We all know the panic that can set in when the air conditioner breaks during the summer. But what happens when there’s a heat-related emergency at a nursing home?
For the first time, the Arizona Health Care Association, known as AHCA, which represents the state’s 141 skilled nursing homes, put out a heat mitigation how-to.
David Voepel, CEO of AHCA, says the information has always been out there.
"This just puts it all in one place," he said.
So if the air conditioning goes out, which happened at a couple East Valley facilities when a transformer blew up a few weeks ago: "What do you do? When is it time to evac? Who do you call? Do you call the power company and what do you go through? And it talks through some of those things," he said.
Voepel says evacuation is the worst-case scenario.
"Especially when you have residents who might have behavioral issues, you know, or memory care issues and disturbing them and moving them out of their rooms or out of their, out of their settings can be quite traumatic," he said.
The guide contains information on how to prepare for power outages and staff training on the impact of heat on residents, and was compiled from state and federal resources.
