By now it’s likely that you, your staff, the residents and their families have seen the incredibly disturbing photo of assisted living residents in Dickinson, TX, sitting in waist-high floodwaters....
Organizational issues to consider in disaster planning
By
Betty Norman
Mar 01, 2013
Just as Hurricane Katrina prompted discussion about emergency preparedness in 2005, Superstorm Sandy has re-ignited talks in the senior living communities about their ability to respond to disasters. When...
Disaster communication: A tale of two mothers-in-law
By
Eleanor Feldman Barbera, Ph.D.
Sep 26, 2017
Both of my mothers-in-law live in long-term care communities in Florida. One lives in a place that was excellent about how they communicated with family members before, during and after Hurricane Irma....
Conducting and documenting meaningful fire drills in LTC facilities
By
Stan Szpytek
Apr 16, 2024
From some of our earliest memories in elementary school as little kids, we all recall participating in fire drills on a periodic basis. Of course, the purpose of those fire drills was to train students,...
Natural gas leak near facility highlights the importance of planning
By
Stan Szpytek
Jul 14, 2021
Incidents like the one that is about to be summarized emphasize the importance of hazard analysis as required by the Center for Medicare & Medicaid Services Emergency Preparedness Rule. Knowing the potential...
Exercising and evaluating CMS emergency preparedness plans
By
Terry Zysk
Nov 02, 2018
You can’t painstakingly document and evaluate during an exercise or emergency, but detailed and comprehensive event logs can provide a great deal of information for evaluation.
Preparing for a hurricane
By
Bruce Baron
Jul 25, 2014
For providers, Hurricane Arthur was a reminder to take another look at your emergency preparedness to ensure your plan is up-to-date and effective.
What’s needed in emergency preparedness
By
Mary Helen McSweeney-Feld
Feb 28, 2014
Emergency preparedness is an evolving issue for long-term care providers. While a recent study by the Office of the Inspector General found that most nursing homes nationwide met federal requirements for...
The elephant in the room: Are you prepared for the next emergency?
By
Angela Rinehart
Norris Cunningham
Sep 30, 2022
Historically, emergency preparedness programs in long-term care facilities have been less prioritized, with facilities understandably focusing on patient care and operations. But with the pandemic...
Fire, rain and the elephant on the 40th floor
By
John O'Connor
Nov 27, 2017
You never know when freak storms or unexpected fires might strike. But you can be sure that if and when one does, angry people will line up to demand that you be held more accountable.