Storms Reveal Gaps in Protecting Senior Living Facilities

About 50 percent of Texas nursing homes lost power or had burst pipes or water issues

By By Dan Hounsell


The cold winter weather that struck Texas earlier this year created immense problems for healthcare systems already struggling to provide care for COVID-19 patients. But the storms exposed longer-term problems as well.

Winter storm Uri brought power failure and burst water pipes to millions of homes and businesses throughout Texas. But as is often the case in emergencies, the impact was most profound on the state’s most vulnerable, including residents of senior living facilities, according to Kaiser Health News.

Of the state’s 1,200 nursing facilities, about 50 percent lost power or had burst pipes or water issues, and 23 had to be evacuated, said Patty Ducayet, long-term care ombudsman for Texas. Of 2,000 assisted living facilities, about 25 percent had storm-related issues and 47 were evacuated. Some facilities reported building temperatures in the 50s.

The federal government requires nursing homes to maintain safe ambient temperatures but does not stipulate how and does not require generators or other alternative energy sources to run heating and air conditioning systems.



March 12, 2021


Topic Area: Safety


Recent Posts

Healthcare Security: To Arm Or Not To Arm?

Deciding whether or not to hire armed security personnel requires that managers understand a range of critical considerations.


False Alarm at Kansas Hospital Highlights Importance of Alarm System Reliability

After a two-hour search of the hospital and nearby medical facilities, no threat was found.


Integrated Oncology Network Caught Up in Data Breach

The network first learned of the incident on April 11, 2025.


ISSA Introduces Healthcare Platform to Advance Safer, Cleaner Patient Environments

This new resource integrates training, research and cross-sector collaboration to raise care standards and improve patient outcomes.


Third-Party Tracking Settlement is a Compliance Wake-Up Call for Healthcare Facilities Managers

Mount Sinai Health System agrees to a $5.3 million settlement to resolve claims it improperly shared patient data with Facebook through tracking tools.


 
 


FREE Newsletter Signup Form

News & Updates | Webcast Alerts
Building Technologies | & More!

 
 
 


All fields are required. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.