LESSONS LEARNED FROM HURRICANE-ANDREW - RECOMMENDATIONS FOR CARE OF THE ELDERLY IN LONG-TERM-CARE FACILITIES

We report on the experience of a 500-bed, long-term care facility in M iami, Fla, which provides housing and nursing care units for patients- ranging from those who are independently ambulatory to those who are a cutely ill and feeble-in preparing for, during, and in the immediate a ftermath of Hurricane Andrew, which struck on August 24, 1992. The pro blems encountered included a massive influx of evacuated elderly to th e facility, facility isolation, loss of electrical power, loss of runn ing water, special dietary needs, and limited professional staffing du e to personal property losses or loss of transportation. Overwhelmed c ounty emergency medical services, limited access to hospitals and pati ent care, and difficulty in procuring supplies exacerbated the already complicated situation resulting from the storm. As a result of these catastrophic conditions, a number of challenges specific to the care o f the elderly were identified. In conjunction with the Florida Departm ent of Elder Affairs, we drafted a comprehensive blueprint that could serve as a disaster plan for other long-term care facilities facing a similar threat during the hurricane season.