A Florida Health Care Association (FHCA) report shows the Sunshine State is setting the standard in protecting elderly patients in large-scale weather events.
The FHCA this week released a 16-page analysis entitled “Emergency Preparedness in Long Term Care.” The detailed review based the findings on how Florida facilities fared during the 2024 hurricane season, when the state was pounded by three massive storms between August and October.
“Maintaining the gold standard in long-term care goes beyond providing quality care day to day,” said FHCA CEO Emmett Reed.
“The gold standard is forged in disaster preparedness and tested with every storm. Through proactive planning and strong partnerships, our centers lead the nation in long term care. We look forward to continued collaboration with providers, officials, and stakeholders to strengthen proven practices and embrace innovations that uphold the highest quality of care for Florida families.
The report pulled in part from three hurricane preparedness roundtables in June between Emergency Management officials, Department of Health officials, leaders with the Agency for Health Care Administration (AHCA), local emergency managers, utility officials and other community and industry heads.
The takeaway was that multiagency and multimunicipal coordination was a key contributor to allow Florida elderly care facilities to protect their patients and handle the emergency events during hurricane season a year ago while keeping all involved safe and protected.
“The work being done to ensure Florida’s long-term care facilities are prepared for emergencies is incredibly important,” said Rep. Jennifer Canady, a Lakeland Republican who worked closely with FHCA and its Central Florida members during the 2024 storm season.
“These meetings highlight the value of collaboration and planning when it comes to protecting our vulnerable seniors and ensuring Florida continues to lead the way in these efforts.”
The report noted that Florida long-term health facilities were particularly skilled at drills to prepare for storms, staff exercises, shelter-in-place and evacuation practice runs, emergency role simulations and trauma-informed care demonstrations.
The analysis also found those facilities excelled during the actual hurricane events last year by providing awareness to emergency officials and their patients.
“Before, during and after a storm, FHCA hosts daily coordination calls with AHCA, the state Division of Emergency Management, utility providers, and other partners to ensure long term care centers are informed and equipped with the necessary resources and support for emergency preparedness, response, and recovery,” the report stated.