By Jeff Wardon, Jr., Assistant Editor

Thirty-six nursing homes and 61 assisted living facilities in Southeast Texas are without power following Hurricane Beryl, affecting over 923,000 CenterPoint customers, according to KHOU 11. Families are concerned about their loved ones in these senior communities. 

One person’s parents that are residents of an assisted living facility were concerned because the unit lacks generators, unlike the community’s nursing home units. They used fans and common areas to stay cool but found it insufficient. Texas law mandates generators for nursing homes but not for assisted living facilities. State emergency officials say they will hold senior facility operators accountable for resident safety. 

Related: Building Senior Care Facilities for Harsh Temperatures

Seniors are especially vulnerable to heat, so keeping these types of facilities cool is critical to keeping residents safe and healthy. But when power outages and emergencies occur, senior care facilities often are left without cooling unless they have backup power.  

Having a generator or backup source of power is ideal for these situations and often required. But given the circumstances, to keep senior care facilities occupants cool during the summer heat, Adelmo Family Care suggests the following tips for residents:  

• Stay sufficiently hydrated. 
• Take cool showers or baths.  If bathing is not an option, use a damp washcloth to cool off. 
• Shut off rooms in order to direct cool air to one room and to conserve the remaining cool air. 
• Use wet cloths or ice packs. 
• Make a trip to a cooling center if possible. 

Jeff Wardon, Jr. is the assistant editor for the facilities market.