survival of the fittest/richest. HEARTBREAKING
3
It's a shame that accidents like this to happen for the press to cover or write stories how bad nurses homes with a storage of nursing staff due to budget cuts or to save a buck. Or simple the failure of the state to regulate and inspect these homes.
Why aren't nursing homes and hospital evacuated 1st because they have no place to put and where to move them.
5
Where's the state's emergency preparedness plans for the disabled, elderly in the likelihood of such a catastrophic event? These vulnerable populations SHOULD BE first priority... It was DAYS before Florida was hit, why weren't the appropriate measures taken to ensure these individuals safety?
14
Governor Scott is an advocate of personal responsibility in healthcare, which presumably means that individuals, and perhaps their loved ones, are responsible for making their own choices in regard to all healthcare issues.
5
It becomes very clear ... you pray you are not old/frail, disabled or significantly compromised in any physical or cognitive way when a major disaster occurs.
That this nursing home was practically across the street from a functioning hospital is quite astounding and very, very sad. The families who had loved ones there likely thought this gave their family members an extra layer of security should they require emergency care.
After last month's extremely disturbing photo / revealing of the residents of a Houston nursing home sitting -- sitting in chest high water for hours and hours ... one almost isn't surprised. Almost.
Prayers and condolences to all those most grievously affected.
16
Why are so many people blaming lax regulations and politicians? This had NOTHING to do with regulations or campaign contributions. I doubt there's a regulation anywhere spelling out that you should evacuate when temperatures climb to the point that they're carting folks to the hospital one by one. You kind of assume that any fool would know that. Obviously, these were no ordinary fools. According to the story, even a relative who was there did nothing except call the power company, then give up.
My lord.
13
Lock Him Up. Seriously, this time.
12
Look at Medicare and how those homes are there to collect that. Cut Medicare and think of how many of these people would not be around - before Irma.
8
These were not storm related deaths. This was homicide, and someone needs to go to jail.
27
What was the temp and relative humidity of the immediate environment...and why was this not mentioned in the article. A chance to pass on valuable info missed.
4
Typically, these FOR Profit institutions have not enough oversight and regulation...patient/staff ratio is too high...and only the squeaky wheels get the oil. i guess the squeaky wheels had evacuated? Quite sad, and preventable.
8
Our electrical transmission lines in the US haven't changed since transmission lines were invented. String them from pole to pole. In other countries, their power companies invest in burying transmission lines, but here in the US, it is too much of a "burden" on the investor owned utilities to make them upgrade their transmission lines. What people don't realize is that these power outages are costing us 25-70 billion dollars annually and it is only getting worse. We should make the power companies begin to bury 2-3 percent of their overhead lines each year. The high initial costs will go down and the technology will improve for burying the lines, and we won't have nursing homes patients dying because they didn't have electricity after a storm. My neighborhood had the power out for about a week because one measly limb fell on an overhead wire and shorted out the whole neighborhood. It was the hottest week of the summer and I thought people were going to kill each other it was so uncomfortable. I can't imagine being down in Florida right now.
25
Thanks for this. Also lines are more likely to be buried in wealthy neighborhoods for aesthetic reasons,another rich vs the rest perk.
5
From today's Sun sentinel
The owner of the Hollywood nursing facility where eight people died Wednesday during a power outage caused by Hurricane Irma has a history of health care fraud charges.
Dr. Jack Michel in 2006 settled claims after he and five others were accused of agreeing to send patients to a Miami hospital for unnecessary treatment, according to the Department of Justice. Federal prosecutors said Michel received kickbacks as part of the deal and that some of the patients came from assisted living facilities that he owned.
Michel bought the Miami hospital, Larkin Community Hospital, in 1998, court records show. Prosecutors said the illegal agreements took place between 1997 and 1999.
21
thank you for this. NYT, why aren't you including this information in your coverage?
4
The 2006 kickbacks were noted in the article.
I'd like to see a "one strike you're out" approach to renewing licenses for these places.
3
Local news sources are reporting that the manager had previously been charged with medical mismanagement and that A/C and generators' problems had been reported. There is more here to be investigated and reported. Manslaughter.
27
While I am not real sympathetic to Floridians who bemoan the loss of their air conditioning life support system,
choosing to live in a renowned unpleasant climate at risk of hurricanes,
it is beyond sadness that this vulnerable part of all our families was left in a challenging condition.
The overlay on all of this is the general belief that these fossil warehouses are generally poorly maintained (veterans care facility level?),
and
the prior operator was convicted of MediCare fraud.
The prosecutor in me says: wait for the autopsy reports.
You do not know what physical challenges each person faced,
or
what caused their death.
I will say, the ever present visual meme of hurricane damage: beached and stacked boats,
leaves me cold to angry.
If you can afford to own and operate a boat.......
This Iniki survivor knows the pain and the process.
6
"While I am not real sympathetic to Floridians who bemoan the loss of their air conditioning life support system,choosing to live in a renowned unpleasant climate at risk of hurricanes,"
Maui Yankee, I lived in NY most of my life. In 1985, during Hurricane Gloria, we lost power for two weeks where I lived, huge trees crashed right through people's roofs, devastation was widespread. NY/FL are not known for a "reknowned, unpleasant climate," but both are at risk for hurricanes. In 2012, I believe, we had Hurricane Irene in NY. The destruction was phenomenal. At that time, where I lived, we lost power for 3 weeks. Crews from the South came up to help our utility company restore out power, God bless them. Huge trees were lifted right out of the earth, on the side of the driveway, and took huge trunks of the driveway with them, when they crashed to the ground. Should people not live in NY? Everyone cannot live in the Midwest, or in Hawaii. And California has earthquakes. Florida is a wonderful place, especially as one gets older: No winter! No snow to shovel, no icy roads, no freezing temperatures. I guess you have to pick your poison. Perhaps if the utility companies, and the government used their brains, and buried more and more power lines, we would not have to worry about such horrific, preventable tragedies. Not addressing infrastructure problems often ends up killing people. I am outraged, disgusted, and in grief for those who lost their lives, and for their loved ones.
8
If that "new federal rule, which takes effect in November, ... protect residents’ health and safety." was enacted during the Obama Administration expect Trump to reverse it. Important new rules related to hazardous chemical plant safety, which would have applied in Houston, were already eliminated. It is once again legal to shave off a mountain top and dump the tailings in nearby streams.
14
Gee I wonder if the residents of this nursing home were private payers? One guess - probably not. If they were, you can bet they would have been evacuated to the hospital. Also the governor's crocodile tears aside, I wonder how much money he receives from the associations, corporations or lobbyists from the Nursing Home/Rehab industry. Nah, go ahead Rick - we need LESS regulations!
15
I am concerned whether these patients were given medications to avoid agitation during the storm. If they were than they could become more susceptible to heat and humidity. These medications increase risk of heat stroke and heat exhaustion especially if they were started a few days before the storm.
16
See NYT article "Johnson & Johnson Accused of Drug Kickbacks" which indicates that antipsychotic drugs are used for controlling nursing home patients' behavior. The article says that J&J "engaged in intensive efforts to persuade physicians to prescribe the drugs from 1999 to 2004." Antipsychotics are the most widely prescribed drugs in the U.S. The article also says "The government has regulations in place to protect nursing home residents from medication mismanagement, like being sedated with psychiatric drugs for the purposes of discipline or convenience." But those rules appear to be completely unenforced.
9
More often commercial construction, especially for hospitals, schools, etc are constructed with thoughts to security and reducing the possibility of fire that can spread from room to room. That makes it very difficult to ventilate in case of mechanical failure. The cross ventilation that we used to enjoy is also a major conductor of fire spread. The ability to open windows also raises concerns of bad folks getting in or patients wandering away or falling out. This is a tragedy. There should be solutions but blame should be held in reserve until it is investigated.
11
If facility administrators were calling the power company, telling them of the emergency, then the fault is with the power company for nor responding. Yes, some fault falls to the facility, but apparently they were begging for help that went unanswered.
6
Wrong. You can't blame the power company. When it gets that hot, you call 911 and evacuate. Whatever happened to common sense?
Nobody who was on duty should ever be allowed to work in a nursing home again.
5
I disagree. If you can get the AC going, it's faster, and more efficient than evacuating all those people confined to beds or wheelchairs. The facility said in the beginning, the power company said they were on their way...they didn't show. That's when you call for help, which is what they did.
1
They had power. Did you read the article JWL? Their A/C was damaged in the storm
1
There are large portions of the world that endure higher temperatures without the benefit of air conditioning. Is it that the body gets use to one or the other, high temperatures or the benefits of air conditioning. I do understand that high humidity limits the body's ability to sweat to cool itself, and the young and elderly are more vulnerable, but this does not make a whole lot of sense. Eight people dying within a few hours due to high temperature? What part are we missing. Investigate! There are other failures at play here.
10
What is wrong with people?
Older people, especially with compromised health conditions, don't handle the stress of heat well. Heat levels tolerable for healthy adults are not for fragile adults.
Air conditioning in the subtropics has made heat tolerable for more people. Before effective air conditioning and its predecessors, fragile people died.
Florida would not be flourishing without air conditioning.
Get a clue, people.
23
Who cares? Certainly not the owner of the nursing home or the administrator of the hospital across the street! How about NAMING and SHAMING these two people? Otherwise, please spare us the crocodile tears about how much you "care."
7
Chances are, the nursing home is operated by an LLC of some sort. Obtaining the names of the principals isn't always an easy process.
1
That nursing home administrator needs to be arrested and tried.
11
Middle-aged voting citizens of Florida: At some point, it is likely that your younger loved ones will need to put you in such a facility. Please bear this in mind and think about your future when you vote for politicians who loosen regulations on this industry in the name of growth and profitability. Hopefully that thought will help sway your political thinking.
32
This had nothing to do with regulations. You can't fix profoundly stupid with regulations. Why didn't someone get those folks evacuated?
5
That is right August West! And I will say this, too: "Profoundly stupid" doesn't even respond to regulations. These poor, sick, elderly people were being ignored, even more than they are usually ignored, and instead of being evacuated, they were left to rot...and die. Not one, not two, not three...but EIGHT of them! There is no excuse for even one. Not under the circumstances, because it is obvious that because EIGHT perished, they were just not being monitored, much less cared for.
1
VP Mike Pence, this is what happens when your much lauded private for profit sector health care fails to protect lives. We need single payer, and rigorous government oversight.
30
Most of these patients are funded by Medicaid. The problem is that the funding is skimpy.
8
Really? How much funding does it take to call the police and evacuate these poor souls, or buy a few window or in-room units and put everyone in those rooms? This is not a political problem. It's a compassion problem.
6
One would think that in the Sunshine State that facilities would be using solar poweer.
17
Pat, they should. There are now solar-powered generators.
2
Not 6, total of 8 die....Very sad! because there was a hospital across street.
10
I'm confused....what does this have to do with cutting taxes on rich people? Is it relevant?
3
I wish I had the answer. I can afford higher taxes.
1
It is relevant. I'm rich. I pay more taxes without any regrets.
1
Business owners of these facilities (because they cut corners to save money and put it in their pockets) of these facilities should be held liable for these deaths. And our fearless president and his fellow republicans want to reduce laws and regulations, shame on you.
23
It could have been worse. Some tornado could have taken out Mar=A-Lago
12
Something evil is afoot in our country. You hear it hissing in these comments at times, a cruelty, a callousness beyond anything we've known in our lifetimes, in this land at least. It's not hard to find it, refusal of mercy or compassion at a shocking pitch. It has an almost eerie quality, some kind of spiritual illness. Those of you who would defend our nation, defend kindness most of all. Every day.
36
The "nation" of your imagination is dead. Do you really think our empire will fare any better than all the empires of human history before us? Really?
3
I'm sorry for you, friend. We have the neighborhood we make, and despair and cynicism won't help at all. I'm old and have known suffering, but I can say that there is love, and there is kindness--and it makes a difference every day. You leave a little of yourself with every person you see, and even talk to here. You can lift them up or cast them down. Deciding to see only the negative is as deluded as seeing only the positive--and more painful to you and to others. You have choices as to what you say and create in your own life even now. I wish you well, and will do my best to help if you should be in need near me. And it will make a difference then.
4
I don't know. We need to review our history.
Have I got my marbles mixed? Google Larkin Health Systems.
1
No your marbles are just fine. This so called CEO Doctor probably graduated from Trump University.
4
We now can boast of thousand-dollar iPhones... and we allow our elderly to die from heat and humidity after a storm we had a week to plan for. In the richest country in the history of the world we certainly could do better if only we cared enough to do so.
32
We don't care.
#1 iPhones
#2 Endless war
#3 Tax cuts for the rich
Can you please tell me how saving these money-losing souls fits in with our national priorities?
8
It's fairly inexpensive to install temperature/humidity monitors with wireless outputs, read by a monitor in a central location. I do it in my house. Signed.. Registered Professional Electrical Engineer (AK, PA)
12
That's assuming the monitor does something about the alarm(s) other than silencing them. Many years in industries with monitoring systems and unheeded alarms resulting in preventable releases of hazardous chemicals, overheated or under heated offices and ignored fire alarms akin to mandatory evacuations.
Great idea when effective but the weak link is the human in the out of control center.
2
Forget gadgets. It's fairly easy to walk into a place where people are dying from heat stroke and figure out that you need to get people out of there. Why didn't anyone do that?
7
August West: You cannot get the people out of there if you are not paying attention to them! (I am so angry and horrified that I could spit bullets at the responsible parties.)
1
This says something about foresight and building codes in Florida. Principally there aren't any.
5
Florida has stringent building codes which are claimed to make houses and other buildings hurricane resistant. Doors, windows and other building supplies are required to be resistant to hurricane force winds and they thus command premium prices, driving home prices upward and obsoleting homes built in compliance with older building codes. Unfortunately, however, many of the damaged or destroyed houses shown in central Florida Irma photos and videos are recently built and thus should've withstood the high winds. As Irma traversed Florida northward, its force declined from category 3 to 2, and then to 1 in the northernmost part of the state. In regard to Florida building codes and wind speed, all recent construction should be able to withstand category 3 winds without any significant damage, but Irma stripped the roofing off of many recently built south and central Florida homes.
5
workerbee, the winds may have been in excess of 155 mph, OR those recently built homes were NOT built to code! I think that sometimes they SAY they are building them to code, but then there are pay offs to skimp.
2
Building codes in Florida are very strict. I live in a 20 year old home, and it was built (after Hurricane Andrew) to the CURRENT Florida building codes; the house can withstand 155 mph winds. Amazingly, people in this community, who stupidly/stubbornly/negligently refused to put up their hurricane shutters, (believe me, I don't get it) didn't even suffer a broken window, and our windows are not impact glass. We had incredible tree damage and destruction, debris flying all over, but the houses held up...unbelievably. But we did not get the worst of the storm, however we had 91 mph winds here.
2
My 80-year-old mother-in-law evacuated from the Gulf Coast on Saturday and stayed with us for the past four days, just leaving this morning. It's 79 degrees now in the DC area. She spent the past four days walking around the house in my daughter's winter jacket, complaining about how cold it is (indoor temp 75 degrees). Maybe she would have been better off in Hollywood, FL.
6
Have her thyroid levels checked. Low thyroid causes people to feel cold in even the warmest temperatures.
8
This is so sad for this to happen. I worked in a family owned nursing home for 20 years not company/corporation owned. I hope the family of the residents will stand together to make this facility better. You can go to Medicare.gov to compare nursing homes in your state and read the deficiencies, health inspections. This nursing home in the article is a 2 out of 5 star rating. This facility is not a good environment at all.
13
How very sad. We are lucky that my mom lives in a wonderful place with responsible administration. I don't understand how this place in Florida abdicated its responsibility to the residents by expecting the power company to come fix a fuse? But, we are talking about Florida. I also worry that too many baby boomers (like me) just arrange for mom or dad to move to the nursing home or other facility and then wash their hands of follow up. Tragic buy clearly gross negligence or even criminal negligence.
4
A private nursing home -- not a government run facility -- callously treated its patients to death.
This weakens the typical republican argument against Bernie's "Medicare for all" bill, that our government cannot run health care as well as a private corporation.
This is another evidence why it is time for single payer healthcare.
16
This facility is maybe at the most , 100 yards from the hospital that took in the dying .
There is no excuse for the administrator of the nursing home not walking over there and ask for the hospital for relocation help as soon as the AC was known not to be working.
No acceptable excuse . This should be prosecuted for criminal
negligence. Period.
God bless those elderly people who died such a suffering death. Inhumane.
22
The administrator was probably not there in the middle of the night, and the few staff who were there probably did not want to get in trouble for "overreacting."
4
Send this to my son.
Why on earth is it not mandatory by law that all nursing homes must have back up generators?
15
Lord Snooty: I thought that all nursing homes DID have generators, and WERE REQUIRED to have generators...Could it be that their generator failed to work? Even so, then you go over to the hospital down the road, or across the street, (very close by, at any rate) and get help! But if staff is ignoring the patients, and not monitoring them, then staff doesn't see that they are failing. Not just one or two of them...but EIGHT of them!
3
Appalling negligence caused this to happen.
Skilled nursing facilities, which this is, are required to have emergency power. Apparently, for whatever reason, the facility was renting a back-up generator. This is unusual as the permanent emergency power source is typically a diesel powered generator which is required to be tested twice a year. The reports are now that while there was power, the AC was not working. The nursing home was instead relying on small portable cooling units. Bottom line is that whatever they were doing clearly wasn't enough to cool the patients. Furthermore the rented generator clearly was not able to provide adequate power to the normal central conditioning system. Something an investigation will determine why not. Worst of all, the staff was for some reason unresponsive to the awareness and need to get patients out of the stifling and deadly environment.
Gross negligence on so many levels. Simply appalling and needless given all the safeguards in place to prevent such tragedies.
8
I see comments about building design, energy sources and the state of Florida are to blame. The building design is probably the cheapest way to make them with the biggest profit, but that's ok because the GOP will change the building codes to be less stringent to create more jobs or better yet make even more money for the owners. The energy sources could be the renewable kind but lets pull the plug and beef up the shale and coal energy which is NOT renewable and are a dead energy source. Another GOP wiener. And least we forget that Florida is made up of retirees many on limited incomes so a nursing home is their only option but let the GOP take away their rights to sue or protect themselves, take away Medicaid/Medicare, food options, allow outrageous prices for meds and the list goes on. Unfortunately the gullible will continue to vote with the party and not on a human level EVER.
11
I would have scrounged up a few air conditioned cars, a bus, anything to let them rest in the worst heat. Don't they have a bus that takes them around to shopping places and stuff? I'd have started to break some windows in the home for the breeze. You just can't wait for someone to say "OK, do it". You gotta just do it.
14
A temperature of 92F is a normal temperature in South Florida and many parts of the world. It done should not have caused the death of anyone, even without air conditioning. Most tropical nations do not have generally available air conditioning to most of the population, and people just don't die because of it.
For 8 people to die and dozens more to be in distress at 92F would require a lot of other failure/causes, like having no ventilation in the rooms with the residents inappropriately dressed. This is clearly a crime, not an accident. And it is ridiculous to attribute these deaths to hurricane Irma.
94
People DO die of heat in tropical climates all the time. You just haven't looked for that data. Also, you underestimate the ability to adapt *over time* to extreme temperatures, which these elderly and frail people didn't have the opportunity to do.
13
A lot of what you say rings true Baron95. But why is it "ridiculous" to attribute these deaths to hurricane Irma? Taking what you say at face value, the nursing home used air conditioning instead of ventilating and keeping the rooms at a reasonable temperature by other means. When the air conditioning failed -- due to Irma -- the rising heat caused these deaths.
5
@Dan88
"A lot of what you say rings true Baron95. But why is it "ridiculous" to attribute these deaths to hurricane Irma?"
Lets say your elderly mother, who needs assistance, lives with you and the weather is hot. Lightning causes you to lose your A/C. For 3 days, you keep your mother's window shut and keep her overdressed. She dies of a heat stroke.
Are you going to tell your family and the police that lightning killed her?
In my experience, though not in Florida, many of the nursing centers, "rehab centers," whatever they choose to call themselves to get max reimbursements, are very thinly staffed at night often using "nurses" from temp agencies, the Philippines, etc. who may not have the best credentials and/or don't want to be seen as troublemakers, so may try to leave "problems" for next shift.
' rehab centers"
4
A heat wave disabled the a/c at a Manhattan rehab facility for the elderly a few summers ago. The administration had failed to provision the facility with emergency generators or even area fans. After several hours trying to summon the fire department and local newspaper reporters, I finally -- and sadly -- took care of just my own mother. A staffer and I rolled her in her hospital bed into an auditorium, the only air conditioned room in the building and stayed there with her overnight till the a/c was repaired. While 50-100 additional beds could have fit into the cool and safe room, other families were reluctant to follow our initiative with varying consequences to their loved ones. Tragically, it still takes the preventable deaths of helpless elderly residents, such as those in Hollywood, Florida, to turn society's attention to the absence of proper regulations and consistent enforcement in care of the frail elderly.
10
I have been a nurse for over 30 years with the same hospice and home care. Our hospice has its own little twelve bed hospital. Let me tell you that unless you had worked in nursing homes for years you would not realize just how good this facility is.
On the other hand, this nursing home (I am from the deep south) is clearly designed, I can see by the pictures, to become an oven. The administrators decided to not place the facility on the list of places that critically needed power. They were required by law to have an evacuation plan, with contracts with transportation companies. They didn't seem tp pay much attention to their residents suffering and dying. And right across the street was a big hospital with open rooms that had never lost power.
It is my hope that those responsible see jail time, the owners and managers for years.
15
I'm astonished at the complaining and outright whining from people who lost property, pets or loved ones as a result of the latest hurricane that hit Florida. They chose to live in an area where everybody knows the hurricane risk is 100 percent. As a Florida property owner whose property insurance premiums are already sky high due to massive coastal property development, I'm disgusted. Hurricanes are going to hit Florida again, so they need to decide whether they want to stay and rebuild or leave for a safer region. Regardless of what they do, property insurance premiums will rise again as a result of the willingness of insurers to continue writing policies to support coastal property development.
8
In the New York area the city and state undertook to rebuild uninsured homes damaged by storm Sandy. In some cases the cost of repairs has far exceeded the pre storm market value of the home. Still,lsome people are complaining work was either not done or not done to their liking, and nobody, as far as I know, has been told they have to buy insurance!
3
In my small Louisiana town one of the local nursing homes evacuated their residents for hurricane Gustav. They evacuated them to a school further inland a few miles away and put them on the floor of the classrooms. First they lined them up in the hallways in wheelchairs, took the mattresses off the beds and hauled those mattresses to the school, placed them on the floor and then packed up the inmates and bused them to the school and put them to bed. (ha ha) My father, who had respiratory difficulties, could not lay flat on the mattress so was up pacing around for the duration. When the storm had passed they again lined up the inmates in their wheelchairs, loaded the mattresses into trucks and returned them to the nursing home, then came back and loaded up the inmates, waiting patiently in their 'comfortable' wheel chairs, into a bus and brought them back "home". It turned out that the evacuation was not necessary. The town only experienced tropical storm winds. The evacuation was ordered by the authorities "out of an abundance of caution".
2
Are you praising the nursing home or criticizing it? It sounds like they were trying to do something to protect the people, even if it wasn't ideal. You can't know whether a hurricane is going to be catastrophic or not until it happens.
8
Actually you can know if a hurricane will be catastrophic by listening to the weather reports and watching the news. The authorities were over reacting because of what happened in Katrina.
My father died because of substandard care in that nursing home and I took my mother out of there and cared for her at home for eight years. It's a horrible place to live.
2
Bet Mar-A-Lago had power and AC the whole time! And, heaven forbid, that it be used as a help center of any sort.
25
But regulation strangles job creators and is always bad!
13
There is no excuse for this. Zero.
14
You don't know the half of it when it comes to nursing homes in the state of Florida.
Hundreds of disabled children are put into nursing homes for the elderly, all because care for them fetches more money than for seniors. It is more expensive to "care" for children in nursing homes than to have care at home, all because the super powerful nursing home lobby. They are warehoused there against the will of their parents who are able and willing to take care of them.
http://america.aljazeera.com/watch/shows/america-tonight/america-tonight...
Hundreds of disabled children are put into nursing homes for the elderly, all because care for them fetches more money than for seniors. It is more expensive to "care" for children in nursing homes than to have care at home, all because the super powerful nursing home lobby. They are warehoused there against the will of their parents who are able and willing to take care of them.
http://america.aljazeera.com/watch/shows/america-tonight/america-tonight...
8
Is Florida an anti regulation state like Texas? Loud and clear example of "sometimes the less you pay, the more it costs".
9
Paul, ask Rick Scott if Florida is "an anti-regulation state." I think Rick Scott never met a regulation that he liked, yet he never met a pay-off, kickback, or bribe that he didn't.
2
The circumstances which occurred during and after Hurricane Irma in all nursing homes and hospitals in Florida needs to be examined with reference to the 45 deaths, including euthanasias, at Memorial Medical Center in New Orleans when that city was flooded in 2005.
The New York Times published a thoughtful article on the aftermath of the euthanasias which is worth reading and understanding today: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/30/magazine/30doctors.html?pagewanted=all...
Any time one's family member is "confined" to a hospital or nursing home because they cannot walk or breathe on their own, there is a risk that the corporation which owns the place, its management and employees will neglect the patient/resident.
When you as an able-bodied person agree to let such a facility house your loved one, you have to understand that your loved one will be just one of a number of incapacitated people and they will not be treated by the corporation and its agents as "special".
It doesn't matter whether that corporation is for-profit or non-profit, the economics of running the place are the same: The highest level management employees try to maximize net income after operating expenses so that those management employees' paychecks and bonuses can be maximized.
The person who euthanized the hospital patients in New Orleans was absolved by a court and emboldened to sell the righteousness of her acts, lobbying for non-liability for institutions in situations like Hurricane Irma.
The New York Times published a thoughtful article on the aftermath of the euthanasias which is worth reading and understanding today: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/30/magazine/30doctors.html?pagewanted=all...
Any time one's family member is "confined" to a hospital or nursing home because they cannot walk or breathe on their own, there is a risk that the corporation which owns the place, its management and employees will neglect the patient/resident.
When you as an able-bodied person agree to let such a facility house your loved one, you have to understand that your loved one will be just one of a number of incapacitated people and they will not be treated by the corporation and its agents as "special".
It doesn't matter whether that corporation is for-profit or non-profit, the economics of running the place are the same: The highest level management employees try to maximize net income after operating expenses so that those management employees' paychecks and bonuses can be maximized.
The person who euthanized the hospital patients in New Orleans was absolved by a court and emboldened to sell the righteousness of her acts, lobbying for non-liability for institutions in situations like Hurricane Irma.
6
Who are the owners of this facility? I didn't see that printed, and it should be.
14
I know there was hurricane damage in Hollywood Florida but the picture doesn't show as much. Is that really typical of how things look there?
It is so sad that those with the weakest voices are in the most dire need after disasters like this.
It is so sad that those with the weakest voices are in the most dire need after disasters like this.
3
The "old" elderly are completely invisible. Pushed out of sight into that famous Closet. Soon enough there will be 10s of millions of them. Will anyone speak for them?
11
Was the problem that there was no ac or was it that the windows cannot be opened?
4
I don't know. Check it out.
It will be interesting, to say the least, to see what damage global warming will bring. In this case it's an electricity outage because of a hurricane, but I wonder, what happens when the temperatures in Phoenix and Los Angeles rise above 130? Will there be brown-outs and black-outs as air-conditioning systems strain to keep us cool? We face unprecedented (but not unexpected) challenges in the years to come as electric grids are over-taxed by prolonged heat waves or destroyed in unprecedented storms. It is clear now that many of us will simply die in the suffocating heat.
11
That was a great comment.
This dreadful event brings up not only compassion for what might have been an painful death for these eight once vibrant full of life humans but also a deep seated fear of being of advanced age, infirm, institutionalized, and completely dependent on someone else for your very welfare and life, like once again being an infant. If given a choice, I believe I would choose the alternative.
12
I'm 74 and dependent on the alternative.
The quality of life in the U.S. fares quite poorly when compared to many other countries. It's time to drop the mythology about this place: it ain't so great here.
21
The website for this nursing home boasts that there is a hospital directly across the street.
Even then it was too far. I find it unfathomable that if the first victim came in at 3:00am, that it took an hour to find a second, and another hour to search for more.
How did no one identify the life-threatening conditions sooner?
17
Hospitals don't staff squads to go check out the conditions in other facilities, regardless of what you might have seen on "House MD" and similar shows. Having a nursing home resident show up in an ED at any time of day or night is not exactly out of the ordinary, and I guarantee no hospital would think to investigate a nursing home for just one admission. When the second and third showed up in a *short* timespan of a few hours, then they realized something might be globally wrong. For those of us who actually work in acute care hospitals, this timeline is completely fathomable.
8
I'm sure the GOP is finding ways to protect the nursing homes from lawsuits. Business first and people will die. Unfortuantely, in GOP states like Florida, these deaths will go unpunished. The harbingers of death will get a slap on the wrist for the cameras.
9
I thought all the nonsense about how well Florida officials were handling the hurricane aftermath was just that: nonsense. Here's the confirmation.
9
This is so sad. As an RN and Fl resident I can tell you all is not goin well here. From the bizarre forecasting to the inept response. Shelters without generators losing power during the storm. Can you imagine that scene. Then six people die in a nursing home across the street from a functioning hospital. Did anyone think about going over there and asking for help. My guess is the dead weren't discovered until shift change. Some excellent nurses working there. People posting on Facebook how proud they are of the power companies! Floridians, put down your guns, pick up a textbook and learn something.
23
I live here, the nursing home had power, it is right next door to Memorial Hospital. The home reported to the state yesterday that they had power. The home claims the hurricane knocked out the transformer that regulated the power to the A/C.
7
Another example of lack of empathy for seniors. Iowa is a good example of that. The budget for nursing home inspections has now been cut so no inspections will take place. Iowa put sex offenders in nursing homes and of course, elderly women got raped. Where is the compassion?
13
You can tell alot about a country's priorities by how they treat their elderly. And the circle of finger-pointing between government and the nursing home operators is also disgusting.
7
The Chinese have long been mortified that we treat our pets better than our elderly.
6
welcome to your retirement america. if you are old all that matters is this: do you have enough money for us to keep you barely alive?
I'll take myself out before I let these monsters take of me.
I'll take myself out before I let these monsters take of me.
23
Fortunately, I have enough income to keep me going.
I have enough money and stay alive in a very good nursing facility.
They were dead when their families placed them there.
5
No, they were old or disabled. Being dead is quite different.
2
What do you suggest their families should have done?
2
This is a crime. Prayers to those who are hanging on to dear life!
6
Reporters were too busy standing in strong winds to get the rating to actually do any reporting. Just like they forgot about the United States Virgin Islands they also forgot the old and the sick.When was the last time anybody reported about the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey? I find it appalling that after all the back slapping everybody was doing about what a great job all the crisis managers were doing that they forgot about the people in the nursing homes.I guess it's more exciting watching waves hitting a bulkhead than thinking about people who can't care for themselves.Someone needs to tell the media that the United States Virgin Islands is a part of America too.
12
Healthcare in Florida is the worst. The absolute pits.
Especially for the elderly - they are viewed as Medicare ATMs, and that's about it.
Especially for the elderly - they are viewed as Medicare ATMs, and that's about it.
5
So, if a terrorist came in and shot these people, the state of Florida would already have the guy on death row. Yet, everyone along the chain here is going to claim it was someone else's mistake. Appalling.
13
Why wasn't Mar-a-Fraudo opened as a shelter, specifically for the vulnerable elderly?? Didn't Trump say he had a " big heart" ???
What happened, Donald? Or am I being " Insensitive " ???
What happened, Donald? Or am I being " Insensitive " ???
18
See this documentary (LEFTOVERS)! http://www.imdb.com/title/tt4718164/?ref_=nv_sr_2
What a hideous way to die.
I suspect that the building had no opening windows -- otherwise the sweltering staff would have opened them. Likewise, nobody must have given permission for the doors to be propped open. Finally, this facility wasn't shortlisted for top-tier status in either evacuation or power reconnection. From the architect to the county to the owner, nobody imagined what a hell would be created by a sealed and airproof building. Tropical climate building codes must change.
I suspect that the building had no opening windows -- otherwise the sweltering staff would have opened them. Likewise, nobody must have given permission for the doors to be propped open. Finally, this facility wasn't shortlisted for top-tier status in either evacuation or power reconnection. From the architect to the county to the owner, nobody imagined what a hell would be created by a sealed and airproof building. Tropical climate building codes must change.
6
What amazes me is that Eli Pinia left her 96-yr-old mother in the nursing home, overnight, when she knew the environment was unbearably hot. She reportedly was "relieved" the next morning, to learn that her mother was not among the dead, then blamed the nursing home for not evacuating the residents.
I don't get it: How could you leave your elderly mother in those deadly conditions, when you were close enough to drive to check up on and visit her?
I don't get it: How could you leave your elderly mother in those deadly conditions, when you were close enough to drive to check up on and visit her?
31
Because she trusted the people in charge. She was under the impression that it was being taken care of.
What I don't get is why was SHE the one dealing with the power company.
It sounds like the nursing home administrators are liable here.
What I don't get is why was SHE the one dealing with the power company.
It sounds like the nursing home administrators are liable here.
12
Perhaps her mother is not ambulatory and incontinent, etc. I know I would not be able to take my 90 year old father out without assistance.
8
Perhaps the mother was bed bound and the daughter unable to move her. You don't know the circumstances, so don't blame the family.
8
I am 1,000% supportive of designing and building
all structure making use of existing environment, such as
windows that open to bring in cross breezes, and
the least window possible on the south facing wall,
to reduce heating up the facilities, etc.!!!
all structure making use of existing environment, such as
windows that open to bring in cross breezes, and
the least window possible on the south facing wall,
to reduce heating up the facilities, etc.!!!
6
Are you kidding? moving those seniors would have cost the facility MONEY!!!! The manager would have had to explain this "unnecessary expense" to the facility's owners.....and no raise or bonus for you! Yes indeed, let the market dominate the vital national security issue called HEALTH CARE.
24
I had read about this in the Miami Herald newspaper. Thank you NY Times for putting this on the front page. People need to know the truth about what is going on. Much bad news gets censored.
20
To express it crudely but succinctly, (not that I believe this): They are going to die anyway, why bother?
That's what the devil in people is really saying, but not openly. There are a lot of people trying to blame this mentality on mean, cruel, money grubbing, capitalist Republicans but the hundreds of elderly that died in Katrina were residents of a Democratic state with a Democrat mayor of New Orleans and a Democratic governor. American culture simply does not value or have patience for the elderly. The Liberals are especially bad about this with their insistence on the "right" to die. They just assume everyone want to die when they get old or infirm. How many Americans criticize the Catholic Church for their refusal to sanction assisted suicide or euthanasia?
Here's a challenge for the editors of the NYT. Find out how many nursing homes are run by the Catholic Church in Florida and see how many of them made sure there was backup power to care for their residents. I don't know but I expect they will have a better record.
That's what the devil in people is really saying, but not openly. There are a lot of people trying to blame this mentality on mean, cruel, money grubbing, capitalist Republicans but the hundreds of elderly that died in Katrina were residents of a Democratic state with a Democrat mayor of New Orleans and a Democratic governor. American culture simply does not value or have patience for the elderly. The Liberals are especially bad about this with their insistence on the "right" to die. They just assume everyone want to die when they get old or infirm. How many Americans criticize the Catholic Church for their refusal to sanction assisted suicide or euthanasia?
Here's a challenge for the editors of the NYT. Find out how many nursing homes are run by the Catholic Church in Florida and see how many of them made sure there was backup power to care for their residents. I don't know but I expect they will have a better record.
3
From their website:
In case of an emergency, The Rehabilitation Center at Hollywood Hills is located directly across the street from Hollywood’s Memorial Regional Hospital, ensuring that our patients receive the finest health care at all hours of the day and night.
http://hollywoodhillsrehab.com/long_term_care.shtml
SMDH.
In case of an emergency, The Rehabilitation Center at Hollywood Hills is located directly across the street from Hollywood’s Memorial Regional Hospital, ensuring that our patients receive the finest health care at all hours of the day and night.
http://hollywoodhillsrehab.com/long_term_care.shtml
SMDH.
17
They had power. Just no AC. Why didn't they just upen windows, use fans, and cool the patients with sponge baths? Humans can live without AC.
7
The windows are probably sealed and they didn't have that many fans or that many staff to care for all of those people.
1
I am sickened by this situation but would like to address the comments I've read on the NYT website related to Hurricane Irma coverage. What is going on, NYT? The level of viciousness in the comments of this and other articles has hit a low of the most unmoderated sites on the web, minus the profanity. Is this what your robot moderator is allowing or are people in general taking out all their anxiety and frustration and anger on the rest of us? People are suffering and dying and what I'm reading in the comments (which I used to enjoy and learn from) is appalling.
13
Hi Mindy: I agree that the many comments are disturbing in their lack of humanity. A weird mixture of smugness (imagined superiority) and desire for vengeance (against whom?)...
Right? And Mindy White: Some people are cruel, arrogant, vicious, and stupid:
Some person actually wrote in the comments section of this article, that it is good that those eight elderly people died because now the taxpayers won't have to take care of them!!!!! Unless you are impoverished and on Medicaid, nursing homes are private pay! Also, it is HORRIFIC, TRAGIC, and APPALLING that these poor people suffered and perished like this, and if I had a choice I would want my taxes to go for taking care of the elderly, and not for giving tax cuts to the rich, and not for making wars, and not for paying for the health care of people like mitch mcconnell, paul ryan, and donald trump and their families, nor for funding their fat government pensions.
Some person actually wrote in the comments section of this article, that it is good that those eight elderly people died because now the taxpayers won't have to take care of them!!!!! Unless you are impoverished and on Medicaid, nursing homes are private pay! Also, it is HORRIFIC, TRAGIC, and APPALLING that these poor people suffered and perished like this, and if I had a choice I would want my taxes to go for taking care of the elderly, and not for giving tax cuts to the rich, and not for making wars, and not for paying for the health care of people like mitch mcconnell, paul ryan, and donald trump and their families, nor for funding their fat government pensions.
4
Places like Florida subject to ever increasing weather events need to invest in a hurricane-proof primary grid (to the 10KV tier) with elevated substations, smart sensors controlling smart switches, underground armoured cable and pad-mounted transformers.
The electricity grid mainly dates back to the days of Thomas Edison. Wires hanging in the air, subject to storms. Pole mounted transformers that leak oil and are inefficient. All this needs to change. We don't, for instance, use traffic lights in Mexico that hang from wires across the street, swinging violently in the wind. In England, mains electricity runs under the street in armoured cables, giving not only an uncluttered streetscape but also far, far more secure against tempests and accidents.
The electricity grid mainly dates back to the days of Thomas Edison. Wires hanging in the air, subject to storms. Pole mounted transformers that leak oil and are inefficient. All this needs to change. We don't, for instance, use traffic lights in Mexico that hang from wires across the street, swinging violently in the wind. In England, mains electricity runs under the street in armoured cables, giving not only an uncluttered streetscape but also far, far more secure against tempests and accidents.
26
I would point out that we do not know the causes of death for these unfortunate individuals. Why 6 people dead from this nursing home, and not from other facilities in similar straits? The causes could very well go beyond "heat-related illness."
We should also keep in mind that in most publicly discussed stories that contain medical information, patient privacy laws prevent relevant facts from being released. This is as it should be, but relegates public discourse on these topics to the realm of speculation.
We should also keep in mind that in most publicly discussed stories that contain medical information, patient privacy laws prevent relevant facts from being released. This is as it should be, but relegates public discourse on these topics to the realm of speculation.
4
The death toll is 8, not 6, or just over 5% of the patients in that facility.
It is not idle speculation to say that something was very, very wrong with the administration of that facility.
It is not idle speculation to say that something was very, very wrong with the administration of that facility.
4
Nursing home residents are mostly funded by government provided Medicaid. If the federal government didn't care for elders, families' would. And they would do a better job than the government. The government absolves families from caring for their own.
4
You've got it backwards. Medicaid exists because there are elders who can't afford to take care of themselves and whose families can't afford to take care of them -- if they even have families. Not everyone does.
8
Nothing stops families from caring for or about their parents or other elderly relatives. It is that the government helps them pay for it.
3
Raindrop: The government does NOT help families to take care of their elderly parents or other elderly relatives! Poor people can get Medicaid, but other than impoverished people, the government does not give much at all towards long term care for the elderly or the sick. You need to use your own assets. Medicare does not pay for long term care in nursing homes, or in private residences, like your home, or your child's home. YOU DO.
2
Another care facility in Coral Gables-- "Cape " Coral Shores" for dementia residents went without electricity for 3 days(according to reports) while businesses around the area had power restored. According to The Washington Post:
" Patients gathered in a small day room to catch a slight breeze from screened windows. A handful of small fans powered by a borrowed generator were all that kept the situation from devolving into a medical emergency, said Dan Nelson, Cape Coral Shores’ chief operating officer."
The apparent lack of preparation and registering of facilities in Florida is unconscionable.
" Patients gathered in a small day room to catch a slight breeze from screened windows. A handful of small fans powered by a borrowed generator were all that kept the situation from devolving into a medical emergency, said Dan Nelson, Cape Coral Shores’ chief operating officer."
The apparent lack of preparation and registering of facilities in Florida is unconscionable.
16
We all saw the photo of ALF residents waist deep in water, waiting helplessly to be evacuated. In an interview in the Naples News,the Collier County Sheriff admitted to a lack of shelter space. A small group of elderly persons from an assisted living facility in Port Charlotte were initially dumped in a former K-Mart that lacked operating A/D. A man in Palm Harbor tried two or three shelters but couldn't find one that would take his dog, so he returned to his low-lying trailer park near the Gulf. Elsewhere, volunteer shelter workers did not turn out. And there were plenty of stories of filled shelters.
As TX has demonstrated previously, the perils of evacuation for the elderly are real and may justify an individual or his caregiver riding out the storm in the facility, if it is safe, or a nearby shelter. What has Florida required of its local governments in terms of providing adequate shelters and ensuring that all nursing homes, rehab centers, assisted living centers, and other living facilities for persons with disabilities have preregistered with their power company to assure prioritized repairs after a storm?
Let's accept the fact that long-distance evacuation for many, if not all, vulnerable populations is not feasible. Let's get real about giving them a safe, well-staffed, well-stocked, climate-controlled place to go. Maybe next storm, we can watch some well-appointed specialized shelters receiving their first wave of evacuees with faces of joy, not fear
As TX has demonstrated previously, the perils of evacuation for the elderly are real and may justify an individual or his caregiver riding out the storm in the facility, if it is safe, or a nearby shelter. What has Florida required of its local governments in terms of providing adequate shelters and ensuring that all nursing homes, rehab centers, assisted living centers, and other living facilities for persons with disabilities have preregistered with their power company to assure prioritized repairs after a storm?
Let's accept the fact that long-distance evacuation for many, if not all, vulnerable populations is not feasible. Let's get real about giving them a safe, well-staffed, well-stocked, climate-controlled place to go. Maybe next storm, we can watch some well-appointed specialized shelters receiving their first wave of evacuees with faces of joy, not fear
12
And, all these shelters should be obligated to take pets. People can bring litter boxes, litter, wee-wee pads, whatever it takes...and there can be separate areas set aside for that. Even in airport terminals there are places for pets that travel with their owners to relieve themselves. Leaving your pets behind, or having to remain in danger along with them is insane. It is stupid, cruel, vicious, thoughtless, and moronic. They are living beings that are part of your family. In some cases, they are the only family or loved ones that people have. Some crazy, bad family (the adults) in Palm Beach County, packed themselves up, and left their home, but tied their dogs up in the backyard. Thank God the neighbors saw this, and called the authorities, who came and removed the dogs to safety. When the cruel, irresponsible imbeciles who did this to the dogs are found, we hope that they will suffer appropriate consequences. I cannot imagine doing anything so sadistic.
1
Get used to this. Florida will be a bellwether in such deaths because its electrical grid is a catastrophe. Privatization has jacked up rates, cut down on service, and left the aging infrastructure to disintegrate and pollute the state. During heatwaves and natural disasters, the strain on decrepit equipment is going to result in massive blackouts of long duration.
This is a slow-moving threat to life that the entire South and Midwest is facing - much higher temperatures. The wet-bulb temperatures in the Southeast are going to be especially deadly. Humans of all ages will be unable to live and work in these regions with air conditioning. The elderly, ill and the very young will be struck down first. These states pride themselves on their low taxes and rejection of the Federal government. But if their governments do not begin to modernize their consolidated electrical grid, they are condemning their citizens to unnecessary deaths. Citizens' groups should file suits now in order to compel their governments to protect their residents' future welfare.
This is a slow-moving threat to life that the entire South and Midwest is facing - much higher temperatures. The wet-bulb temperatures in the Southeast are going to be especially deadly. Humans of all ages will be unable to live and work in these regions with air conditioning. The elderly, ill and the very young will be struck down first. These states pride themselves on their low taxes and rejection of the Federal government. But if their governments do not begin to modernize their consolidated electrical grid, they are condemning their citizens to unnecessary deaths. Citizens' groups should file suits now in order to compel their governments to protect their residents' future welfare.
21
Can we please be less quick to blame and instead become curious and look at the WHOLE situation. There was a hurricane. The power went out. Some vulnerable people died. It is very sad, yes. But consider that maybe the people working in the nursing home are overworked and underpaid. Consider that they had probably worked around the clock for more than 36 hours at a job that is difficult, demoralizing and that society doesn't really value (despite all the outrage that comes out of the woodwork when things go wrong.) Consider that they may have been exhausted. And most of all, if you want to go to a place of outrage, consider that even without a hurricane there are problems in this society with how we value and treat people who are old and have disabilities. Get outraged about that. Write your notes and letters to the newspapers about that. But don't wait for something to go wrong, and then start pointing your own oh-so-innocent fingers.
22
Air conditioning. People have died for lack of AIR CONDITIONING? I am very sorry for their family and friends but where do we go from here? We have come so far from who and what we were and we don't even remember.
2
Have you ever cared for elderly people who are ill enough to qualify for nursing homes? Do you have *any* idea how frail they are and how little they can tolerate a change from the norm? What you and I would shake off like nothing absolutely can and will kill them. I'm appalled that you're actually blaming these sick old people for dying on us like they were too weak for your standards.
8
You misunderstand my point or I fall to make it clear. We have had access to chilled air for how long now as a society, 50 years? What happened before? Massive die-offs? No, we built differently, and we stayed with family. Yes, where do we go from here?
2
I wonder if this would have happened if Nursing Homes were required to have back up generators that could have, at least, powered some portable AC units. But I forgot, Red States hate job-killing regulations.
17
I say get 'em. Throw the book at 'em.
Especially, get the greedy owners of these facilities in front of a judge and jury (or two or more) and let them explain why they do not choose to afford health and safety protocols focusing on protecting patients in hospitals and nursing homes to get them to safety during disasters and power outages. It should be a mandatory requirement that is enforced by "pop-audits" especially in hurricane and tropical storm prone areas.
I don't care if these people were going to "pass away anyway" - that dog won't hunt... what if it was you or your loved one? If you are lucky one day, you may get that old. That's a callous attitude that facilitates the notion that warehousing people and treating them without a high degree of care is okay - it's NOT okay under any circumstances.
It is torture to any living thing to die in heat and humidity - the physical pain leading up to death is horrendous. Look it up. Especially, this is cruel knowing that a person may not be able to help themselves. NOT okay at all, EVER.
Corporate greed shows its ugly underbelly during these disasters - anything from over development of arable land, to decision making where "loss of money factors" win over "human cost factors".
I hope that these recent examples urge the courts to take the lead on stopping this horrible trend in corporate profit making in the medical industry.
Especially, get the greedy owners of these facilities in front of a judge and jury (or two or more) and let them explain why they do not choose to afford health and safety protocols focusing on protecting patients in hospitals and nursing homes to get them to safety during disasters and power outages. It should be a mandatory requirement that is enforced by "pop-audits" especially in hurricane and tropical storm prone areas.
I don't care if these people were going to "pass away anyway" - that dog won't hunt... what if it was you or your loved one? If you are lucky one day, you may get that old. That's a callous attitude that facilitates the notion that warehousing people and treating them without a high degree of care is okay - it's NOT okay under any circumstances.
It is torture to any living thing to die in heat and humidity - the physical pain leading up to death is horrendous. Look it up. Especially, this is cruel knowing that a person may not be able to help themselves. NOT okay at all, EVER.
Corporate greed shows its ugly underbelly during these disasters - anything from over development of arable land, to decision making where "loss of money factors" win over "human cost factors".
I hope that these recent examples urge the courts to take the lead on stopping this horrible trend in corporate profit making in the medical industry.
19
One day it will be me - and it has been my loved ones in a nursing home. That doesn't change the facts - we all die, and pretending like that must be resisted at ANY cost is just wrong and callous to those who could be saved from death and pain and poverty for so much less investment than we make in saving a few days for a dying person.
Yes, this should be checked - if the nursing home had a reasonable option, then yes, it's a problem.
Yes, this should be checked - if the nursing home had a reasonable option, then yes, it's a problem.
3
Like hospitals, it should be mandatory, when the power goes off generators kick in. Not too complicated.
14
Florida does not allow nursing homes to be sued. The documents you sign when you enter a nursing home call for 3rd party adjudication in lieu of a lawsuit in cases of negligence.
29
Like just about EVERY corporate entity today.
4
Unless a criminal act is involved such as criminal negligence.
2
Only happens if there is an investigation that is not swept under the rug.
In the big picture, does it make sense to warehouse elderly in a climate where A/C is required for life and hurricanes occur every year
10
People get to choose where they live in the US.
3
Just the shock of being moved further than a toilet can be a cause of death with many very elderly. Many of those demanding charges without this understanding and further facts are wrong. How many of you have been a 24/7 caregiver for an extremely frail elderly person? I have for 4 years.
10
Big fans plus open windows make things remarkably comfortable. I was in west Africa in March ( their hottest month .... daily temps 110F) and that combo made things comfortable. Why was that not offered in this nursing facility .... since they apparently had electricity?
10
You don't know if it wasn't. Or if the fans were available. Or if they had limited power and needed the power to go to respirators and more vital equipment. Nor do we have an accurate temperature reading, just a person who was outraged giving their "feeling" for what the temp was.
2
Human being lived for 5,000 years before the invention of air conditioning. The issue is not the failure of an air conditioning system but rather common sense when designing and building.
8
And a lack of common sense among the staff.
"There was no air conditioning," Katz said. "The temperatures, particularly on the second floor, were extremely hot … there were a number of patients who looked like they were in distress."
Why weren't they moved to a lower floor? Or, if that wasn't possible, how about breaking some windows and establishing some cross ventilation?
"There was no air conditioning," Katz said. "The temperatures, particularly on the second floor, were extremely hot … there were a number of patients who looked like they were in distress."
Why weren't they moved to a lower floor? Or, if that wasn't possible, how about breaking some windows and establishing some cross ventilation?
5
Most people did not live into their 80s and 90s 5000 years ago.
4
You've lost your collective mind. It takes time for people to acclimate to the heat and when you are 90 years old, it is even harder. Hoping your aircon stays on when you are 90...
8
It costs it costs tens of thousand of dollars each month to begin a nursing home. What is that money used for? How much money lined the owner's pocket instead of having reliable generators at the ready? This is an unconscionable story.
16
My heart goes out to the victims' families and I sincerely hope that karma catches up with Rick Scott sooner rather than later.
As for myself, when my time comes, I just pray that it's quick. Being hit by a bus seems infinitely preferable to languishing in a place like this.
As for myself, when my time comes, I just pray that it's quick. Being hit by a bus seems infinitely preferable to languishing in a place like this.
15
It is beyond comprehension, how any corporation operating a senior facility, thought they didn't have to invest in generators, that switched on, when power went out. Prey tell how did they expect to keep food staples eatable.
6
“I am going to aggressively demand answers on how this tragic event took place,” the governor said in the statement. “Although the details of these reported deaths are still under investigation, this situation is unfathomable. Every facility that is charged with caring for patients must take every action and precaution to keep their patients safe – especially patients that are in poor health.”
The finger-pointing is a politically deft move, Governor Rick Scott, but do you know who also is charged with caring for its elderly population and keeping them safe? You and the state of Florida. It's not like you didn't know you have a large elderly and nursing home population and what the impact of a major hurricane can do to the infrastructure.
The finger-pointing is a politically deft move, Governor Rick Scott, but do you know who also is charged with caring for its elderly population and keeping them safe? You and the state of Florida. It's not like you didn't know you have a large elderly and nursing home population and what the impact of a major hurricane can do to the infrastructure.
240
This governor Scott ran a large health care corporation that focused only on its profits. He was a bad choice for political office and now we see why.
The buck stops at anyone else's desk.
(P.S. He is a good friend of Trump.)
The buck stops at anyone else's desk.
(P.S. He is a good friend of Trump.)
7
Good point. This nursing home was rated substandard in inspections yet Florida did not require any corrective action. Having worked at two nursing homes in the 1980's, I would be surprised if money did not change hands.
4
Was this facility in a location prone to flooding, or in a known flood zone? If yes, why is that allowed, aside from the loss of power? Why did the residents have to wait for a federal law to take effect before air condition was required? I am so, so sad for these poor people and their families. If we had sensible regulation of development in coastal areas, and sensible requirements for facilities and industries that serve vulnerable populations, this might not have happened. Most of Florida should never have been developed for residential use, but developers' greed won out over ecology and safety. And the developers left these communities, with their profits, long ago. Nursing homes should not be profit centers.
13
Sounds like rebuilding efforts should focus on adding solar power, especially in an area of the country this vulnerable to weather "events." The likelihood is high that this was not a 'once in a lifetime' storm; why put yourself through this again without using the one consistently renewable energy source there is? This is true for everyone else in the world, of course, and with China and Saudi Arabia increasing their commitment to solar, we will continue to lag behind.
14
Thinking about this, caring for people at their most vulnerable should not be a for-profit industry.
Looking at these facilities, I cringe when I hear that one had new owners. Knowing how leveraged buy-outs have decreased services and increased costs in every business that I've known of, the idea of trying to get a profit on the care of people like this is appalling.
When we see the result of the free market on nursing homes causing distress and death it is time to put a stop to it.
Looking at these facilities, I cringe when I hear that one had new owners. Knowing how leveraged buy-outs have decreased services and increased costs in every business that I've known of, the idea of trying to get a profit on the care of people like this is appalling.
When we see the result of the free market on nursing homes causing distress and death it is time to put a stop to it.
15
Backup generators, perhaps we would be a good investment for the future. Hospitals are required to have them and LCFs should be required, also.
12
I live in South Florida and better building designs won't be of much help. Don't pay so much attention to the temperature but the humidity. An open window doesn't help at all. I noticed that on FEMA's website for hurricane preparation nowhere does it mention a battery operated fan. They mention a can opener and a flashlight. I just spent a few days without electricity and I can tell you we were in a dark room with the shutters up and you can not open a window during a storm and that little battery operated fan was a life saver for me. My heart is broken for lost loved ones. I don't know if the little fans would have helped but I hope they become part of everyone's hurricane supplies. My condolences to the families on their terrible loss.
174
I'm not sure you grasp what people are talking about here. When you have a completely closed building with people in it, not to mention applicances and other electronic equipment running -- all of which give off heat of their own -- the temperature inside the building can rise well beyond what it is outside. You're right that 'an' open window won't be of much help. But a number of open windows that provide cross-ventilation can at least prevent the indoor temperature from rising too much higher than the outside temperature. Will it still be hot and humid? Absolutely. But not so much that it will cause people to die.
1
You make a good point, backed by actual experience. But, the shutters need be closed only during the storm. These people died well after the storm, when open windows would have been realistic and helpful.
Air conditioning was not widely available before the mid-twentieth century, yet people survived the Florida heat and humidity. The culprit in these deaths was heat and humidity compounded by indifference.
Air conditioning was not widely available before the mid-twentieth century, yet people survived the Florida heat and humidity. The culprit in these deaths was heat and humidity compounded by indifference.
My father spent his last years in a Florida nursing home that regularly tried to overcharge my mother for unwanted and unneeded services or products (such as a special mattress to prevent bed sores which the facility tried to rent to him for several hundred dollars a day, though it retailed for about $200). Florida regulators were uninterested in that and similar scams, as were local newspapers. Happily, my mother could visit every day, and the workers, low-paid and not much appreciated, did their best. This awful abrogation of responsibility in Hollywood will likely be blamed on a hapless staff member and forgotten by regulators and Gov. Direct-Deposit Scott with the assurance of even bigger campaign contributions.
20
Why are there no conservative Republicans rushing to the defense of the private sector? After all, the Constitution does not mention the right to air conditioning.
12
While tens of thousands of Floridians, especially the highly vulnerable elderly. needlessly suffer and increasingly die in the sweltering heat and humidity from the aftermath of a horrendous hurricane, a very comfortable, spacious and air-conditioned estate along Florida's eastern seacoast known as Mar-a-Lago sits mostly empty Why can't the government force the owner to accommodate many of them as a life-saving measure? Because the sanctity of private property trumps the sanctity of life?
21
Unlike Katrina, not a surprize.
The Nursing Home like everyone else was given reasonable time to evacuate.
But how many facilities are there available to temporarly house these people along I.95?
The Nursing Home like everyone else was given reasonable time to evacuate.
But how many facilities are there available to temporarly house these people along I.95?
2
P2. Tri-state. If the next ice storm comes your way solar panels are not going to help you and may your home be the last hydro engineers (from any country) fix.
1
Help me to understand: there was at the very least one able-bodied staff member on duty at this snake pit, right?
With elderly and vulnerable patients clearly in distress from the heat and no working air conditioner, why did that person - or those people - not put out a cry for assistance?
This "incident" is shaping up as a homicide. Let's give benefit of the doubt: it wasn't, maybe, willful, but it is neglect that caused deaths.
Now, whom do you suppose will be charged? Low-level attendants, or managers and corporate policy-makers?
Our society, fueled by toxic capitalism, has become ruthless, depraved to a point way, way beyond irony, beyond the most savage satire, beyond humanity.
With elderly and vulnerable patients clearly in distress from the heat and no working air conditioner, why did that person - or those people - not put out a cry for assistance?
This "incident" is shaping up as a homicide. Let's give benefit of the doubt: it wasn't, maybe, willful, but it is neglect that caused deaths.
Now, whom do you suppose will be charged? Low-level attendants, or managers and corporate policy-makers?
Our society, fueled by toxic capitalism, has become ruthless, depraved to a point way, way beyond irony, beyond the most savage satire, beyond humanity.
60
OK, I will help you to understand. Read the story. They called the mayor's office, they called the power company and they called the governor. They "put out a cry for assistance," as did every other facility without power in the area. It is the power companies and first responders who do not treat hospitals and nursing homes as priorities. They are busier with the young people. Go ahead and point the finger at our society, but not the caring people who choose to spend their thankless careers taking care of frail elderly.
9
The owner of this facility has been charged and convicted of fraud in the past.
3
Sure. And those official offices are culpable as well. Nonetheless, old people were in extreme distress, and the hospital was across the street. Apparently, genuine 'caring' is a rare quality in our official and social cultures.
2
It's worth keeping in mind that the Trump administration recently moved to gut an Obama administration initiative to forbid the use of mandatory arbitration clauses in nursing home agreements:
http://www.npr.org/2017/08/21/544973339/trump-rule-could-make-it-harder-...
Because obviously the most important liberty in a situation like this is the liberty of you and your family to be kept out of the courts if you're left to die in an incompetent nursing home.
http://www.npr.org/2017/08/21/544973339/trump-rule-could-make-it-harder-...
Because obviously the most important liberty in a situation like this is the liberty of you and your family to be kept out of the courts if you're left to die in an incompetent nursing home.
63
Most nursing homes can barely manage care with low pay and high turnover among staff, inadequate medicaid reimbursement rates and more. I would expect more of this to come given what Irma has done to Florida.
Some of the comments here are ignorant at best.
Some of the comments here are ignorant at best.
23
It costs tens of thousand of dollars to be in a nursing home. The profit margin is great or this would not be a burgeoning industry. Better pay for workers and backup generators should be a priority at this point in every nursing home in the U.S.
11
If you run a business that you cannot manage, you should not be in that business. The time to determine that you cannot manage a business is not after your incompetence kills six people. Too bad for the poor owners of the nursing home -- they'll have to pay millions for their incompetence, which will hardly compensate for the loss of life. They agreed to take care of somebody's mother or father for an agreed-up price.
4
RB - it's a nursing home, not a cake shop. Reimbursements for these facilities are often tied to what the government feels like paying (via Medicaid, mostly), and they don't feel like paying much. We could make nursing homes much better than they are if we had the political will to do so.
Monster lawsuits are forthcoming.
8
I know someone who owns a nursing home in FL and was fighting with FPL to get the electricity back on. They blew them off before this news broke but know they are calling and checking on them.
12
The owners of the nursing home should be charged with manslaughter.
And since the State of Florida under Rick "Donald Trump" Scott won't do this, the owners should faced federal civil right charges.
But this won't happen either...because "It's a Trump, Trump, Trump, Trump World."
Instead, these people were and will be treated like garbage by state and federal authorities.
And since the State of Florida under Rick "Donald Trump" Scott won't do this, the owners should faced federal civil right charges.
But this won't happen either...because "It's a Trump, Trump, Trump, Trump World."
Instead, these people were and will be treated like garbage by state and federal authorities.
18
Hose them down with cold water if necessary. There is no such thing as an air conditioning-dependent patient.
7
If the building is hot from baking in the sun, the water in the building will be hot, too -- if there is enough water pressure to get a faucet to run. Water pressure in a flat place like Florida depends on pumps. With widespread power outages, water stops flowing through the system wherever backup generators are inadequate or fail due to rising water, which is what led to the generator failures in the Fukushima nuclear disaster. With proper foresight and regulations, these disasters can usually be prevented. Governor Scott has chosen to rid his state of the costly burden of protecting people from foreseeable disasters however. If there is any justice, Scott will be among those in hot water for this deadly debacle -- not that it will help those who are suffering and dying today.
5
Exactly. Or break some windows to get some ventilation.
1
Really? All of the residents being hosed down 12 hours a day simultaneously? And maybe someone should have told the dead residents that they don't need air conditioning, you know.. Before they died of heat related fatalities.
3
With a with a fully operational Hospital across the street, with beds on wheels, and ample employees to push, surely there was opportunity to transfer residents, even if only to hallways. did they seek aid? Were they refused? Has the reporter inquired?
49
You can bet that the police will inquire.
2
Why weren't there any (propane) generators for back-up like we have in CT?
14
Where are the emergency generators?
18
I worked in Hollywood for a few months. Nothing to write home about, that's for sure.
3
How hard is it? Portable generators, portable AC units. Duh.
7
This nursing home is located ACROSS THE STREET from Hollywood Memorial Hospital, which apparently did not lose power during the storm.
At the least, this was a heinous act of criminal negligence.
Way to go, South Florida. Way to go.
At the least, this was a heinous act of criminal negligence.
Way to go, South Florida. Way to go.
33
Dear President Trump: It's time to take another bow for the terrific job being done. Maybe you need to take another trip to see how well our older generation is doing. After reading this I became sick to my stomach especially how you and your main guy Pruitt continue to deny the effects of Climate Change!
Wake up before it's too late for our children and granchildren. You want to be known as a good president? Get off the Alt-Right and join all those, the majority of Americans, and do something about the climate!
Wake up before it's too late for our children and granchildren. You want to be known as a good president? Get off the Alt-Right and join all those, the majority of Americans, and do something about the climate!
26
Truly, psychologically delusional, he's already convinced that he's the best president ever, no evidence needed.
1
The hospital itself gets a mediocre score on Yelp. A review from July 26 paints a picture of a place that does not deliver on basic health and safety needs of patients:
"I am a current patient as i write. This;
I had been here before and knew to be prepared
With your own supplies...food items. And. Medical...
Special catheaters to urinate, i brought several
Of mine from home along with 7. Nutricional shakes.
I begged them all day. Thru. My own. Dr. And each nurse that i needed the catheters. And it. Took
8. Hours to. Bring me 4. While. I had 6. Hours
Of. Urine in my bladder.
Avoid this place if possible."
Lawsuits, regulations, and state enforcement are what guard against dangerous behavior in hospitals and care facilities of this sort. The poor people they serve cannot afford to sue. The Republicans running Florida are stripping away regulatory protections. And governor Scott has made massive cuts to regulatory oversight staff in most, if not all departments. The result is predictable and avoidable. It should be criminal, but those with the wherewithal to spare themselves from life and death dependence on such institutions vote for representatives to create conditions that kill. By scorning even the mention of man-made climate destabilization, they ensure scenes like this will be repeated for a very long time to come.
"I am a current patient as i write. This;
I had been here before and knew to be prepared
With your own supplies...food items. And. Medical...
Special catheaters to urinate, i brought several
Of mine from home along with 7. Nutricional shakes.
I begged them all day. Thru. My own. Dr. And each nurse that i needed the catheters. And it. Took
8. Hours to. Bring me 4. While. I had 6. Hours
Of. Urine in my bladder.
Avoid this place if possible."
Lawsuits, regulations, and state enforcement are what guard against dangerous behavior in hospitals and care facilities of this sort. The poor people they serve cannot afford to sue. The Republicans running Florida are stripping away regulatory protections. And governor Scott has made massive cuts to regulatory oversight staff in most, if not all departments. The result is predictable and avoidable. It should be criminal, but those with the wherewithal to spare themselves from life and death dependence on such institutions vote for representatives to create conditions that kill. By scorning even the mention of man-made climate destabilization, they ensure scenes like this will be repeated for a very long time to come.
29
"republicans running Florida" no more needs to be stated.
2
Any of you whiners are welcome to start your own nursing home and do everything right. Any takers?
6
So folks dying is the cost of doing business? Some compassion is needed now, since none was shown before.
No, I wouldn't want to be in the nursing home business either. However, what happened here supports the argument that the elderly and infirmed need more protections in a for-profit environment. Profit margins are small as it is. But the owners made the decision to not do the extraordinary and get either fans, or portable AC units, or getting those residents out of that facility. The owners chose to leave those people suffering in that extreme heat and humidity. It was their choice. You choose to operate a facility such as this, you better be prepared to do the right thing. They did not.
And in a state like Florida, where there is more than the average number of elderly people, the state and the utility companies need to respond to these facilities first.
And in a state like Florida, where there is more than the average number of elderly people, the state and the utility companies need to respond to these facilities first.
demanding accountability and whining are very different. but the calls for accountability must have hit a sore spot for you...
Since Corporations are people too, when will these people GO TO JAIL???
This is involuntary manslaughter, at the least. I am not talking about the beleaguered, assuredly overwhelmed staff. When will the owners, the CEOs be held to account??? Too busy determining their profits vs. loss of moving patients, RIGHT??? This is horrific. Hold them accountable, Governor. Do your JOB. Disgraceful.
This is involuntary manslaughter, at the least. I am not talking about the beleaguered, assuredly overwhelmed staff. When will the owners, the CEOs be held to account??? Too busy determining their profits vs. loss of moving patients, RIGHT??? This is horrific. Hold them accountable, Governor. Do your JOB. Disgraceful.
18
Who would have guessed it? A for-profit nursing home, maximizing profits and minimizing actual patient care. Looks like they didn't get away with murder this time.
25
Apparently, the problem was not a lack of power, but the failure of a critical part, a transformer, necessary for the air conditioning. When there's a disaster as massive as Irma, and unavoidable chaos, not every circumstance can be planned for. It is certainly worth asking why the patients weren't transferred across the street, but at the same time we need to allow the experts to do the investigating. Those of us who aren't on the scene should avoid too much Monday-morning quarterbacking.
The present situation seems reminiscent of the tragic events that occurred at Memorial Medical Center in New Orleans during and in the days following Katrina in 2005; the hospital was without electricity and was sweltering, and several vulnerable patients died. Accusations were made, and recently repeated in the Times, that the physician and nurses on call at Memorial had "intentionally hastened" the deaths of patients at Memorial.
This claim was refuted by our legal system. Perhaps is was worth considering at the time, but today it is long past time to stop repeating it; the recent Times' article discussing Harvey, which again reiterated this accusation, seems highly inappropriate. It seems much more likely it was the heat and the patients' vulnerable medical conditions, in the days following Katrina, that was responsible for the tragic demise of several patients.
The present situation seems reminiscent of the tragic events that occurred at Memorial Medical Center in New Orleans during and in the days following Katrina in 2005; the hospital was without electricity and was sweltering, and several vulnerable patients died. Accusations were made, and recently repeated in the Times, that the physician and nurses on call at Memorial had "intentionally hastened" the deaths of patients at Memorial.
This claim was refuted by our legal system. Perhaps is was worth considering at the time, but today it is long past time to stop repeating it; the recent Times' article discussing Harvey, which again reiterated this accusation, seems highly inappropriate. It seems much more likely it was the heat and the patients' vulnerable medical conditions, in the days following Katrina, that was responsible for the tragic demise of several patients.
11
With the population aging, it's time we gave serious thought about how to care for the elderly in times of disaster, natural or otherwise. How do we transport them, and where, in a safe and timely manner? If they cannot be transported, what are the mandatory building and equipment requirements to shelter them? For those living on their own, should they be given first priority in evacuations?
This population, to be frank, is at society's mercy -- it is an afterthought until something like this happens, and then all the sorrow, outrage, finger-pointing, and second-guessing follow.
We're not very good at being proactive in this country, and there are always excuses for that, sometimes followed by tragedy. That is NOT leadership, moral or otherwise.
This population, to be frank, is at society's mercy -- it is an afterthought until something like this happens, and then all the sorrow, outrage, finger-pointing, and second-guessing follow.
We're not very good at being proactive in this country, and there are always excuses for that, sometimes followed by tragedy. That is NOT leadership, moral or otherwise.
157
In my county in FL (that wasn't hit by Irma) residents, and I would assume nursing homes, list people who need specific care -- the elderly, people with special needs and disabilities, etc., and that information is supposed to be used for evacuation assistance in a disaster.
"Special Needs Shelters are designed for people whose age, frailty, mobility, functional and/or medical disability make them particularly vulnerable and at risk in disaster situations." There is also a form to fill out if transportation will be needed.
There's no excuse for this sort of thing. Though a nursing home like this should have a backup generator or several BEFORE a disaster, there is no reason why these people in distress couldn't have been taken to the hospital or at the very least hydrated. This is negligence and the power company isn't necessarily the main entity that should feel responsible for this.
"Special Needs Shelters are designed for people whose age, frailty, mobility, functional and/or medical disability make them particularly vulnerable and at risk in disaster situations." There is also a form to fill out if transportation will be needed.
There's no excuse for this sort of thing. Though a nursing home like this should have a backup generator or several BEFORE a disaster, there is no reason why these people in distress couldn't have been taken to the hospital or at the very least hydrated. This is negligence and the power company isn't necessarily the main entity that should feel responsible for this.
I worked across the street at the flagship of health care :Memorial Regional.
The Pavillion as it was called first , and later incarnations of a sort of care at that address always had a poor reputation. I am saddened at the loss of life, but this was waiting to happen. The "Rehabilitation Center at Hollywood Hills" should have been closed long ago.
The Pavillion as it was called first , and later incarnations of a sort of care at that address always had a poor reputation. I am saddened at the loss of life, but this was waiting to happen. The "Rehabilitation Center at Hollywood Hills" should have been closed long ago.
19
Why were they dehydrated? Even with higher temps there's no reason that they should not have been getting adequate water. I hate to think that a financial decision hastened these deaths.
17
This points to the failure of modern building design. All buildings should be designed to have operable windows, and have cross-ventilation capabilities. If each resident's room had clerestory windows at the top of the wall, they could be opened to let hot air out. If rooms are sited across the hall from each other, the doors can be propped open and then perhaps a cross-breeze will help. Transom windows used to be provided over internal doorways to provide such cross-ventilation. Brise-soleils, horizontal sunshade canopies, should be placed over all windowed areas, to help reduce summertime solar heat gain. Relying on energy-consuming technology to solve our problems only works when the technology works. The number of commenters here who didn't mention the building's lack of natural cooling capabilities is a sign that this old-fashioned, common-sense approach has nearly been forgotten, and that architects and planners need to speak up more. Sadly, we need government regulations to force builders and developers to include these "passive cooling" features.
492
This is a failure of our society to value our elders and the people who care for them. Everything else is secondary. If we truly honored our elders as a society, the people who care for them would get paid like doctors, or more. And it would matter ALL the time, not just when some people die due to possible negligence.
1
I can assure you, the issue isn't the architects or builders - it's the owners and developers that are paying for the construction. In almost all cases, generic HVAC cooling is cheaper than designing and building a structure for natural cooling and they just won't pay for it. It's greed, and it's not surprising given the greed that's so pervasive in the nursing home/retirement home industry.
The point of the matter is in fact how faulty building's are built in modern day. We have so much intelligence and technology to really enhance the architecture to make living situations, such as nursing homes or assisted living so much safer in case of emergencies like this. I am aware that not every single house and building can have generators, but since the counties and officials put nursing homes and hospitals at the top of their priority list regarding power and supplies, all nursing home should be equipped with water, and staff, and supplies, like they are, but likewise authorities should realize how warm it can become, very quickly, in a state such as Florida. I completely agree with the end of your comment, regarding how our government needs to more conscious about building components and what will be safest for the elderly, and sick people within hospitals when constructing buildings in a zone that can be easily affected by weather disasters.
I lived in tropical Africa for a year in the 1960s in a city where the only air conditioned public building was the US Cultural Center. People, including the elderly, did not die from heat. Buildings were constructed to catch prevailing air currents as early as the early 20th century. Air conditioning draws much more power than routine uses such as lighting or refrigeration. If future deaths are to be averted, alternative technologies such as climate-adapted architecture and design, fans used with water cooling and manual care of the elderly and frail need to become routine in Florida [and in European cities where heat waves result in deaths among the elderly.]
103
I grew up in Hong Kong, which is a tropical area of the world. Up until the era in which we lived there, HK had relied on similar building practices you see anywhere in the world where trade winds bring cooling breezes; open patios or balconies, big windows, and the expectation that bad weather (typhoons) could blow it all away. Obviously people do not want to live like that anymore, which is one of the reasons we are at the impasse we find ourselves. Look at the building where these old people are being kept; it has no large, open windows, it's tightly sealed up, preventing any air flow. Of *course* people are going to perish, potentially of heat stroke, under those conditions—particularly vulnerable people who won't survive without some form of electricity keeping a machine of some kind going. The problem shouldn't be "do we have a backup generator" (which presumably runs on fossil fuels); the problem should be framed in relationship to what nature already provides: sun and air. Energy efficiency isn't just about not using fossil fuels. Energy efficiency is also about making (passive) use of that which already exists.
3
Elderly people DO die from the heat - all around the world. Many heat waves result in some deaths. Those are blamed on old age - and they are from old age - the heat just adds that last straw that breaks the camels back.
3
I visited Iran and in Yazd, there are buildings designed to capture the cool winds that were built hundreds of years ago. Afterall, how did humans survive hot climates to this point?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Windcatcher
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Windcatcher
2
On some recent travels around the world just about everyone I spoke to lamented that America had seen its best days and is now in decline. The general consensus was private sector greed and the decline of the middle class were to blame. Terrible neglect and oversight such as this disaster further exacerbate the stereotype. Why do hospitals and care facilities, in fact just about all buildings in States like Florida, not have solar power? Are we really that far behind Europe and Asia.
169
What planet were you traveling on? I travel a lot. Tell me that India is far better than America? I could list 20 more countries where people are cooking their evening meal over excrement. What I hear is people wanting to come to this country. A poor person in many countries would consider a poor person in this country as a rich person if they lived in their country.
2
"Are we really that far behind Europe and Asia."
Yes, and by choice.
Yes, and by choice.
3
Nowhere did MartinC compare the US to any other country, but rather to itself. "...America had seen its best days and is now in decline." So to compare us to third world countries and say, "we are still better off!" misses the point entirely. The fact is that America has the money to be better prepared for these types of issues, but not the political will (in terms of regulation on building codes, regulations for nursing homes, response to climate change, etc.). Thus, we are in decline as the challenges facing the world grow and we continue to do nothing to meet the challenges. In fact, we seem to be burying our heads in the sand. We should not attempt to distract from that fact by pointing to the Central African Republic or a similar place and saying how much better off we are. Let's have higher standards.
That is what is appalling in this story. Regardless of how overworked and underpaid the workers may have been, there were many instances before the events that gave rise to their deaths in which residents of these homes were let down.
That is what is appalling in this story. Regardless of how overworked and underpaid the workers may have been, there were many instances before the events that gave rise to their deaths in which residents of these homes were let down.
3
Having worked in several skilled nursing facilities I can assure you, many of those who dies would more than likely have passed regardless of these conditions. Most "skilled nursing facilities" house people who barely cling to life as is. I advise anyone interested to tour the ENTIRE facility if you get a chance. The poorest, oldest and sickest humans reside there. Death is extremely common in the best of conditions.
17
The poorest, oldest and sickest humans are not the only residents of nursing homes. An accident can put a healthy, vibrant, and financially secure seventy-something into a wheelchair and dependent on a nursing home, and that person could still have another good ten years left or more. I understand the article to mean that the six deaths were higher than average or typical for the time period (all in one day?) in which they occurred.
2
The people whose job it is to care for these vulnerable folks should have been well aware that the elderly (and babies and sometimes the frail) have bodies can not and do not handle heat well. As trained caregivers they should know how to identify the symptoms of heat stress, especially among those who can not speak for themselves.
How these symptoms were missed by the trained health care professionals caring for these folks or were ignored - or concerns sent up the management chain and ignored - is beyond scandal.
We prosecute for children and pets left in hot cars. No excuses. Prosecute these folks. And the corporate owners.
My sympathy to the victim's families.
How these symptoms were missed by the trained health care professionals caring for these folks or were ignored - or concerns sent up the management chain and ignored - is beyond scandal.
We prosecute for children and pets left in hot cars. No excuses. Prosecute these folks. And the corporate owners.
My sympathy to the victim's families.
32
We thought about this type of problem when we heard the electricity was out in Florida during the storm , when the temperatures were hot along with high humidity. This problem should be the number one issue for the entire state of Florida to discuss for the future. I read in the paper today how the art was protected in Miami-interesting isn't it. Of course the art was in the millions.
15
Cathy T.,
Why yes, I have gone through a hurricane, I'm currently without power now in Palm Beach County, along with several thousands of neighbors. For the most part, we are cheerful, patient, and awaiting the return of the A/C, while going about the process of living our daily lives. Once I figured out how to boil water on a propane BBQ grill, my life got better.
I just spent three days as a nurse in an ER in PBC: Most of the admissions of elders were directly related to fretting about the storm.
Why yes, I have gone through a hurricane, I'm currently without power now in Palm Beach County, along with several thousands of neighbors. For the most part, we are cheerful, patient, and awaiting the return of the A/C, while going about the process of living our daily lives. Once I figured out how to boil water on a propane BBQ grill, my life got better.
I just spent three days as a nurse in an ER in PBC: Most of the admissions of elders were directly related to fretting about the storm.
4
There's a law in Florida requiring nursing homes to have adequate reserve power for just such an emergency; but that's regulation which is always bad so the law isn't enforced. Good work right-wing billionaires.
45
Isn't that law going into effect shortly? And doesn't bit have exclusions based on age of facility?
1
Wow. Lots of 20/20 hindsight here and unkind/unfair comments about our beautiful state: Florida is a swamp, people shouldn't live there, the nursing home is to blame. The facts aren't in yet on these unfortunate deaths - perhaps the nursing home is to blame, perhaps not. I live in South Florida and just went through the hurricane and I've gone through them before, and lived without power. The old are particularly susceptible to the heat - my husband is recuperating from pneumonia and the hurricane and subsequent heat couldn't come at a worse time. I've seen posts that say it's only in the low 90's or only 89 - you can't say "only" in Florida. Those temperatures feel like at least 100 with the heat index, maybe more, and the humidity is terrible. You don't know what this is all about unless you've been through it. As someone else said, Irma was a once in a lifetime event (please God) and even with the great weather forecasting technology we have, it didn't go exactly where expected. As they say here: prepare for the worst - hope for the best. It looks like a war zone: debris everywhere, no traffic lights, street signs bent, trees and tree limbs everywhere, no power, flooding. It is beautiful here, but there is a price to be paid: hurricanes. There is a price in most places: earthquakes, tornadoes, freezing ice and snow, volcanoes. It's brutal to live without power after a hurricane - that's it - end of story. If you haven't live through it, you don't know.
13
Residents need to get used to climate change.
Very few people can afford the kind of care to which everyone would like to become accustomed.
And so I am taking care of an 88 years old mother at home It means that walking is our religion because it is the only thing that slows the progression of dementia. No senior home could walk her the way that is required. And no we do not have a generator. Because for a home, it is thousands with yearly upkeep in the hundreds.
Applying the fiduciary standard to Senior homes is probably not workable. What would a reasonable Senior home, staffed by experts in Geriatric care, have chosen? They would probably have back up generators and probably not allow Senior homes to be located in Florida.
Remember the Fukushima nuclear plant and the tsunami. They had generators but they were not raised for the storm surge of the typhoon. So the generators failed and the cooling system failed and the nuclear plant failed. So generators alone are not the answer, they have to be hardened for hurricanes. Oh wait, but we can't afford Senior homes as it is so we need more regulation.
Everyone is quick to blame the Senior homes. The staff are underpaid and probably doing the best they can.
And you know what, the residents and their families got exactly the warehousing they paid for. It is an old economic principle: you pays your money and you takes your choice. Not for my Mom. No thank you.
And so I am taking care of an 88 years old mother at home It means that walking is our religion because it is the only thing that slows the progression of dementia. No senior home could walk her the way that is required. And no we do not have a generator. Because for a home, it is thousands with yearly upkeep in the hundreds.
Applying the fiduciary standard to Senior homes is probably not workable. What would a reasonable Senior home, staffed by experts in Geriatric care, have chosen? They would probably have back up generators and probably not allow Senior homes to be located in Florida.
Remember the Fukushima nuclear plant and the tsunami. They had generators but they were not raised for the storm surge of the typhoon. So the generators failed and the cooling system failed and the nuclear plant failed. So generators alone are not the answer, they have to be hardened for hurricanes. Oh wait, but we can't afford Senior homes as it is so we need more regulation.
Everyone is quick to blame the Senior homes. The staff are underpaid and probably doing the best they can.
And you know what, the residents and their families got exactly the warehousing they paid for. It is an old economic principle: you pays your money and you takes your choice. Not for my Mom. No thank you.
9
"You pays your money takes your choice"?? I've seen this warehousing first-hand in looking at several so-called nursing homes, the least expensive and most horrifying of which was $4,800/month. The main purpose of nursing care for the elderly in the U.S. is the same as for everything else...extreme profits and wealth for the owners/stockholders.
10
Generators aren't that expensive. You can buy a whole house permanently installed generator for thousands fueled by a natural gas line that requires very little annual upkeep. They automatically start and run a few minutes every month to stay operational. Or you can buy a decent sized portable for about $700 that is powered by gasoline that would require running periodically to make sure it will start when needed. You can also install a bypass switch panel for a few hundred that uses the house wiring so you don't have to run extension cords throughout the house. The portable generator will keep the food in your refrigerator from spoiling and light the house and will power a microwave, a coffee maker, a television, a computer and a window air conditioner, or two. Honda generators are expensive but very reliable and very quiet. That droning of generators throughout the neighborhood during a power outage gets old after a while.
4
Yes - although I don't see it as warehousing - it's the end of life, and you can make a perfect nursing home that no one can afford - or you can recognize that life will end no matter how much is spent, and take reasonable but not exceptional means to provide reasonable care.
The Rehabilitation Center at Hollywood Hills, LLC, is for profit. It has dismal ratings from Medicare - below average in all categories. It would be interesting NYT to go back to Katrina, Rita and other major hurricanes and correlate the Medicare rating with the lack of safe outcome for the facility residents.
Just another reason to deregulate and allow companies to oversee themselves. BARF.
https://www.medicare.gov/nursinghomecompare/profile.html#profTab=0&I...
Just another reason to deregulate and allow companies to oversee themselves. BARF.
https://www.medicare.gov/nursinghomecompare/profile.html#profTab=0&I...
38
This is not the first time that this has happened after a major storm. We seem to have lost our sense of basic human decency, of morality in this country...a country that brags about being the richest in the world, but we treat our elderly citizens like trash. We aren't rich at all...we are very poor indeed. Shame on us as a nation.
21
Some states, such as Utah, have excellent nursing home care.
I love how in America, the media readily names unconvicted suspects of crimes but it won't name a corporate entity like a nursing home.
32
Looks now like the nursing home name is at the first sentence of the 2nd paragraph. So that didn't take long.
1
Nate, If one really wants to know go to the internet.
1
Right!? I bet they even had a conversation that was like "oh we can't name it because we could be liable", which is EXACTLY what I mean.
CNN is reporting a criminal probe is underway. There is a hospital 50 yards away from this nursing home.
32
It would be insensitive to question why this happened
12
Better call Saul.....:(
8
49% of the people who died as a result of Katrina were 75 years or older.
7
Not surprising, Rick Scott was indicted for fraud himself as a hospital executive. He cares nothing for patient safety and is only motivated by greed and his own personal gain. His buddy Trump is similarly motivated. Neither will mention climate change either.
172
Rick Scott was not indicted.
Apparently Kevin Dee is correct--Rick Scott was not indicted for health care fraud. However, he was fined $1.7 billion. Details are found at http://www.politifact.com/florida/statements/2014/mar/03/florida-democra...
4
He should have been
This is terrible. I can't imagine how much those poor people must have suffered, particularly in conditions that were already catastrophic. Their deaths are the stuff of nightmares for every family member who has or has ever had to place a loved one in such a facility. The vast majority of us wish only love, compassion, and comfort for our frail elderly, and most of us are clear-sighted enough to know that even the best-run nursing homes are often in short supply when it comes to those things. Therefore, to have something like this happen on top of the ordinary worries must be devastating to those victims' families.
68
The way we warehouse our elders in this society does not even remotely suggest to me that as a society we want "only love, compassion and comfort" for them. We warehouse them because our economic system is not set up to make it possible for many families to care for them at home or hire a home care-giver. Our government does little to help.
2
Syliva - I think most of us do love our elderly friends and relatives, and want to see them treated with comfort and compassion. Most of us would vastly prefer to give our frail loved ones the care they need in the familiar comforts of home, but for most people that is simply an impossibility for the reasons you stated. We can only hope that, if we have to turn to nursing homes, that they won't be too bad and that the staff will, at the very least, treat our loved ones with dignity and respect. (Visiting daily, if possible, can help lay the foundation for this because you are seen as an "involved" family member.) While the current structure of things on a societal level doesn't promote love, compassion, and comfort for these vulnerable people, I believe most of us deeply love our elderly relatives and friends and want only the best for them. There are hurdles to obtaining that for them, to be sure, but most of us want that nonetheless.
2
Is that why Ms. Pina left her mother there?
It's time we think of A/C as a medical device, like a ventilator or a dialysis machine. Without it people die.
28
It is a terrible shame, of course, but it may be there was nothing criminal here. The generator broke down. How is that anyone's fault? And it sounds like the there is legislation that will cover this situation for the future. Let's not forget the staff at the hospital in Katrina who actually killed their patients, and who, if memory serves, were never indicted. This is a far cry from that situation.
3
Because people are being paid to manage the nursing home, including health and safety management, and to assess risks and plan for emergencies in the case of county officials. It's their job. No one is responsible for the storm, but this situation could have been foreseen - a power outage from a hurricane was widely predicted and temperatures in Florida are a known quantity.
5
The story mentions that the evacuees were suffering from dehydration. That may have been a bigger factor than the loss of air conditioning and would indicate other problems with the care in that facility.
However, trying to diagnose a situation and point fingers based on a news story is a fools errand.
However, trying to diagnose a situation and point fingers based on a news story is a fools errand.
1
Alyce! Nursing homes and hospitals are responsible for the human beings in their care. This translates to: when the air conditioning fails (for whatever reason, in whatever circumstances) the facility is bound by contract to transfer the human beings OUT to a facility that can care for them in a HUMANE way. This does not mean that the staff just keeps on keeping on as if there is no problem. The were right across the street from a hospital, for chrissakes! Which is where the survivors eventually were transferred.
2
“As a precautionary measure, we’ve assigned police officers to go check all the other 42 assisted living facilities and nursing homes throughout the city to make sure they’re in sufficient care of the elderly.”
I laughed derisively at this statement. Hey what about the other 364 days of the year?
I am intimately aware of the horrendous “non-care” at “assisted-living” and “rehab facilities.”
There is a glut of “senior housing” “55 and over independent resorts.” Contractors actually thought that we boomers would all be the beaming, athletic silver haired couples portrayed in their advertisements. But there are very few of us that don’t have chronic illnesses especially the #1 disease--aging.
They HAD to rent out (or sell) these communities to make a buck. I was both an MD who helped provide care for the occupants AND for 6 months an occupant beating back cancer.
There are folks confined in wheelchairs that NEVER leave their “apartments” and they reside on upper floors! If a fire took out the building there is NO way that these people can get out w/o working elevators. I brought this up to management multiple times and was harassed until I moved out.
Families don’t want to care for dad or mom anymore. Remember the ads for “A Place for Mom?” These were agents who convinced families that these centers would be great--except “Mom” had Alzheimer’s and diabetes and needed 24 hour nursing.
We are being warehoused and no one cares.
But HEY, the new iPhone is here!
I laughed derisively at this statement. Hey what about the other 364 days of the year?
I am intimately aware of the horrendous “non-care” at “assisted-living” and “rehab facilities.”
There is a glut of “senior housing” “55 and over independent resorts.” Contractors actually thought that we boomers would all be the beaming, athletic silver haired couples portrayed in their advertisements. But there are very few of us that don’t have chronic illnesses especially the #1 disease--aging.
They HAD to rent out (or sell) these communities to make a buck. I was both an MD who helped provide care for the occupants AND for 6 months an occupant beating back cancer.
There are folks confined in wheelchairs that NEVER leave their “apartments” and they reside on upper floors! If a fire took out the building there is NO way that these people can get out w/o working elevators. I brought this up to management multiple times and was harassed until I moved out.
Families don’t want to care for dad or mom anymore. Remember the ads for “A Place for Mom?” These were agents who convinced families that these centers would be great--except “Mom” had Alzheimer’s and diabetes and needed 24 hour nursing.
We are being warehoused and no one cares.
But HEY, the new iPhone is here!
64
Nuschler: it is far more complex than that. For one thing, if you were in a "55+" community at some point...that is simply an apartment that only rents to adults over 55. It is not a nursing home or Assisted Living AT ALL -- it may offer residents an emergency button, a staffer at the desk 24/7 or cleaning services -- but it is NOT a nursing facility AT ALL.
Neither is "Independent Living" -- again, you must be mobile and able to tend to yourself to live there. They only provide cleaning and a few other services, sometimes a dining hall.
Only at the "Assisted Living" stage do residents get things like help in bathing, dressing, toileting. And facilities vary a lot in how much they will do.
Once you have DEMENTIA...you cannot manage in any of these, and must go to a special dementia facility, with proper staffing -- or into full nursing home care.
And the problem with ALL OF THESE...it is a ascending order of costs. A 55+ apartment is only slightly more than a regular apartment -- but Assisted Living is at least $4000 a month in my Midwest area (more in big cities) -- and dementia care can easily be $10,000 a month.
You can see that both residents AND their families are incentivized to keep them in the least costly facility they can manage in -- and not incur the bankrupting costs of $60,000 to $120,000 a year (!!!!) that quickly puts people into low quality Medicaid nursing care.
Neither is "Independent Living" -- again, you must be mobile and able to tend to yourself to live there. They only provide cleaning and a few other services, sometimes a dining hall.
Only at the "Assisted Living" stage do residents get things like help in bathing, dressing, toileting. And facilities vary a lot in how much they will do.
Once you have DEMENTIA...you cannot manage in any of these, and must go to a special dementia facility, with proper staffing -- or into full nursing home care.
And the problem with ALL OF THESE...it is a ascending order of costs. A 55+ apartment is only slightly more than a regular apartment -- but Assisted Living is at least $4000 a month in my Midwest area (more in big cities) -- and dementia care can easily be $10,000 a month.
You can see that both residents AND their families are incentivized to keep them in the least costly facility they can manage in -- and not incur the bankrupting costs of $60,000 to $120,000 a year (!!!!) that quickly puts people into low quality Medicaid nursing care.
1
I am in a retirement home in New Mexico where I get excellent care and good food. I have wine with dinner. I exercise every afternoon for 15 minutes.
Fun fact for the unwary: those placement agencies like A Place for Mom are getting paid by the for-profit facilities.
They are not going to help find a place for mom in not for profit facilities or those that accept Medicaid.
They are not going to help find a place for mom in not for profit facilities or those that accept Medicaid.
1
Heck of a job, Brownie...err, I mean, Gov Scott.
You've got blood on your hands. Hopefully, some families of the deceased will sue you and the (no doubt very much 'for profit) facility for negligence and perhaps things like depraved indifference to human life. Small consolation to them, but at least those responsible will be help accountable
You've got blood on your hands. Hopefully, some families of the deceased will sue you and the (no doubt very much 'for profit) facility for negligence and perhaps things like depraved indifference to human life. Small consolation to them, but at least those responsible will be help accountable
20
One should look up Rick Scott Humana on the internet. He sold his stock in a healthcare company before bad news. Just escaped jail time.
6
Should have left
2
Elderly, disabled nursing home residents should have evacuated? OK!
2
Just like Rush Limbaugh said: Fear mongering plot to sell more bottled water
Hurricane Irma: Rush Limbaugh, Ann Coulter criticized on doubts
https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/2017/09/.../rush-limbaugh.../654353...
15 hours ago - Rush Limbaugh, Ann Coulter facing blowback on Hurricane Irma comments. ... Hurricane Irma may have passed but the blowback on two conservative pundits' skepticism about the hurricanes' danger continues to swirl. As Irma barreled into Florida over the weekend, columnist Ann Co
Hurricane Irma: Rush Limbaugh, Ann Coulter criticized on doubts
https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/2017/09/.../rush-limbaugh.../654353...
15 hours ago - Rush Limbaugh, Ann Coulter facing blowback on Hurricane Irma comments. ... Hurricane Irma may have passed but the blowback on two conservative pundits' skepticism about the hurricanes' danger continues to swirl. As Irma barreled into Florida over the weekend, columnist Ann Co
4
Were it my mother who died I would grieve, as most of us do if we lose a loved one. But we have an amazingly obvious attitude and expectation problem. Butt white people can't take the heat but move to live in the heat and then sit in their dwellings with air conditioning on. White folks can't take heat like black folks and Indians, native Indians and problem those from India, too. There are many clues, one, white folks get melanoma from the sun frequently, their lips are thinner than African Americans, fuller lips dissipate the heat to come degree or a great degree. We white folks need cooler weather to live in, but rather than don a coat in cooler weather, they turn on the heat and again, global warming advances. Then we cut wood or buy it and start a cozy fire in the fireplace, or use natural gas, etc., again, no coat, just turn on the heat in the winter, the air-conditioning in the summer, the lights go on in the summer after 9PM, and around 5 in the Winter. Is there something the matter with resting in and early bed in the winter, getting up later, and in the summer follow the sun's rise and setting. No, no, we cannot live with nature, we think (not really) we can arrange our lives in comfy ways that always and always go against nature and ultimately, us. We have a large brain full of ludicrous ideas. 87% of working folks sit on their butts all day in "high" tech jobs, high tech is a con, it's made billionaires out of people who do nothing but collect unearned dollars.
5
It hurts because it's true.
Hey, don't worry folks. The Republican agenda to deregulate further will most certainly ensure that private facilities such as this one are taking proper care of their charges, right?
32
Article on CNN provides some interesting information on the aftermath of storms. The data are limited, but it is interesting on how post storm deaths do unfortunately occur too often.
http://www.cnn.com/2017/09/09/opinions/deadliest-time-is-after-the-storm...
http://www.cnn.com/2017/09/09/opinions/deadliest-time-is-after-the-storm...
1
If Dickens were writing an update:
"Are there no nursing homes"
"Plenty..."
"Those who are elderly or frail must go there."
"Many can't go there; and many would rather die."
"If they would rather die," said Scrooge, "they had better do it, and decrease the surplus population."
We live in the best of times and the worst of times. Apparently, we have been beamed back to Victorian England.
"Are there no nursing homes"
"Plenty..."
"Those who are elderly or frail must go there."
"Many can't go there; and many would rather die."
"If they would rather die," said Scrooge, "they had better do it, and decrease the surplus population."
We live in the best of times and the worst of times. Apparently, we have been beamed back to Victorian England.
9
Why not America of the robber-barron era? When I was in school, in a time of plenty, it was hard to understand the powers and forces that Roosevelt's progressives were fighting against. Now I know just what it was like.
3
Once again our country lags in what some believe are basic human rights to die with dignity. We can count on one finger how many states allow the seriously ill to end their life in a comfortable & respectful manner.
Getting older is a death sentence the likelihood of which will not be pardoned by some new fangled medical discovery.
Remember the death panel branding by the Republicans to discredit serious end of life discussions between doctor and patient.
How many elderly have legal end of life plans that their family members can use to guide medical decisions? How many young, middle aged adults have them too for that matter? This should be something encouraged rather than maligned.
Why do many people sit in "refrigerated" (as one comment snarkily remarked) rooms for the rest of their lives? A vast majority do not want to be there. Many ask family members to promise not to place them. There are so many factors but if a person whose quality of life is so dismal wants to end it with respect our enlightened administrative state will not allow it.
And people with dementia lose their right to self-determination even if it is legally documented. So they live their last years of their lives like no one can imagine unless you have experienced it as a caregiver. Many dementia loved ones have healthy bodies and live for 10-20 years after diagnosis.
We may be a country of rugged individuals (not evacuating) but not one allowed to exercise our right to die w/dignity.
Getting older is a death sentence the likelihood of which will not be pardoned by some new fangled medical discovery.
Remember the death panel branding by the Republicans to discredit serious end of life discussions between doctor and patient.
How many elderly have legal end of life plans that their family members can use to guide medical decisions? How many young, middle aged adults have them too for that matter? This should be something encouraged rather than maligned.
Why do many people sit in "refrigerated" (as one comment snarkily remarked) rooms for the rest of their lives? A vast majority do not want to be there. Many ask family members to promise not to place them. There are so many factors but if a person whose quality of life is so dismal wants to end it with respect our enlightened administrative state will not allow it.
And people with dementia lose their right to self-determination even if it is legally documented. So they live their last years of their lives like no one can imagine unless you have experienced it as a caregiver. Many dementia loved ones have healthy bodies and live for 10-20 years after diagnosis.
We may be a country of rugged individuals (not evacuating) but not one allowed to exercise our right to die w/dignity.
3
Seems to me this should have been better anticipated and planned for. They knew power loss was a very real possibility. And it's no secret that hot temps can be far more deadly to the very young and the very old.
16
This is such a tragedy. It is also a reflection on where we prioritize the elderly or chronically infirm in our society. Let's just put them away somewhere so we can get on with our texting and partying. The Japanese hold their elders in the highest respect, whereas we seem prone to hold ours as an expensive inconvenience. There is no excuse for this to have happened.
23
Yes, it is a tragedy. But don't automatically assume that people just "put away" their elderly parents and grandparents in nursing homes because it's convenient for them and they don't want to be bothered. When you've been in the position of doing all you can to care for your parents at home for many years, when home care is no longer a good option, when you've done everything you could to keep your parents at home, even while they no longer could thrive or be safe there, and when you've given up your job and had your own health go down the drain the process of caring for elderly parents, then maybe you can judge.
11
None of the news reports I can find are reporting the temperature on 2nd floor. Must have been horribly hot. Those poor people. They deserved to be treated better than they were. For the staff to not order an evacuation is criminal. The ER responders were the ones who ordered it!! Unconscionable actions by the management and staff of the facility.
Florida's regulations and safety inspections must be scrutinized with respect to this nursing home and others. Who else has fallen between the cracks? The governor should be all over this, especially given his background in the healthcare industry.
Florida's regulations and safety inspections must be scrutinized with respect to this nursing home and others. Who else has fallen between the cracks? The governor should be all over this, especially given his background in the healthcare industry.
20
The governor made his moolah in the healthcare "industry." Big difference!
3
Scott ripped off the government in the biggest Medicare scam ever. He was a criminal in the healthcare industry -- don't expect him to root out other criminals.
3
Many in nursing homes are extremely close to death, and will pass shortly no matter what. It may not take much heat to push them over the edge, not the insane heat you are picturing.
This is sad, but there's a lot of questions that need to be answered first to know if this is something horrible - or nature taking it's course. We try to deny that death happens more than I think we should.
This is sad, but there's a lot of questions that need to be answered first to know if this is something horrible - or nature taking it's course. We try to deny that death happens more than I think we should.
2
Wow. Lots of 20/20 hindsight here: Florida is a swamp, the nursing home is to blame, people shouldn't live in Florida, etc. It's easy to point fingers and assign blame, but the facts aren't in yet as to these deaths. I live in So Florida. I've lived through hurricanes and lived without power. We don't know what happened at the nursing home - maybe they were at fault, maybe not. As someone below said, Irma was a once in a lifetime event (hopefully) and it is not possible to cover all contingencies. Even with all the wonderful technology we have for weather forecasting, the hurricane turned and went up the West Coast of Florida rather than the East. But it was still a brutal, damaging storm here on the East side and hundreds of thousands of people are without power. Debris everywhere and no traffic lights, power lines down, flooding. I've seen posts that says it's only in the low 90's, or it's only 89 - you can't say it's "only" 89 or 90 here in South Florida, with the heat index that feels like 100, or higher, and if you are used to living in air conditioning it's awful. Florida is a beautiful state, but there is a cost to the beauty: hurricanes. There are costs to living in all states: tornadoes, snow and ice, volcanoes, earthquakes. There is always a cost. Frankly, I'm not sure it's a cost I'm willing to live with much longer - it may be time to leave. A decision for another day. No air conditioning after a hurricane is brutal - that's it - end of story.
13
Maybe once in a lifetime for a cat. There are plenty of hurricanes in Florida and plenty of opportunities to learn what is necessary.
1
I would argue that it is entirely possible to understand that your central AC is powered differently than the rest of your institution, and to buy a few window ACs to have on hand for exactly this type of situation.
4
Cathy T: the big deal with Florida is that it is WARM YEAR ROUND -- no snow, ever (well a tad of it in the uppermost north, but not much).
The drawback is....IT IS HOT ALMOST ALL YEAR. A few months in winter are delightful, but for 8-9 months, it is hot and humid. Folks, this is the sub-tropics! it's HOT!
As my dad (who retired to Florida for 19 joyfully happy years) used to say: "Sure, Florida has some bad weather and heat...but nobody ever had to SHOVEL SUNSHINE!" He hated the cold, damp weather up north.
So if you leave Florida, Cathy T -- where will you? Every place else is COLD IN WINTER -- rainy or snowy -- except California, and that's crazy megabucks expensive. A tiny home in CA is $1.2 million -- you can still buy a small home in Florida for $120,000 (though prices are rapidly rising).
That is a HUGE difference. My dad and my inlaws all retired to Florida, because it was CHEAP -- it really WAS cheap in the 80s -- and it was WARM ALL YEAR. They were old, and feared the cold and the potential of falling on icy sidewalks. So they do not have a lot of options.
The drawback is....IT IS HOT ALMOST ALL YEAR. A few months in winter are delightful, but for 8-9 months, it is hot and humid. Folks, this is the sub-tropics! it's HOT!
As my dad (who retired to Florida for 19 joyfully happy years) used to say: "Sure, Florida has some bad weather and heat...but nobody ever had to SHOVEL SUNSHINE!" He hated the cold, damp weather up north.
So if you leave Florida, Cathy T -- where will you? Every place else is COLD IN WINTER -- rainy or snowy -- except California, and that's crazy megabucks expensive. A tiny home in CA is $1.2 million -- you can still buy a small home in Florida for $120,000 (though prices are rapidly rising).
That is a HUGE difference. My dad and my inlaws all retired to Florida, because it was CHEAP -- it really WAS cheap in the 80s -- and it was WARM ALL YEAR. They were old, and feared the cold and the potential of falling on icy sidewalks. So they do not have a lot of options.
1
So many infrastructure upgrade projects needed. Where is the big infrastructure project Mr. Trump, Congress? Our national security and morality demand it.
12
So the federal government should maintain the infrastructure at private nursing homes? What is your point?
For those interested in looking at disasters at medical facilties have a read of "Five Days at Memorial" by Sheri Fink - it talks about what happened in the aftermath of the hurricane in New Orleans at a large hospital. It was a fascinating and chilling read. I am always very concerned about the vulnerable in times of disasters. These nursing home deaths confirm our worst fears that the infirm, elderly and disabled need extra special attention to prevent deaths.
12
Regulations, which the Trump administration and Gov. Scott of FL seem to eschew, are meant to protect people. If there were regulations requiring backup power systems at all licensed health facilities, and regulations to test their working order, particularly before each hurricane season, then the deceased residents would probably be alive today.
12
Why didn't the nursing home have an emergency generator that could run the A/C??? Why do you have to wait for a law to take effect to install such a generator? To me, if you are operating in FLA w/ extreme heat and humidity, that's just common sense. How else do you care for the frail elderly who are at very high risk of heat stroke or heat exhaustion, on top of everything else that might be wrong with them??
12
Installing an emergency generator(s) cuts into the profit margin and that's why it doesn't happen unless a law forces these places to comply. You'd be amazed and sickened if you knew how far too many facilities like this one skate on the brink of disaster by not spending the money to ensure the safety of the people who are in their care. Most times it starts with inadequate staffing and goes on from there to not having the proper equipment in place to handle emergencies or even to provide a safe environment on an every day basis.
3
Did you read the article? They DID have a generator -- and it broke down.
why isn't there a requirement that generators in nursing homes be regularly inspected to make sure they are in working order? Why didn't they ask the Hospital across the street of they had any extra portable generators? Ir fist responders? Why didn't they try to move any patients to the Hospital across the street?
1
We need a governmental rule, legislation for a nursing care facility to know that it cannot get too hot or its tenants will die?? This is why Donald Trump was hired, to weed out the idiots, all of them. The nursing home owner where these people lived needs to get a life sentence. I don't care if the rented generator was working. It stopped working and the idiots that man the front desk and dining rooms and all (truly idiots) needed to call the police, the hospital, someone but you cannot make people, anyone at any age be in an environment of nearly 100 degrees. They should all be held criminally liable and I hope the Attorney General for the State of Florida has the guts and brains to go after this home and others that do this. It's disgusting. On the other side of the coin, where was the families of these people? Just dropping them off at the home to die? Disgusting. What a lousy society we have become and it has nothing to with Trump or Leftist/rightist/up and downists. Its the lack of common sense that we take for granted the most vunerable people in our society, the elderly and treat them like this. The whole lof of these people should get long and harsh jail sentences. If we gave Bernie Madoff 100 years, these morons need to get 200 years
8
Yet more evidence that having environmental and social safety net laws and regulations that go unenforced due to lack of political will and underfunded governments results in failures. Meanwhile lawmakers pat each other on the back and brag to constituents about having passed the laws in the first place, even while setting budgets that make enforcement unlikely.
18
Something for everyone with an older relative to keep in mind.
This is the Progressive World.
The whole point of parking the older relative in a nursing home is to not have to mind.
This is the Progressive World.
The whole point of parking the older relative in a nursing home is to not have to mind.
3
In the conservative world, everyone has to work to retirement and beyond, so none is available to help care for our elders.
8
How is this the "Progressive World" exactly?
More like world of deregulation and neglect.
More like world of deregulation and neglect.
13
NOT the progressive world; more like the conservative world. Pretend to care about the poor and disadvantaged, but put no money toward backing it up.
15
Fifty yards away from an air-conditioned hospital, but nursing home residents were kept there to swelter in 90-degrees and very high humidity. To make matters worse, as the article reveals, a new federal rule which takes effect in November, requires that the alternative source of energy must be able to maintain temps that protect health and safety for nursing home residents.
Not enough facts in on this tragedy, but to me it sounds like just another greedy nursing home owner not doing the right thing.
Not enough facts in on this tragedy, but to me it sounds like just another greedy nursing home owner not doing the right thing.
16
Blame the state for not being aware of this issue
3
People must know that nursing homes can be death traps for their loved ones, especially in unusual circumstances. It is hard to believe that staff were on site and watched patients die from heat stroke without intervening.
15
I bet it was understaffed to begin with and then there were probably many who were unable to get to their jobs because they were also affected by the storms and flooding. Judge not least you be judged.
4
This is a totally foreseeable and preventable outcome.
But when government and regulations and enforcement are seen as a problem to "free market capitalism", then this is what results.
When climate change is denied and republican ideologues celebrate markets, slash "red tape", and refuse to use government to adapt, this is what happens.
But when government and regulations and enforcement are seen as a problem to "free market capitalism", then this is what results.
When climate change is denied and republican ideologues celebrate markets, slash "red tape", and refuse to use government to adapt, this is what happens.
15
Free market capitalism paid or by taxpayer dollars .. hummm free-market capitalism not socialism with taxpayer dollars..Free market gets to have its cake and bread as well. Marie Antoinette would be appalled.
I am sorry for the loss of life, my condolences to the families and friends of those who died. When people ask, why do we need government, this is the reason. I hope this can be avoided in the future.
51
This is so sad. All nursing homes, hospitals, day care for elderly and children should be mandated to have back up generators placed way above ground level, especially in states prone to hurricanes such as Florida. Both the government and nursing home are liable.
8
Evacuation of all the nursing homes in the hurricane affected area is almost impossible. 120 nursing home residents would fill the entire capacity of a small community hospital, and there are hundreds of long term care facilities in Florida. This article just brings attention to an urgent problem that could grow if power isn't restored soon.
Realistically, people pass on all the time in nursing homes because they are medically fragile and one step below hospitalization, or are at the end of life. As it is, nursing home residents are sick and uncomfortable, so this is about humanity, a quality of life issue. Restoring power to affected areas is critical even if people haven't returned home.
Realistically, people pass on all the time in nursing homes because they are medically fragile and one step below hospitalization, or are at the end of life. As it is, nursing home residents are sick and uncomfortable, so this is about humanity, a quality of life issue. Restoring power to affected areas is critical even if people haven't returned home.
7
Who needs regulations and planning anyway? I imagine most reading this will have plenty of nursing home horror stories of their own, regardless of where they live.
5
Then alas to those not deemed to be at the top of the list. Whatever comes of them is acceptable.
2
Well Mr. Police Chief, a little late for checking on the nursing homes NOW! I trust there will be criminal charges. One simply does not leave an older nursing home patient without air conditioning in the middle of Florida! Vital signs would almost always show distress before death.
8
6 dead helpless seniors and counting in a nursing home in Hollywood, FL due to lack of power since Sunday morning.
It is outrageous that there is no requirement under Florida law, the state with the highest proportion of elderly folks in the nation, and the state most likely to be hit by hurricanes, for nursing homes or assisted living facilities to have permanent or mobile generators.
This is what lack of consumer protection regulations of the nursing home industry and the "free market" looks like in Florida.
We can thank the Tea Party controlled Fla legislature and governor Rick "I'm not a scientist" Scott and all the nursing home industry lobbyists in Tallahassee.
It is outrageous that there is no requirement under Florida law, the state with the highest proportion of elderly folks in the nation, and the state most likely to be hit by hurricanes, for nursing homes or assisted living facilities to have permanent or mobile generators.
This is what lack of consumer protection regulations of the nursing home industry and the "free market" looks like in Florida.
We can thank the Tea Party controlled Fla legislature and governor Rick "I'm not a scientist" Scott and all the nursing home industry lobbyists in Tallahassee.
39
Sadly too many buildings in tropical climates are now designed so they can only function with mechanical cooling systems.
These people would still be alive if simple tropical design principles had been used so that when the system mechanical systems failed the staff would merely have to open the windows, it may not have been cold but it wouldn’t have killed people.
With an increasing number of severe tropical and the associated failure of systems I believe it is time to start considering how we can create buildings that are designed to function in the tropics in all conditions. These buildings will not only be safer but more efficient to keep comfortable.
These people would still be alive if simple tropical design principles had been used so that when the system mechanical systems failed the staff would merely have to open the windows, it may not have been cold but it wouldn’t have killed people.
With an increasing number of severe tropical and the associated failure of systems I believe it is time to start considering how we can create buildings that are designed to function in the tropics in all conditions. These buildings will not only be safer but more efficient to keep comfortable.
557
BRAVO. I almost fell off my chair at the sheer simplicity, practicality, and common sense of your contribution.
But, then, the efficiency would also involve fewer costs, less equipment, and less maintenance. Not American.
But, then, the efficiency would also involve fewer costs, less equipment, and less maintenance. Not American.
1
Having just gone through the hurricane I can assure you opening the windows may or may not have brought relief. We opened our windows and after a short period of time went elsewhere as it was still horrible. Easy to make statements but knowing with certainty is far harder to prove.
This looks more like abuse; time will tell. Maybe. The elderly are abused all over the country. We seem to lack the will to get it under control. I imagine expense and greed both come into the picture. Look, theoretically no one is going to care more about your parents than you. But most folks are just not willing to give up the 2nd revenue stream coming into the household, or are unable to. When you require 2 revenue streams to live you are always walking a slippery slope. I do think some, certainly not all, are not willing to devote the attention required to the elderly. What does that say of us? Many of us truly have our priorities screwed up.
This looks more like abuse; time will tell. Maybe. The elderly are abused all over the country. We seem to lack the will to get it under control. I imagine expense and greed both come into the picture. Look, theoretically no one is going to care more about your parents than you. But most folks are just not willing to give up the 2nd revenue stream coming into the household, or are unable to. When you require 2 revenue streams to live you are always walking a slippery slope. I do think some, certainly not all, are not willing to devote the attention required to the elderly. What does that say of us? Many of us truly have our priorities screwed up.
Yes, ever since I visited Hawaii for the first time and noticed how strong the trade winds were and their cooling effect, I have wondered why so many buildings, including those on the University of Hawaii campus, were built for air conditioning with windows sealed shut. (Ironically, some of the dorms WERE built with tropical architecture and provided for natural cross ventilation.)
There are 160 nursing homes without commercial power and questionable air conditioning?
Florida should be evacuating them.
Florida should be evacuating them.
8
What about the employees of the nursing home? Do they not bear any responsibility? No one could pick up a telephone and call for help? I certainly wasn't there and am unable to comment in an intelligent manner as I am unaware of the facts.
1
To be absolutely clear, this is of course a matter of criminal neglect, a matter beyond any and all excuse. When you are responsible for the lives of others, you must act according to that responsibility. A tragedy, but criminal neglect.
15
It's very sad that a full hospital with power and air conditioning was right across the street and they weren't able to recognize the need to get these people there in time.
17
Shelter in place is not the right approach to the most vulnerable, including seniors. Why weren't they evacuated? Why isn't that mandatory? Surely it would cause the elderly stress to be moved, but what is the answer? When you ask for mandatory evacuations but leave behind your elderly, who is there to take care of them? You put so many lives in danger. Also read that federal prisons left prisoners in their cells as the water rose. We treat animals better than that. Sad world we live in.
8
critical medical facilities at risk in hurricane floods or storms should be required to have diesel generators AND solar power.
solar would guarrantee power for air conditioning during the sunniest part of the day when its hottest.
And solar is getting way cheaper than 1.00 dollar per watt to install.
solar would guarrantee power for air conditioning during the sunniest part of the day when its hottest.
And solar is getting way cheaper than 1.00 dollar per watt to install.
5
What if the sun doesn't come out in the morning? Volcanic activity, low pressure stalled storms etc. They could redirect a waterpark slide through to the hospital during hurricanes to create electricity.
Solar? you do know it was raining and overcast during the storm?
No backup generator in a nursing home or any long-stay Healthcare facility should be a crime. I would be shocked if it isn't.
19
Open the windows? If the windows could not be opened, why not break them? That's what fire departments do in some emergency situations.
2
have you ever BEEN to South Florida?
It is 95 degrees with 90% humidity there 11 months out of the year. I lived there for 30 years. I left because I kept fainting doing the simplest things --
like walking to my car. Turns out I had a heart condition. Had I stayed, I likely would have died of heat exposure.
Opening the windows would probably have made it even worse than it was, if that's possible.
It is 95 degrees with 90% humidity there 11 months out of the year. I lived there for 30 years. I left because I kept fainting doing the simplest things --
like walking to my car. Turns out I had a heart condition. Had I stayed, I likely would have died of heat exposure.
Opening the windows would probably have made it even worse than it was, if that's possible.
1
Do we know that the lack of air conditioning was the likely cause of these deaths. One comment below says it was not that hot that day, and much of the time the AC was off was in the morning. These are highly vulnerable patients and there may be other issues associated with the hurricane that played a part.
Where were the patients' families? You can't just check a loved one into a nursing home and then be done with it. Dania is about ten miles from Hollywood, what did Ms. Mitchell do before the hurricane to make sure her sister would be cared for? These are very difficult circumstances and I extend my condolences to those who lost relatives but we shouldn't expect strangers and institutions to care more about our loved ones than we do.
6
They have a duty of care because they are caregivers.
This comment is terribly insensitive.
This comment is terribly insensitive.
6
Technic Ally - Sorry, I don't think I am being insensitive. Caregivers are human - they have their own families to care for and they don't have the ability to travel to nursing homes through hurricane-level winds. The hospital had to care for its own patients. A terrible tragedy has occurred for many families but that happens during natural disasters. There isn't always a culpable party.
Both my mother and my brother spent the last years of their lives in assisted living facilities in Hollywood, Florida. They were both owned and run by a family that was very committed to the well-being of their residents. The experience of my mother and brother was mostly positive, as far as I could tell. But I could also see the tensions and contradictions for the family doing their best to discharge joint responsibilities -- care for the residents AND run a profitable business. If these had been run instead by a large corporation, with many facilities, guess which way the priority would have tilted. So for everyone who is old, or whose parents are old, or hopes to get old, there's a big question on the table: how do we bring about better options in our own communities?
15
First Senator Claude Pepper, then Representative Henry Waxman made it their special duty to look out for people, especially in nursing homes, which involved a lot of high profile congressional investigations and concerted efforts to clean house and take care of older adults properly. Is anyone in Congress championing the care of older people today, or are they too busy protecting the business-investor end of the nursing home industry?
Republicans yell and scream about government regulations, but we wouldn't need regulations if people would just do the right thing. Nursing homes are like hospitals where the residents are vulnerable and unable to take care of themselves. Hospitals have backup generators sufficient to meet the needs imposed by disasters. Why don't nursing homes?
The nursing home industry is huge in FL. I wonder how well nursing home regulations were enforced under the climate-change denier and star GOP FL governor Rick Scott?
You can tell how much we value our frail older people in this country by how much we pay the nursing home staffs to take care of them.
And as our elderly population is increasing and living longer, now we have Trump, Paul Ryan, and Mitch McConnell trying to gut Medicare and Medicaid. Look at that last GOP health care bill.
We sure can do a whole lot better by our oldest citizens. Who and what are stopping us?
Republicans yell and scream about government regulations, but we wouldn't need regulations if people would just do the right thing. Nursing homes are like hospitals where the residents are vulnerable and unable to take care of themselves. Hospitals have backup generators sufficient to meet the needs imposed by disasters. Why don't nursing homes?
The nursing home industry is huge in FL. I wonder how well nursing home regulations were enforced under the climate-change denier and star GOP FL governor Rick Scott?
You can tell how much we value our frail older people in this country by how much we pay the nursing home staffs to take care of them.
And as our elderly population is increasing and living longer, now we have Trump, Paul Ryan, and Mitch McConnell trying to gut Medicare and Medicaid. Look at that last GOP health care bill.
We sure can do a whole lot better by our oldest citizens. Who and what are stopping us?
12
Bernie Sanders.
The GOP, and their state governors, congressional members, senators, corrupt judges, Doofus Trump ...
And the portion of the country that elect them.
And the portion of the country that elect them.
2
Call, email, fax your representative and senators.
Make sure they hear you.
This may be the time they hear us - due to higher visibility.
Make sure they hear you.
This may be the time they hear us - due to higher visibility.
According to the latest news media accounts 6 residents have died. That's too many in a short amount of time. This need more investigation by police in that patients never die at the same time in a short period of time. Some criminal behavior seems more plausible! Tragic.
1
Nelson -- the criminal behavior was keeping elderly patients whose health was already compromised in a building that was sweltering due to lack of air conditioning. There is no mystery as to what the "criminal behavior" was.
What, if they believed and climate change and had solar power on rooftop?
It's a sunshine state after all.
It's a sunshine state after all.
46
Solar power creates electric current which is transmitted by wires.
Water will short wires every time.
Water will short wires every time.
1
Probably much of the belief contains the interests of the behemoth utilities who want to ensure continued profits as solar comes on-line. Their opposition to net metering and other aspects of residences and businesses going solar has kept going solar too costly.
With the victory described below, solar in FL should be going gang busters but the hurricane most likely will slow that to a crawl. The need to get back to normal fast isn't conducive to change and the costs of repair will likely wipe out anyone's reserve to install solar.
Maybe if FEMA provided a TAX credit or other financial incentive the rebuilding could catapult FL into solar stardom.
11/2016
Florida’s utility industry steered more than $20 million of their profits into a failed constitutional amendment to impose new barriers to the expansion of rooftop solar energy generation, but developers say that as the cost of installing solar panels drops, the state could quickly become a leader in private solar energy expansion no matter what the energy giants do.
Read more here: http://www.miamiherald.com/news/politics-government/election/article1143...
With the victory described below, solar in FL should be going gang busters but the hurricane most likely will slow that to a crawl. The need to get back to normal fast isn't conducive to change and the costs of repair will likely wipe out anyone's reserve to install solar.
Maybe if FEMA provided a TAX credit or other financial incentive the rebuilding could catapult FL into solar stardom.
11/2016
Florida’s utility industry steered more than $20 million of their profits into a failed constitutional amendment to impose new barriers to the expansion of rooftop solar energy generation, but developers say that as the cost of installing solar panels drops, the state could quickly become a leader in private solar energy expansion no matter what the energy giants do.
Read more here: http://www.miamiherald.com/news/politics-government/election/article1143...
2
Conservatives demand that planned parenthood clinics have facilities that meet hospital standards with many seniors voting straight republican. And yet we still allow nursing homes to operate in substandard conditions and recive billions in Medicaid funding. The profit motive, Americas first amendment.
384
Excellent comment!!!
I met to say operate without a backup generator or source of power
5
Generator operates on gas.
Since there is always a run on gas stations, that means the nursing home would have to keep a hundred gallons of gas in reserve on site.
They'll really have to enforce that no smoking policy.
Since there is always a run on gas stations, that means the nursing home would have to keep a hundred gallons of gas in reserve on site.
They'll really have to enforce that no smoking policy.
2
To own and operate a hospital,nursing home or facility intended to care for the vulnerable among us is criminal. This is on the regulators in Florida as well as the owners and operators. The purpose of government is to protect those who are unable to protect themselves. Florida failed
18
You could not be more wrong, Slow. The purpose of government is to enable businesses to make profits even if they do it at the expense of those unable to protect themselves.
Liz, I expect my government to enact and enforce laws to protect my life... this is what we get from the constitution.
Beyond any and all excuse, this was needless and is terrifying.
12
The air conditioning wasn't working. Some people died. There have been no autopsies. Was there dehydration? Heat stroke? Stress from the tumult? With a power failure, lots more than air conditioning is lost. The case seems to be decided before any investigation has occurred.
13
The very frail/nursing-home-bound elderly are particularly prone to heat exhaustion. Their homeostatic mechanisms are very prone to heat stroke, irrespective of hydration-status. People of this age with infirmities and burden of illness like diabetes, obesity, previous stroke or other brain diseases and needing diuretics and other medications are especially likely to experience heat stroke. The symptoms of heat-stroke are difficult to recognize in the demented-elderly - they're already confused, and they're not thirsty, and they don't sweat anyway as warning-signs. For them it's insidious and it's deadly. And it's unsurprising - look at the deaths in Chicago during a heat-wave some years ago.
4
The maximum temperature in Hollywood, Florida today is 89 according to google. Perhaps the best back up system would be old fashioned operable windows with a very big attic fan as the back up system for staying cool. Moving air and damp clothes provide immediate cooling for frail people. It is very sad that residents had to die of the heat which was probably much higher inside than outside.
27
You need to take the current high relative humidity into consideration. Damp clothes won't make you cooler if the water won't evaporate because the surrounding air is already 100% saturated with water vapor. Also, many seniors take drugs with anticholinergic properties, decreasing their ability to sweat, which declines with age in the first place. That's why seniors are at much higher risk for heat stroke and heat exhaustion during heat waves.
7
I have been care giving for my sister and in-laws over the last several years, and I encourage all of you to be forewarned about the ability of nursing home staffs to manage emergencies. They are barely staffed to take care of routine business. I am speaking of the small group homes. I am sure the large facilities are much better equipped. That said, many are in small group homes.
25
The large ones aren't any better. They are understaffed as well.
2
No assumption should be made that bigger skilled or long term care centers are any better. Your point of barely having acceptable staffing quota on a good day is exactly correct.
3
Something for everyone with an older relative to keep in mind. You can't take reassurances - which probably were offered to families - at face value.
12
Dehydration? That seems unlikely to have occurred just as a result of an air conditioner being out.
12
People sweat as a way to cool the body. The fluids lost to perspiration need to be replenished. Unfortunately, it can be hard to force an elderly person to drink extra water and that can lead to dehydration in as few as 8 hours.
2
Sweating causes dehydration. What's the humidity in Michigan today? It's probably 90% in Florida.
2
it's ALWAYS 90% humidity in Florida.
Why don't the regulations call for permanent whole-facility generators to be in place and well maintained?
For roughly the cost to keep a resident in one of those places a month, a whole-house Generac generator for a medium sized home can be fully installed. I know, because I have had one for 5 years. My maximum outage time has been roughly 30 seconds.
Now, clearly to get one which is large enough to handle such a facility would be larger, and perhaps should be water cooled (more durability and longevity) and more expensive than air cooled like mine -- but given the cash flow that such a facility housing hundreds of residents commands, the cost would be relatively trivial.
So what happens in FLORIDA if they lose power or A/C unexpectedly on a 100 degree day? They call for A/C service. If it can't be rapidly fixed, they call for a rental unit to be transported and started. And the patients swelter and perhaps sicken or die for perhaps many hours or days while this occurs?
This sounds like a disaster waiting to happen.
I had my father in such a place to die in KY for 3+ months. It's obvious that it's all about maximizing profit and providing whatever care they absolutely have to. There is a constant battle between concerned family and the administrative staff over the level and quality of care -- at least in many such places.
The owners of many such facilities have a phalanx of lawyers and lobbyists which fight any regulation tooth and nail.
For roughly the cost to keep a resident in one of those places a month, a whole-house Generac generator for a medium sized home can be fully installed. I know, because I have had one for 5 years. My maximum outage time has been roughly 30 seconds.
Now, clearly to get one which is large enough to handle such a facility would be larger, and perhaps should be water cooled (more durability and longevity) and more expensive than air cooled like mine -- but given the cash flow that such a facility housing hundreds of residents commands, the cost would be relatively trivial.
So what happens in FLORIDA if they lose power or A/C unexpectedly on a 100 degree day? They call for A/C service. If it can't be rapidly fixed, they call for a rental unit to be transported and started. And the patients swelter and perhaps sicken or die for perhaps many hours or days while this occurs?
This sounds like a disaster waiting to happen.
I had my father in such a place to die in KY for 3+ months. It's obvious that it's all about maximizing profit and providing whatever care they absolutely have to. There is a constant battle between concerned family and the administrative staff over the level and quality of care -- at least in many such places.
The owners of many such facilities have a phalanx of lawyers and lobbyists which fight any regulation tooth and nail.
17
Generators are not the solution - they run out of fuel in a prolonged outage - everyone knows this. See NY City's climate adaptation plan and assessment of Sandy.
1
Generators remain the solution. 72 hours is plenty of time to either refuel, restore power, or evacuate a facility. They are still required for facilities such as this.
Environmental comfort of these elderly residents was also required. In the end there should be negligence claims made against this nursing home. Staff should have been present to respond to any problems. Totally inexcusable what happened.
Environmental comfort of these elderly residents was also required. In the end there should be negligence claims made against this nursing home. Staff should have been present to respond to any problems. Totally inexcusable what happened.
1
@Loy, calling names and taunting other readers is not productive, does not advance discussion.
We were promised more civility in comment moderation this summer - where is it?
We were promised more civility in comment moderation this summer - where is it?
Lots of armchair critics in these posts. The event described in this story is tragic. However, Irma was an extraordinary event. There is not enough information about the situation at the nursing home for any of us casual readers to render judgement. Nursing home care is expensive. If we are going to have perfect outcomes for all risk contingencies, then we will need to pay a lot more as a society for eldercare than we have shown a willingness to pay. In my opinion, this is not the time to talk about tax cuts.
41
Providing water and cooling procedures to frail elderly people in a hot and humid state hardly seems a "perfect outcome." It seems more like the bare minimum for perpetuating life, and the least one should expect an expensive care center to provide. Should we pay more? Examine the profit margins and scamming of tax dollars typical of these facilities. They charge whatever the heck they want and deliver as little as possible. Glasses of water and fans don't cost a thing. Those evacuated and being treated for "dehydration, heat exhaustion, and severe respiratory conditions" are evidence enough that something is terribly wrong here.
7
Agreed. Not to mention many of these people are already in deplorable condition. Only the sickest usually end up in these places. Reasonably healthy elderly do not live in a nursing home.
1
@Leonora: you are in for a very, VERY bad surprise in about 10-15 years. Your health will fail and without adult children....who will care for you? Paid help? they will rob you blind.
You will eventually break a hip -- yes, even if you are slim and healthy today! -- in fact, SLENDER white women have the highest rates of hip fractures (look it up!). And then it's off to the hospital and rehab for 3 months or more...and then into a nursing home, as you will not be able to bathe, dress, cook or take basic care of yourself.
I hope you have LOTS of money, because the more you can spend on a "fancy" nursing home, the better your care will be.
But you will most definitely end up in a nursing home.
You will eventually break a hip -- yes, even if you are slim and healthy today! -- in fact, SLENDER white women have the highest rates of hip fractures (look it up!). And then it's off to the hospital and rehab for 3 months or more...and then into a nursing home, as you will not be able to bathe, dress, cook or take basic care of yourself.
I hope you have LOTS of money, because the more you can spend on a "fancy" nursing home, the better your care will be.
But you will most definitely end up in a nursing home.
2
This article did not give the information on exactly what condition these people were before the hurricane. People die even in nursing homes in ideal weather conditions. We should wait until the investigation has been completed before passing judgement as.
11
Not hard to imagine that they were elderly and frail and were suffering in those conditions. If they evacuated all of the remaining residents then the place was not inhabitable.
1
These unprecedented climate events are further proof of Darwin's theory of evolution - survival of the fittest including the richest.
There is no dispute that in general the elderly are more vulnerable to being left behind due to their physical limitations and in many cases their cognitive functioning. Nursing homes, assisted living facilities are sites with concentrated numbers of infirm elderly.
Federal, state and local emergency planners need to do a better job maintaining contact with such facilities during mass evacuation events and checking on facilities with residents who could not be evacuated.
This story plus the one reported the other day of seniors abandoned who were luckily found and brought to a local college auditorium for safety are unconscionable in the wealthiest country in the world.
Resource response, rescue and recovery triage must prioritize facilities with infirm and elderly rather than relying on facility management to self report.
Also if individuals and facilities don't evacuate during a mandatory order then there needs to be a registry for them to report their decision to stay before the storm hits. I understand that every square inch of affected land needs to be searched but less time and resources could be devoted to those areas and redirected toward helping the less fortunate, mobile, etc.
I recognize none of this is easy and perhaps it is rocket science but as a compassionate society reports such as these should become extinct.
There is no dispute that in general the elderly are more vulnerable to being left behind due to their physical limitations and in many cases their cognitive functioning. Nursing homes, assisted living facilities are sites with concentrated numbers of infirm elderly.
Federal, state and local emergency planners need to do a better job maintaining contact with such facilities during mass evacuation events and checking on facilities with residents who could not be evacuated.
This story plus the one reported the other day of seniors abandoned who were luckily found and brought to a local college auditorium for safety are unconscionable in the wealthiest country in the world.
Resource response, rescue and recovery triage must prioritize facilities with infirm and elderly rather than relying on facility management to self report.
Also if individuals and facilities don't evacuate during a mandatory order then there needs to be a registry for them to report their decision to stay before the storm hits. I understand that every square inch of affected land needs to be searched but less time and resources could be devoted to those areas and redirected toward helping the less fortunate, mobile, etc.
I recognize none of this is easy and perhaps it is rocket science but as a compassionate society reports such as these should become extinct.
3
I think it's easy to point fingers at these nursing home companies, but there's been examples of bad things that have happened both when people failed to evacuate- St. Rita's Nursing Home and Memorial Medical Center during Katrina-
and when people did- 24 dead in nursing home bus fire during Rita.
With the unknowns that come with trying to predict paths during hurricanes, it's unfair to fault hospital administrators for making the wrong decision when it comes to evacuating nursing home patients.
and when people did- 24 dead in nursing home bus fire during Rita.
With the unknowns that come with trying to predict paths during hurricanes, it's unfair to fault hospital administrators for making the wrong decision when it comes to evacuating nursing home patients.
67
If you don't fault the administrators, then who? It is their responsibility to provide that care and it was their decisions that cost the lives of people in their care. Caring for the elderly during emergencies is difficult, but not impossible. Everyone can see what is necessary but they just decide not to take those extra precautions. The people who died in St Rita's nursing home and Memorial Hospital in New Orleans died from extreme negligence and self justified malice. Those in bus died from careless negligence. The bus they were travelling in was poorly maintained with an unqualified driver.
6
They should have had a protocol in place to ensure proper care in the event of a hurricane or other disaster and a prolonged power outage. Back-up generator, enough food and water for a few weeks and maintaining essential staffing levels by having staff stay at the faciility, so they don't have to worry about getting gas. This is neglect.
3
There is a hospital 800 yards from this facility. How does anyone working at the nursing home justify not making a call, or walk, to seek help for these unfortunate residents? Especially when the tragedy of 24 residents dying during Katrina?
6
Electric utilities have fought undergrounding of their lines tooth and nail for years. And every time we have a mid major storm, it takes weeks to restore the overhead lines. At what point will the people say enough of this stonewalling. Either storm-proof your transmission and distribution system, or provide full-sized backup generators for each customer. Electricity supply is an essential in today's society.
40
New York buried theirs after the Blizzard of 1888 brought down many or most of the telegraph lines. New York learned the lesson that seems never to be learned elsewhere and commenced the process of burying the lines the first time they were brought down. Hasn't the cost of rebuilding the things several times in in our country's storm-prone areas over the decades approached or exceeded what it would have cost to bury them the first or second time a severe storm came?
3
Oh dear -- I work for a major utility. Do you have any idea what it costs to put a transmission line underground? Millions of dollars for a short stretch. You paying for that?
Some communities do require UG distribution. Even so -- a friend just paid $27,000 across their back yard. You ponying up for that?
Some communities do require UG distribution. Even so -- a friend just paid $27,000 across their back yard. You ponying up for that?
2
That's a perfect example of infrastructure improvement that could and should be taxpayer-supported. It would provide a public good that would eventually save astronomical amounts of money in lost business -- and on many occasions, it would also save lives.
Although it might not have helped in this case where power may not have been the issue, situations like these could be avoided with roof-top solar and battery back-up. The electrical distribution system is the weakest infrastructure link - power lines come down before other sorts of damage. In addition to the obvious benefit of reducing CO2 emissions, solar can be extremely valuable as emergency back-up. Seems like a no-brainer in the "sunshine state".
8
I would be interested to know how rooftop solar panels would fare in a category 5 hurricane. If they would just fly off in the wind, that wouldn't help anything. But maybe they would fare better than power lines? NYT it would be great to see a piece on this.
3
They still need to bury the lines in storm prone areas. The solar panels, especially if one the roof, would very possibly end up as part of the debris.
High winds? Oops, there go your expensive solar panels.
1
How long before we understand that places like Florida are exactly the kinds of places that should be mostly solar, and each neighborhood, or facility have its own solar sources and back up batteries/generators? Even with wind damage to panels, the back up sources would have saved lives and could be saving them now.
19
There is something macabre about this story, and it has more to do with the practice of storing the elderly away in refrigerated warehouses, and the only thing keeping them alive is the AC. That is not exactly my ideal for old age.
47
It would be better for them to be in a location where they don't have to rely on a/c, but then winter heating issues occur.
3
Hope you have kids, they have a spare bedroom, and are willing to change your diapers.
2
Well if that's not your idea: I suggest serious continued uninterrupted to the folloiwng beginning as young as possible -- low weight, adequate excercise, ketogenic or STRICT Mediterranean diet, no drugs or alcohol, low stress, adequate sleep just to start with. And then sir -- you probably will not end up like those folks unless you have super excellent genetics.
But most people are living such sloppy, careless, lives that even the best genetics don't help.
Your lifestyle is probably 80% of your destiny.
But most people are living such sloppy, careless, lives that even the best genetics don't help.
Your lifestyle is probably 80% of your destiny.
Perhaps, instead of spending their time passing stand-your-ground laws and stamping out any mention of climate change, the Republican legislature and governor could have made sure that these, mostly for profit, nursing homes were adequately regulated, and that they were inspected to insure compliance? Perhaps all utility companies could have been required to have a plan in place for care facilities? But, no, Republican politicians have other priorities.
48
Gov. Scott is an old for-profit healthcare administrator. There is no way he is going to regulate his buddies in for-profit healthcare. Thank the bible-thumping rubes in cental/northern and rural FL for putting the greedy GOP in power. The state government doesn't provide appropriate oversight, but hey--they have no income tax.
1
Healthcare for profit is the larger problem. Facilities will cut costs by reducing services, hiring at minimum wage and not doing anything beyond what is a regulatory requirement. Preparing for emergencies and practicing the evacuation of fragile residents is not profitable. Compound the issue with low Medicare/Medicaid reimbursement rates and facility management has no incentive to change.
How about publishing the salaries of residential care corporation CEOs?
How about publishing the salaries of residential care corporation CEOs?
33
This was so obvious in coming. I actually had this exact discussion with my wife two days ago. We were talking about how relatively few people died in the hurricane, but power outage was widespread. I looked at the forecast and as soon as I saw 90's I said the older people in the nursing homes will be dropping like flies. No joy in predicting this. This was totally preventable.
24
"Roughly 160 nursing homes in Florida remained without commercial power on Wednesday morning, according to the state’s tracking system. MOST of those nursing homes lacked a generator that could run air conditioning."
If the above is true, then this episode of 5 dying will just be the beginning in Florida's hot weather.
If the above is true, then this episode of 5 dying will just be the beginning in Florida's hot weather.
182
Basically this is America's equivalent of Grenfell in London.
It would take a MASSIVE generator to run AC in a large building; should nursing homes install the (and double their monthly fees) so they are ready for the once in a hundred years storm?
Power goes out pretty often in big storms. FL gets hit with big storms all of the time. The power may go out only for a day or a few days so the generator only requires fuel for maybe a week.
Buildings that are considered critical are required to have backup power systems. The backup power systems don't have to run everything. They can run just the lights and certain wall outlets meant for medical equipment and critical IT/communications systems. In the case of a medical facility, I would think being able to run at least the circulation fans in the building would be necessary.
Buildings that are considered critical are required to have backup power systems. The backup power systems don't have to run everything. They can run just the lights and certain wall outlets meant for medical equipment and critical IT/communications systems. In the case of a medical facility, I would think being able to run at least the circulation fans in the building would be necessary.
What was the interior temp? Did the windows not open? Was no one on duty when the interior temp was going up? to open the windows? Is there no ide in Miami? Ice baths and ice water? Are all of the deaths heat-related? dehydration? What was the health statue of the people who died? Did they develop a "fever?"
I don't understand why 1} windows do not open?? 2) Why there was no one on duty to call for help if the people suffered heart attacks or heat stroke?
More facts please. I know nursing homes don't want nosey volunteer around to report bad conditions such as the terrible food (inedible -- supporting the corps that produce the inedible food including Chobani (bitter yogurt), Yoplait (extra sugar for shur) Pepperidge Farm, whoever makes the watery egg cakes., margarine not butter. Ridiculous -- all of it. Been there in rehab post knee surgery.. NOT whistling Dixie.. Terrible, terrible food.. otherwise not bad.
How much $$ does Medicaid the operator annually?
I don't understand why 1} windows do not open?? 2) Why there was no one on duty to call for help if the people suffered heart attacks or heat stroke?
More facts please. I know nursing homes don't want nosey volunteer around to report bad conditions such as the terrible food (inedible -- supporting the corps that produce the inedible food including Chobani (bitter yogurt), Yoplait (extra sugar for shur) Pepperidge Farm, whoever makes the watery egg cakes., margarine not butter. Ridiculous -- all of it. Been there in rehab post knee surgery.. NOT whistling Dixie.. Terrible, terrible food.. otherwise not bad.
How much $$ does Medicaid the operator annually?
2
I guess it's possible the windows were open but the heat and humidity were so intense it didn't make a difference. Plus the staff are likely younger, so they might not be affected by the heat as much as elderly, frail people. Unfortunately the elderly often aren't actually aware they are overheating due to physiological changes that come with aging, and aging also affects obvious signs of overheating, such as sweating. And if any were cognitively impaired, that also would affect their ability to perceive and communicate discomfort. I'm in Sarasota and on a well system that doesn't work when the power is down because you need power to operate the well pumps. I'm not sure if Miami is similar but if it is, then cool water might not have been coming into the building. What a horrible tragedy this is.
1
"Listen, we should definitely deregulate these places. No need to place an undue burden on companies that do such great and beautiful work. All this regulation just gets in the way of profits for all these wonderful job creators."
OK. He didn't say it, but you know he and the rest of the GOP would be nodding in agreement....
OK. He didn't say it, but you know he and the rest of the GOP would be nodding in agreement....
212
the average cost of a semi private room in a nursing home in 2012 was $81,000 @ year.......................
And I wonder what most of the staff makes. I'm guessing very low pay for very hard and very stressful work, especially since nursing facilities have high turnover. And high turnover guarantees a lack of the institutional memory necessary to keep a complex organization running.
"Believe me"
Under Scott, those on Medicaid including children do not receive adequate care. A Florida newspaper ran a story of dentists dropping poor children as patients because their parent's Medicaid plan paid next to nothing.
It will be interesting to see which Obamacare replacement really does more for patients. The one Mitch is redrafting or the bi-partisan one. We already saw Ryan not only take millions off insurance, but include tax cuts for the wealthy. Mitch's plan wasn't any better. This country is being held hostage by the so-called Freedom Caucus. The only reason they voted for hurricane relief was because many are from Texas.
It will be interesting to see which Obamacare replacement really does more for patients. The one Mitch is redrafting or the bi-partisan one. We already saw Ryan not only take millions off insurance, but include tax cuts for the wealthy. Mitch's plan wasn't any better. This country is being held hostage by the so-called Freedom Caucus. The only reason they voted for hurricane relief was because many are from Texas.
158
try to find a dentist in nyc with medicaid you will get the same result
1
A number of Texan congressmen voted against hurricane relief. You give them WAY too much credit.
1
NYS has a program that helps poor children get medical attention. It's called Child Care Plus a children's Medicaid program. Florida does not!!!
The more I read of the death and destruction caused by these disasters, the more angry I get about the lack of concern for the elderly and disabled.
Let's face it- Florida is a swamp, and it's time to rethink whether it makes sense to continue to house such a large population there when hurricanes are routine.
Let's face it- Florida is a swamp, and it's time to rethink whether it makes sense to continue to house such a large population there when hurricanes are routine.
155
Pretty short sighted. Elderly need to be "housed" close to family and ideally with as much contact with the people and world they knew when younger. Attempting to move them to a place with less hurricanes may solve one tiny problem and exacerbate many others. Incidentally, many prison facilities have done the same thing, moving prisoners to far away places, and this solution is terrible for families.
1
Is that what we are doing? I was thinking that Florida residents moved there themselves. I didn't know they were shipped there to be housed.
1
I'm hoping the state disappears like Atlantis.
If you look at what the state of Florida provides in the way of Medicaid payments to nursing homes, you will see there is barely enough to provide adequate care in normal times, much less in an emergency...
183
We have a similar situation in Massachusetts where the Commonwealth does not provide a survivable payment schedule to nursing homes and legislators are trying to trim the biggest item in the budget.
6
Medicaid payments? Who cares?
A terrible tragedy. My father received excellent care at this facility-- Hollywood Hills Rehab -- over the years until he moved north in 2013. This nursing home is next door to Memorial Regional Hospital, which likewise provides excellent geriatric care. Did the nursing home ownership change? Will this turn out to be a carbon monoxide tragedy? During the years my father lived in 3 different assisted living facilities in the Hollywood, Florida area, I saw horrible abuse and neglect. Lack of staff, lack of training, profit-seeking from owners. I was so relieved to move my father north.
95
The article mentioned ownership change in 2015.
Some patients may be unsuitable for evacuation or transfer, as they may be too sick or weak. There are times where a healthcare facility may submit plans to the State Department of Health for approval to shelter in place. I'm wondering if those requirements exist in the state of Florida or for nursing homes. I'm also curious about the response from the State Department of Health after the storm. In my prior experience during a previous storm, I was required to submit information daily to the department of health regarding our facility's status. Again, I wonder what the process was here for ensuring not only hospitals but nursing home facilities had the resources post-storm to safely care for their patients.
52
I checked the weather in Hollywood Florida and it was in the low 90s during the day and high 70s/low 80s during the night. People should not die under such temps. Around the world, people live in far hotter climates and are ok. There are ways to deal with hot weather so this tragedy seems more like a case of neglect. Were the windows not opened to relieve the heat? Were the residents given wet clothes or wiped down with them? AC is not a necessity and lack of it should not kill a person, even an elderly person in 80-90 degrees.
534
Have you ever actually lived in a hot, humid climate without AC? If you are not used to it, it takes a at least a couple of weeks to acclimate to high humidity and temps (and that is with AC). It would be almost impossible for the frail elderly who have been living in an air-conditioned environment to acclimate. Nobody in this country lives in the conditions that are found in Southeast Asia anymore. I am from the South and spent the first half of my life there. However, I never go visit family between May and October unless it is absolutely necessary because the heat and humidity is so oppressive, and I am healthy.
15
While it's true people live well in hotter and wetter conditions around the world, they do not live *to such advanced age* under these conditions. Consider the additional vulnerabilites of the aged: A decreased sensitivity to thirst, making one prone to heat exhaustion or heat stroke; beta-blockers like atenolol which work beautifully against hypertension, but work against the body trying to cope with heat stressors; diuretics like Lasix which rob the body of needed fluids when a heat emergency is upon them; dementia, which can make it hard for the elder to identify to another her distress. I could go on.
Haven't you noticed that when a "heat wave" like an average Texas summer reaches Europe, the residents there drop like flies? It all depends on what the body is used to.
Haven't you noticed that when a "heat wave" like an average Texas summer reaches Europe, the residents there drop like flies? It all depends on what the body is used to.
21
There may be others in other countries who tolerate this level of heat, however, I, as a physician, can tell you that the elderly (and the very young) are very poor at thermoregulating. They also have a diminished capacity to sense thirst and frequently don't drink enough, leading to dehydration and increasing the risk of heat stroke. The very young and the very elderly are vulnerable populations. And in normally hot areas of the world, there is gradual acclimation to the extreme climate - something that the elderly, kept in air conditioning, would have trouble doing in the best of circumstances.
63
Many owners of these Nursing Homes care only for the bottom line, profit. It's a no brainer in FL that reliable alternative power sources be secured for this very vulnerable population. Of course this involves money that cuts into their profit. Even with strict regulations these owners are able to get away with shabby practices.
54
Does any of the responsibility fall on the family that should check out these people before they send their family members there?
To Mark, Sadly, some of these people probably have no family.
2
Why wasn't a staff member on duty all night?
Privatized nursing homes + privatized prisons = a license to abuse people who have nowhere else to go.
Privatized nursing homes + privatized prisons = a license to abuse people who have nowhere else to go.
117
Have you heard that there was a hurricane? Who are you blaming, exactly? Do you think there might be some reasons for staff not getting to work? Don't start blaming before you know the full story.
1
Congrats to Governor Rick Scott for his achievements.
President Trump should send the governor a "Nice work, Scotty" tweet.
I wish I could be on the jury that finds the nursing home guilty of causing the deaths of these people.
I'd vote the families a gazillion dollar judgement.
President Trump should send the governor a "Nice work, Scotty" tweet.
I wish I could be on the jury that finds the nursing home guilty of causing the deaths of these people.
I'd vote the families a gazillion dollar judgement.
46
Can't say what really happened here, but the families are free to demand that a facility show them their emergency operations plans before a loved one goes in. Florida went for the great Orange Deregulator in the last election. If you aren't going to give regulators a strong hand over these facilities, the free market will do what it does: respond to consumer demand for the cheapest price possible for the service, which means if not corner cutting, as least not goodies like big backup generators and gleaming buses waiting to evacuate people at all times. I say Floridians have been making their own beds on this kind of thing. When you disdain taxes and regulation, you can't even enforce good rules if you have them, because that takes resources also. The nursing home may have been out of business for charging more if it added safety features others don't have to purchase. Thankfully, the emergency management geeks have so far successfully kept all nursing homes out of the Keys. But their experts and we should not be paying attention to them unless they are on reality TV, right?
1
Unbelievable. Are we a third world country? (well, I know we have a 7th grade schoolyard bully for a president, but other than that...)
246
Of course. Let's pretend this is a Trump issue. Get a clue. This has been going on for many decades, and is supported by both sides of the political aisle, due to massive lobbies working for the owners of such places.
1
Yes
You, sir, just managed to insult Seventh Grade Schoolyard Bullies.
2
To happen in such a wealthy country is catastrophic. How can life be so cheap?
45
The country may be wealthy but the people ain't. Almost 15% living below the poverty line. But the politicians are working hard, dutifully showing up at disasters to kiss the little babies.
6
wealthy country? who are you kidding? half the country makes
$30,000 or less. 14% of our wealthy country live below poverty line. it s wealthy for 1%
$30,000 or less. 14% of our wealthy country live below poverty line. it s wealthy for 1%
2
Ask the Republicans.
1
Backup Generators powerful enough to run at least a few A/C units anyone?
Maybe that should be made mandatory for nursing homes among other things!
Maybe that should be made mandatory for nursing homes among other things!
25
Tragic, but people die in nursing homes every day in every part of the United States. We need to know the frequency of deaths at this particular nursing home. One per week? One per month? These deaths lmost certainly were hastened by extreme heat, but need base-line data.
21
Your statistical analysis seems to lack something...oh, could it be compassion? Would you be cool with having your death or a loved one's death hastened by extreme heat? The "Oh well, they are going to die anyway" argument is really rather appalling.
U.S.
Baltimore Officers Will Face No Federal Charges in Death of Freddie Gray
By REBECCA R. RUIZ SEPT. 12, 2017
No person in power in America is ever held accountable for her or his crimes.
Baltimore Officers Will Face No Federal Charges in Death of Freddie Gray
By REBECCA R. RUIZ SEPT. 12, 2017
No person in power in America is ever held accountable for her or his crimes.
36
Wow. I'm sure these homes don't have problems when it comes to fee/rent collection; it's just so difficult to plan and deliver services to clients, right?
121
This is tragic. My hearts go out to these people and their families. I can also imagine how difficult it is right now for the staff at these facilities trying to ensure the safety and proper care of the fragile elderly residents.
10
Regular homes often have back up generators. Wouldn't it be REQUIRED for a nursing home in Florida (of all places for power outages) have such a thing as well?!
98
Regular homes have generators?
1
Yes, Dickey. If you live somewhere where storms like this are possible, your home should have a back-up generator and I know many who do.
It had one, but a fuse was missing that they needed to get from the power company, and that organization did not make it a priority to get it delivered. Then the hurricane hit and it was too late.
It is so difficult to move (evacuate) the elderly from these facilities, and in many ways creates greater stress and risk that many would not survive the ordeal. Best to keep them in place, sheltered and ensure back up power systems are operational and sustainable.
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This was entirely preventable if the feds or states had regs requiring them to have emergency AC systems or contract with a company that provides it. Also a natural gas or propane powered back up electrical generators (that can also take gasoline too) at all assisted living and skilled nursing (nursing home) facilities. It is not a big cost. Those types of back ups will work for 95% of all places.
If no natural gas line is there, use a propane tank. If that is not possible, have one run on gasoline. If those are not possible: solar with battery back up for night for critical systems only like AC and life support.
Also regs preventing these facilities (they are hospital like facilities and rarely “homes”) from being located in flood or coastal areas prone to storm and sea level rise or landslide areas.
If no natural gas line is there, use a propane tank. If that is not possible, have one run on gasoline. If those are not possible: solar with battery back up for night for critical systems only like AC and life support.
Also regs preventing these facilities (they are hospital like facilities and rarely “homes”) from being located in flood or coastal areas prone to storm and sea level rise or landslide areas.
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Florida's nickname is the Sunshine State. One day its hospitals and care facilities will have solar panels and storage batteries that will power essential things like refrigeration, lighting, and air conditioning. People will read this article in an archive and think of it the way we do when reading about bleeding patients to relieve fevers.
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And one day, these facilities will have what's known as "gas generators." Oh wait...I suppose the A/C can still break.
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Unfortunately, storage batteries to cover that much power would weight more than 50 tons, be expensive and only work for about 3 days without running the A/C--plus batteries only last for about 10 years. (ball park numbers) A gas generator could be installed for about 20K to 30K and cover the whole the needs for such a facility.
Wonderful response!
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And yet according to Anne Coulter, they died of boredom.
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The administrators were too bored to provide appropriate care.
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Seems like nursing homes should be required to have generators large enough to power air conditioning, no matter where they are located. Certain basic things should be required in nursing homes: fire extinguishers, sprinklers, air conditioning, generators ...
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No fuel - no generator.
Interesting how in Africa and Latin America, and in Asia, folks do not need all that... would it be that building codes are made to build for the weather? Besides, these facilities are in bad shape as nobody wants to pay for the care of the elderly. Better care would mean either more taxes, or better redistribution of where the government spends its money.
@Yoandel - Have you ever lived in any of these places? Do you know what living conditions are like in many of them? Do you know what life expectancy is? When I lived in Africa, anyone who made it into their 60s was considered elderly and someone in their 70s or 80s was a miracle and considered a village celebrity. Was air conditioning necessary? Depends on what you mean by necessary--people were pretty acclimated to the weather conditions and homes were generally very open. But the heat was a big problem for many people and life pretty much shut down in the middle of the day because of the heat. Where I taught we had no classes between noon and 3 p.m. A different schedule is not all bad, but it's ridiculous to think that extreme conditions don't cause problems.
These unfortunate deaths are just a symptom of the sad state of nursing home residents. These poor souls - who once were strong and healthy members of society - have turned into nothing more than helpless human cargo that are being wearhoused in weigh stations between life and death.
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I believe weigh stations are for the those facilities charging by the pound, and that while way stations may have scales on site they are not used in the pricing matrix.
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It is indeed terribly sad. Nursing homes exist, unfortunately, because we as a society have no real means of caring for our elderly once illness or disability render them unable to care for themselves. With the exception of the very wealthy, who have the means to select outstanding facilities or vet and hire qualified nurses to care for their loved ones at home, most Americans do not have the means or the ability to care for their very frail, very sick elderly family members themselves. Most people cannot afford to give up their jobs to do this work, do not have homes that have the space or features the elderly may require to live safely, or simply cannot manage a family member with, say, dementia. I know: it happened to one of my great-aunts. Her husband tried to keep her at home at first, but eventually the disease progressed to the point that it became impossible, even with the near-daily help of his daughter. She ended up at a nursing home in Florida, near her other daughter, because the nursing homes that they could afford in New York State were all appalling dumps. The one in Florida was apparently nicer and offered better care than what she would have gotten for the same price at a place in the tri-state area. These are the choices families are faced with every day.
But it's still devastating to have to put a loved one in a nursing home, no matter how necessary it might be. Just driving into the parking lots of some of these places makes one cry.
But it's still devastating to have to put a loved one in a nursing home, no matter how necessary it might be. Just driving into the parking lots of some of these places makes one cry.
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Yup. And the human cargo isn't even given the option of choosing a painless exit under some formal process to ensure they give their consent. The same kind of exit we choose for our house pets.
The conditions in what are supposedly the "good" places can be terrible. The biggest problem is they fight to provide as little staffing as possible -- and the people who make the laws and regulations don't require much staff.
If we're not going to be willing to pay to treat them decently -- and given the aging population, that seems highly unlikely -- then we are at least morally required to provide people the CHOICE, if they want, of a much better alternative (IMO) than lingering in one of those hellholes with poor treatment, mostly uncaring staff at low wages, etc.
The conditions in what are supposedly the "good" places can be terrible. The biggest problem is they fight to provide as little staffing as possible -- and the people who make the laws and regulations don't require much staff.
If we're not going to be willing to pay to treat them decently -- and given the aging population, that seems highly unlikely -- then we are at least morally required to provide people the CHOICE, if they want, of a much better alternative (IMO) than lingering in one of those hellholes with poor treatment, mostly uncaring staff at low wages, etc.
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Profit uber alles. The American way right now.
Unenforced or absent regulations allow this kind of abuse. It seems clear that the employees did all they could to try to help the patients. As always it is the greedy owners who break the rules.
Does the owner of these "warehouses for the unimportant aged" live in Florida? Did he/she fly out on their own plane to a "safer" place? Are they friends with the corrupt governor?
The Good People of Florida, who might just find themselves being "put" into one of these facilities by their children or guardians had better find out the answers to WHY this happened and fix it. NOW is the time.
Unenforced or absent regulations allow this kind of abuse. It seems clear that the employees did all they could to try to help the patients. As always it is the greedy owners who break the rules.
Does the owner of these "warehouses for the unimportant aged" live in Florida? Did he/she fly out on their own plane to a "safer" place? Are they friends with the corrupt governor?
The Good People of Florida, who might just find themselves being "put" into one of these facilities by their children or guardians had better find out the answers to WHY this happened and fix it. NOW is the time.
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While there may be some callous people out there, most Americans don't just "put" their frail loved ones into these facilities without experiencing much distress and hand-wringing in the process. I can guarantee you that the majority of people are not cavalier when it comes to this difficult choice for their sick, elderly family members. It's a wrenching one, and it's usually made after all other options have been exhausted.
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Flashback Katrina
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I never understood why hospitals and nursing homes aren't routinely evacuated before climate events. These are among the most vulnerable among us and should be treated with at least the same concern, if not more, when there is an emergency. There is something very wrong about a system that leaves the old and the sick behind while everyone else is fleeing for their lives.
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The decision to evacuate the elderly is a difficult one. The evacuation can kill frail people (as happened in this case to 2 of the residents apparently). If facilities evacuate and a person dies there is outrage. if they do not evacuate and a person dies there is outrage. Managing that risk in an emergency is a weighty responsibility and I feel for all the families and the staff at this nursing home. Like during Katrina - I believe people were doing the best they could do. The frail die because these are extreme situations, and it is very sad. Unless some innovative thinker/planner comes up with a risk-free evacuation plan (that cities and facilities are willing to fund) that can guarantee the safety of every complicated medical and elderly situation then we will continue to lose the frail in these extreme emergencies. NYC did a good job evacuation during Irene and Sandy. Perfection, with zero injury, and zero loss of life, is the ideal but never the reality.
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Where do they take these people when so many of them need special medical equipment, including oxygen, in order to survive?
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Easier said than done. And take them where exactly?
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