For those who don’t live in Florida at least 11 people died after the results of hurricane Irma in a rehabilitation center that focused among other things nursing care due to heat-related causes.

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This brings a lot of things into question. Including a lot of things about elder care and nursing homes. There are a lot of what would be considered “low quality” nursing homes in Florida. But first, there are a few things that are needed to know before discussing the ethics, government, and business side of things.

Some Things We Know

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The center did not have a proper generator to run air conditioner/or the air conditioner itself was faulty (1,3).

Some of the victims had internal body temperatures exceeding 100 degrees (1).

Department of Health informed the rehabilitation center they should dial 911 if they were in danger (4).

As far as we know the rehabilitation center did not dial 911 (1).

The center-left voicemails to the governor’s cellphone. Employees state they were deleted citing they sent to “proper agency’s” that dealt with what was on the voicemail (1).

Governor has asked for the center to no longer be listed as a Medicaid provider (1).

At least some of the patients there would be considered “low income” (1). (Since people live all around the world and have different views on the meaning “low-income.” Define it as at or below the poverty line for your area that would allow a person to gain government assistance.)

Governor announced new rules requiring nursing homes to have generators with gas for 96 hours that are also inspected by the government with proper ability to power air conditioners among other things (4).

Nursing homes claim that new regulations are unfair and not obtainable within time (2).

It appears the rehabilitation center blames Flower Power and Light for not restoring power fast enough (3).

The hospital was across the street from rehabilitation center (3).

Discussion

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The discussion: ethics, government, and business practices from the information given above.Some possible things to consider or argue. Keep in mind this is not an all-inclusive list just some things to help spark discussion if needed.

Because this center was a Medicaid (low income) should governments force harsher laws and regulations on all nursing homes in an effort to save lives because some did not have the proper funding to be ready?

Should the government have the right to revoke Medicaid from a nursing home due to damage suffered from a hurricane?

Should government employees be allowed to delete things such as voicemails, texts, tweets, and anything else sent to the government? In an effort to clean things or to send them to the proper agency?

With rising temperatures and elderly patient complaining of having health issues. Should a nursing home have sent everyone over to the hospital for medical treatment and monitoring?

Since the hospital is a member of the community and it was across the street from a nursing home without power. Should it have reached out on its own free will to provide assistance and make sure everyone was fine?

From a business and ethical standpoint. What role in the blame do you feel the power company played in not fixing power sooner? if you were a power company and millions of your customers were without power that would you prioritize first?

Since people have in the past lived without air condition and many still do in countries around the world. Is it appropriate for a nursing home to save money by not being able to fully power air conditioning during a power loss?

Should people of lower income have access to lower quality nursing homes if that is all they can afford? Should everyone have the same standard? Should there be a minimum requirement of quality of life in a nursing home even if it puts the price out of reach for many of “low income?”

From a business point of view can a nursing home be ready for every emergency a hurricane throws at them?

Should taxpayers foot the bill for increasing quality of nursing homes for elderly care? Should it have been up to the person to have earned more in their lifetime to afford access to higher quality care in their “golden years?”How much should government spending be spent on someone living in a nursing home per year?

Information

I have written this in an effort to create discussion and even debate on elderly care based on the information given. I know very little about elder care and nursing homes in general. I figured others might be in the same boat as me or extremely knowledge and could give further insight into better understanding of situations such as this.

I have provided citations when needed.

Citation

1. http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2017/09/23/voicemails-from-nursing-home-where-patients-died-deleted-from-florida-governors-phone-report-says.html
2. https://www.nytimes.com/2017/09/16/us/nursing-homes-florida-scott.html
3. http://www.palmbeachpost.com/news/nursing-home-blames-fpl-state-for-deaths-after-hurricane-irma/npJpEyXPzTcnP3biI6ErMI/
4. http://www.flgov.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/AHCA916.pdf

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