A recent study released that over 600 seniors in nursing homes died as an indirect result of Hurricane Irma in 2017. This study emerged as researchers compiled data to “examine the health outcomes of nearly 62,000 people aged 64 and older in 640 Florida nursing homes.”
Legislative change was prompted in the immediate aftermath of Hurricane Irma when the storm caused the death of a dozen residents at the Rehabilitation Center at Hollywood Hills who were ill-prepared. However, studies of how long-term care residents were affected in the months following the hurricane are also prompting change, particularly in how facilities prepare for storms in the future. For example, facilities are now required to provide measures so residents can withstand storms in their individual rooms, without being transferred to common areas or shared spaces.
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