| Virtual Care and Wearables to Manage Chronic Disease in Long Term Care | <p><img src="/Articles/PublishingImages/2026/wearable.jpg" class="ms-rtePosition-2" alt="" style="margin:5px;width:350px;height:350px;" />Long term and post-acute care has always lived at the intersection of medicine, aging, and daily routine. Every resident brings a unique mix of chronic conditions, personal history, and day-to-day needs. Staff balance clinical complexity with daily schedules, and subtle changes often reveal themselves in small ways long before they become obvious problems. In this environment, catching early signs of decline is both essential and difficult.</p><p>In recent years, virtual care and wearable health devices have opened new possibilities by giving clinicians clearer visibility into residents’ health between visits. For the first time, long term care teams can see trends that were previously invisible: shifts in heart rate, nighttime oxygen levels, mobility patterns, and early signals of physiological stress. These insights offer a path toward more proactive and less crisis-driven care.</p><h3>The Chronic Care Reality in Long Term Care</h3><p>Residents in long term care often live with multiple chronic illnesses such as heart failure, COPD, diabetes, dementia, renal disease, and frailty. These conditions rarely worsen in dramatic episodes. Instead, they progress quietly:<br></p><ul><li>A small change in breathing.</li><li>A few disrupted nights of sleep.</li><li>Less movement or activity.</li><li>Slight agitation or confusion.</li><li>Irregular heart rate patterns.</li></ul><p>These are early signs of decline, but they’re easy to miss when daily routines are full. Historically, the industry has relied on intuition, experience, and routine vitals. Those skills remain indispensable, but they alone can’t cover the growing complexity of residents’ needs.</p><p>Wearables and virtual care don’t replace clinical intuition— they extend it.</p><h3>How Wearables Create Continuous Awareness</h3><p>Modern wearables used in long term care settings are not consumer gadgets. They’re lightweight, discreet, and designed for older adults who may not tolerate bulky devices. They can monitor:<br></p><ul><li>Heart rate and variability.</li><li>Oxygen saturation.</li><li>Sleep cycles.</li><li>Respiratory patterns.</li><li>Steps and mobility.</li><li>Gait changes.</li><li>Restlessness or nighttime wandering.</li><li>Indicators of stress or fatigue.</li></ul><p>The true value isn’t a single reading of the trajectory. A resident may look fine at 8 a.m., but the data from the previous night may tell a different story.</p><p>These devices quietly create a baseline for each resident, allowing clinicians to see when someone is deviating from their normal pattern—often days before symptoms appear.</p><h3>Virtual Care Turns Signals Into Meaningful Action</h3><p>Data doesn’t help unless someone is responsible for interpreting it. Virtual care teams, remote nurses, physicians, and advanced practice providers bridge that gap. They monitor trends, review alerts, and coordinate with on-site staff.</p><p>A typical workflow may look like this:<br></p><ol><li>Residents wear a device that passively collects vital data.</li><li>When the data deviates from baseline, an alert is generated.</li><li>A virtual clinician reviews the trend and confirms whether it’s clinically meaningful.</li><li>The virtual team contacts the facility to gather context.</li><li>If needed, a virtual consultation happens the same day.</li><li>Treatment adjustments, medication changes, hydration, breathing exercises, or closer observation are made quickly.</li></ol><p>This process doesn’t disrupt staff routine; it strengthens it. Instead of scrambling during emergencies, teams can address issues while they’re still manageable.</p><h3>Case Example 1: Preventing a Heart Failure Exacerbation</h3><p>A resident with chronic heart failure begins showing a subtle rise in nighttime heart rate and a gradual drop in mobility over three days. Staff hadn’t noticed major symptoms yet.</p><p>A virtual nurse reviewing the data flags the trend and contacts the facility. After a quick assessment, the provider adjusts the resident’s diuretic dose and orders extra monitoring. Within 24 hours, the resident stabilizes, avoiding what could have been a hospitalization.</p><h3>Case Example 2: Early COPD Detection Before an Emergency</h3><p>A resident with COPD experiences small drops in oxygen saturation overnight, still within “safe” ranges but lower than their personal baseline. The wearable catches the change long before the resident feels short of breath.</p><p>A virtual provider evaluates the pattern, conducts a same-day virtual check, and adjusts inhaler use. The resident improves without needing an ER visit.</p><p>These small interventions add up: fewer transfers, fewer acute episodes, and more predictable care.</p><h3>The Benefits for Long Term Care Providers</h3><p><strong>1.    Fewer Avoidable Hospital Transfers.</strong><br>Early intervention can prevent many common causes of hospitalization fluid overload, infection, respiratory decline, dehydration, and medication complications.</p><p><b>2.    More Stable Workflows.<br></b>Instead of reacting to emergencies, staff can address issues earlier when they are easier to manage.</p><p><b>3.    Better Clinical Documentation.<br></b>Continuous data provides objective evidence for care plans, surveys, and family conversations.</p><p><strong>4.    Stronger Family Confidence.</strong><br>Families appreciate knowing their loved ones are monitored throughout the day and night.</p><p><strong>5.    Support for Staffing Challenges.</strong><br>In periods of staffing shortages, virtual monitoring acts as an extra layer of awareness, reducing the burden on on-site teams.</p><h3>Implementation Challenges and How to Avoid Them</h3><p>Long term care facilities must consider several practical factors when adopting wearables:<br></p><ul><li><strong>Choosing the Right Devices:</strong> Devices must be comfortable, durable, and suitable for older adults including those with cognitive impairment.</li><li><strong>Avoiding Alert Fatigue: </strong>Alerts need to be based on changes from each resident’s baseline, not rigid population-level thresholds.</li><li><strong>Training Staff: </strong>Clear roles are essential so staff know when to escalate concerns and when virtual teams will take the lead.</li><li><strong>Electronic Health Record Compatibility:</strong> Not all systems integrate smoothly; sometimes a middleware or dashboard is necessary.</li><li><strong>Resident Tolerance and Privacy: </strong>Consent, comfort, and respectful use remain central.</li></ul><p>These challenges are manageable with thoughtful planning.</p><h3>A New Model for Proactive Care</h3><p>Long term care has always valued early detection, but until recently, the tools weren’t available to consistently support it. Wearables and virtual monitoring allow teams to shift from a reactive model responding to visible symptoms to a proactive one where subtle changes trigger early action.</p><p>This isn’t about replacing people. It’s about giving clinicians the information they need but didn’t have access to. It allows nurses to intervene earlier. It helps residents stay stable in the place they call home. It reduces stress for staff and supports better clinical outcomes without adding to their daily workload.</p><p><img src="/Articles/PublishingImages/2026/Vaishnavi-Gadve.jpg" alt="Vaishnavi Gadve" class="ms-rtePosition-2" style="margin:5px;" />As chronic disease becomes more complex and resident needs continue to grow, facilities need tools that help them stay ahead, rather than catching up. Virtual care and wearables are not a luxury; they are becoming a foundational part of modern long term care. They help the industry move toward a future where fewer problems escalate, fewer residents experience preventable decline, and more care is delivered before and not after crisis strikes.<br><br><em>Vaishnavi Gadve is a research-driven health care engineer specializing in advanced language models and data-driven clinical decision systems. She works across the full lifecycle of digital health solutions building scalable pipelines, designing intelligent prototypes, and applying predictive modeling to solve real problems in care delivery. She can be contacted at <a href="mailto:vaishnavigadve143@gmail.com" data-feathr-click-track="true" data-feathr-link-aids="60b7cbf17788425491b2d083" target="_blank">vaishnavigadve143@gmail.com</a>.</em></p><p><em><br></em></p><p><em><span style="font-family:aptos, sans-serif;font-size:14.6667px;color:#212121;"></span></em></p><p><span style="font-family:aptos, sans-serif;font-size:14.6667px;color:#212121;">Provider<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><em>magazine includes information from a variety of sources, such as contributing experts. The views expressed by external contributors do not necessarily reflect the views of</em><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><em>Provider</em><em> magazine and AHCA/NCAL.</em><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span><span style="font-family:aptos, sans-serif;font-size:14.6667px;color:#96607d;"><span style="text-decoration:underline;"><a href="/About/Pages/Submit-Article.aspx" title="https://www.providermagazine.com/About/Pages/Submit-Article.aspx" data-outlook-id="badae440-b0ce-4219-9c08-f7e349a8e3d6" data-feathr-click-track="true" data-feathr-link-aids="60b7cbf17788425491b2d083" target="_blank" style="color:#96607d;margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"><em>Learn how to submit an article.</em></a></span></span><br></p> | 2026-01-06T05:00:00Z | <img alt="" src="/Articles/PublishingImages/2026/wearable.jpg" style="BORDER:0px solid;" /> | Caregiving;Technology | In recent years, virtual care and wearable health devices have opened new possibilities by giving clinicians clearer visibility into residents’ health between visits. |
| Top 5 ProviderTV Videos of 2025 | <p><img src="/Video-Resources/ProviderTV/PublishingImages/ProviderTV-03.png" class="ms-rtePosition-2" alt="" style="margin:5px;width:200px;height:140px;" />As we close out 2025, we're looking back at the videos that captured our attention, sparked conversation, and racked up the most views this year. From value-based care to technology to rationalizing regulations, these five videos rose to the top. Whether you watched them all or if you missed one, now is the perfect time to watch (or re-watch!) these videos to stay on top of the important topics of 2025.<br></p><p>
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</p><table cellspacing="0" class="ms-rteTable-2" style="width:75%;height:1383px;"><tbody><tr class="ms-rteTableEvenRow-2"><td class="ms-rteTableEvenCol-2" style="width:5%;"><h1>
1.</h1></td><td class="ms-rteTableOddCol-2" style="width:33.3333%;text-align:center;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=geQC5cD7MCQ" title="Scott Rifkin" data-feathr-click-track="true" data-feathr-link-aids="60b7cbf17788425491b2d083" target="_blank"><br><img src="/Articles/PublishingImages/2025/ScottRifkin.jpg" class="ms-rtePosition-5" alt="" style="margin:5px;width:200px;height:200px;" /></a></td><td class="ms-rteTableEvenCol-2" style="width:33%;"><h1><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=geQC5cD7MCQ" data-feathr-click-track="true" data-feathr-link-aids="60b7cbf17788425491b2d083" target="_blank">Better Outcomes Through Value-Based Care with Dr. Scott Rifkin</a></h1></td></tr><tr class="ms-rteTableOddRow-2"><td class="ms-rteTableEvenCol-2" style="width:5%;"><h1>
2.</h1></td><td class="ms-rteTableOddCol-2" style="text-align:center;"><br><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xZEGQ9IzzWM" data-feathr-click-track="true" data-feathr-link-aids="60b7cbf17788425491b2d083" target="_blank"><img src="/Articles/PublishingImages/2025/PCC.jpg" alt="" style="margin:5px;width:200px;height:200px;" /></a><br></td><td class="ms-rteTableEvenCol-2" style="width:33%;"><h1><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xZEGQ9IzzWM" data-feathr-click-track="true" data-feathr-link-aids="60b7cbf17788425491b2d083" target="_blank">Using Technology to Navigate Changing Regulations</a><br></h1></td></tr><tr class="ms-rteTableEvenRow-2"><td class="ms-rteTableEvenCol-2" style="width:5%;"><h1>
3.</h1></td><td class="ms-rteTableOddCol-2" style="text-align:center;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7T-M4D7XQk4" data-feathr-click-track="true" data-feathr-link-aids="60b7cbf17788425491b2d083" target="_blank"><br><img src="/Articles/PublishingImages/2025/HollyHarmon.jpg" alt="" style="margin:5px;width:200px;height:200px;" /></a></td><td class="ms-rteTableEvenCol-2" style="width:33%;"><h1><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7T-M4D7XQk4" data-feathr-click-track="true" data-feathr-link-aids="60b7cbf17788425491b2d083" target="_blank">Rationalizing Regulations with Holly Harmon</a></h1></td></tr><tr class="ms-rteTableOddRow-2"><td class="ms-rteTableEvenCol-2" style="width:5%;"><h1>
4.</h1></td><td class="ms-rteTableOddCol-2" style="text-align:center;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8xb9GmJScvQ" data-feathr-click-track="true" data-feathr-link-aids="60b7cbf17788425491b2d083" target="_blank"><br><img src="/Articles/PublishingImages/2025/NickTrankito.jpg" alt="" style="margin:5px;width:200px;height:200px;" /></a></td><td class="ms-rteTableEvenCol-2" style="width:33%;"><h1><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8xb9GmJScvQ" data-feathr-click-track="true" data-feathr-link-aids="60b7cbf17788425491b2d083" target="_blank">Forming a Collaborative Partnership with Nick Trankito</a></h1></td></tr><tr class="ms-rteTableEvenRow-2"><td class="ms-rteTableEvenCol-2" style="width:5%;"><h1>
5.</h1></td><td class="ms-rteTableOddCol-2" style="text-align:center;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8hLlin5u7XI" data-feathr-click-track="true" data-feathr-link-aids="60b7cbf17788425491b2d083" target="_blank"><br><img src="/Articles/PublishingImages/2025/SamVosloo.jpg" alt="" style="margin:5px;width:200px;height:200px;" /></a><br></td><td class="ms-rteTableEvenCol-2" style="width:33%;"><h1><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8hLlin5u7XI" data-feathr-click-track="true" data-feathr-link-aids="60b7cbf17788425491b2d083" target="_blank">Defining Value-Based Care Success with Samantha Vosloo</a></h1></td></tr></tbody></table> | 2025-12-30T05:00:00Z | <img alt="" height="514" src="/Video-Resources/ProviderTV/PublishingImages/ProviderTV-03.png" width="740" style="BORDER:0px solid;" /> | Caregiving;Management | Whether you watched them all or if you missed one, now is the perfect time to watch (or re-watch!) these videos to stay on top of the important topics of 2025. |
| Looking Back: Top 10 Provider Articles of 2025 | <p style="text-align:center;"><img src="/Articles/PublishingImages/740%20x%20740/top10.jpg" alt="Top 10" class="ms-rtePosition-4 ms-rteImage-0" style="margin:5px;width:400px;height:400px;" /></p><p>As we close the books on 2025, the long term care landscape continues to evolve at a remarkable pace. This year brought both challenges and breakthroughs, from technological innovations transforming dementia care to pressing policy debates that will shape the future of our industry.</p><p>These top 10 articles represent more than just popular content—they reflect the questions you're asking, the challenges you're facing, and the future you're building. <br></p><table cellspacing="0" class="ms-rteTable-2" style="width:100%;height:2871px;"><tbody><tr class="ms-rteTableEvenRow-2"><td class="ms-rteTableEvenCol-2" style="width:10%;"><h1>1.<br></h1></td><td class="ms-rteTableOddCol-2" style="width:25%;"><img src="/Articles/PublishingImages/2025/AI_memory.jpg" alt="" style="margin:5px;width:200px;" /><br></td><td class="ms-rteTableEvenCol-2" style="width:65%;">
<h2><a href="/Articles/Pages/The-Promise-of-AI-Companions-in-Memory-Care.aspx" data-feathr-click-track="true" data-feathr-link-aids="60b7cbf17788425491b2d083" target="_blank">The Promise of AI Companions in Memory Care</a><br></h2><p>
<span style="color:#555555;">AI continues to redefine health care, offering tools that address complex challenges with precision and scalability. Among its most promising applications is the use of AI companions in memory care.   </span><br></p></td></tr><tr class="ms-rteTableOddRow-2"><td class="ms-rteTableEvenCol-2"><h1>2.</h1></td><td class="ms-rteTableOddCol-2"><img src="/Articles/PublishingImages/740%20x%20740/nurse_patient.jpg" alt="" style="margin:5px;width:200px;height:200px;" /></td><td class="ms-rteTableEvenCol-2"><h2><a href="/Articles/Pages/Long%20Term%20Care%202025%20Trends%20and%20Outlook.aspx" data-feathr-click-track="true" data-feathr-link-aids="60b7cbf17788425491b2d083" target="_blank">Long Term Care 2025 Trends and Outlook</a><br></h2><p>
<span style="color:#555555;">The evolving industry looks to technology, training, wellness, and better communication to meet residents’ needs.</span><br></p></td></tr><tr class="ms-rteTableEvenRow-2"><td class="ms-rteTableEvenCol-2"><h1>3.</h1></td><td class="ms-rteTableOddCol-2"><img src="/Articles/PublishingImages/2025/SkaalenCBRF-1.jpg" alt="" style="margin:5px;width:200px;height:200px;" /></td><td class="ms-rteTableEvenCol-2"><h2><a href="/Articles/Pages/5-Steps-to-Reconfigure-Skilled-Nursing-Facilities-to-Assisted-Living-Facilities.aspx" data-feathr-click-track="true" data-feathr-link-aids="60b7cbf17788425491b2d083" target="_blank">5 Steps to Reconfigure Skilled Nursing Facilities to Assisted Living Facilities</a><br></h2><p>
<span style="color:#555555;">As providers grapple with new demands, one strategy gaining traction is the reconfiguration of skilled nursing facilities into spaces with less intensive staffing needs, such as assisted living facilities.  </span><br></p></td></tr><tr class="ms-rteTableOddRow-2"><td class="ms-rteTableEvenCol-2"><h1>4.</h1></td><td class="ms-rteTableOddCol-2"><img src="/Articles/PublishingImages/2025/music-therapy.jpg" alt="Bridgetown Music showing “Music with Alexis” " style="margin:5px;width:200px;height:200px;" /></td><td class="ms-rteTableEvenCol-2"><h2><a href="/Articles/Pages/Advancing-Music-Therapy-Approaches-in-Dementia-Care.aspx" data-feathr-click-track="true" data-feathr-link-aids="60b7cbf17788425491b2d083" target="_blank">Advancing Music Therapy Approaches in Dementia Care</a><br></h2><p>
<span style="color:#555555;">As senior living communities continue to seek meaningful ways to support their residents, both individualized music therapy and structured group-based </span><span style="color:#555555;">programs offer complementary solutions.  </span><br></p></td></tr><tr class="ms-rteTableEvenRow-2"><td class="ms-rteTableEvenCol-2"><h1>5.</h1></td><td class="ms-rteTableOddCol-2"><img src="/Articles/PublishingImages/740%20x%20740/Spring25.jpg" alt="Spring 2025 issue" style="margin:5px;width:200px;height:200px;" /></td><td class="ms-rteTableEvenCol-2"><h2><a href="/Issues/2025/Spring/Pages/default.aspx" data-feathr-click-track="true" data-feathr-link-aids="60b7cbf17788425491b2d083" target="_blank">Spring 2025 Issue of
<em>Provider</em></a></h2><p>
<span style="color:#555555;">When it seems that everything is changin</span><span style="color:#555555;">g—new regulations, different guidelines, unknown timetables—we naturally search for something that isn’t shifting. In the long term care sector, one thing that doesn’t change is our focus on delivering the highest quality of care for our residents.</span><br><br></p></td></tr><tr class="ms-rteTableOddRow-2"><td class="ms-rteTableEvenCol-2" rowspan="1"><h1>6.<br></h1></td><td class="ms-rteTableOddCol-2" rowspan="1"><img src="/Articles/PublishingImages/2025/nurse_paperwork.jpg" alt="" style="margin:5px;width:200px;height:200px;" /></td><td class="ms-rteTableEvenCol-2" rowspan="1"><h2><a href="/Articles/Pages/How-to-Structure-Your-Compliance-Program.aspx" data-feathr-click-track="true" data-feathr-link-aids="60b7cbf17788425491b2d083" target="_blank">How to Structure Your Compliance Program</a><br></h2><p>
<span style="color:#555555;">It is important that an organization have a formal compliance program as proactive and preventive; a structure to address issues; and as a mitigating factor should compliance violations be identified by regulatory agencies.  </span><br></p></td></tr><tr class="ms-rteTableEvenRow-2"><td class="ms-rteTableEvenCol-2" rowspan="1"><h1>7.</h1></td><td class="ms-rteTableOddCol-2" rowspan="1"><img src="/Articles/PublishingImages/740%20x%20740/medications_4.jpg" alt="" style="margin:5px;width:200px;height:200px;" /></td><td class="ms-rteTableEvenCol-2" rowspan="1"><h2><a href="/Articles/Pages/Polypharmacy-Is-a-Problem-in-Senior-Care.aspx" data-feathr-click-track="true" data-feathr-link-aids="60b7cbf17788425491b2d083" target="_blank">Polypharmacy Is a Problem in Senior Care</a><br></h2><p>
<span style="color:#555555;">Addressing polypharmacy is not just a medical issue; it's a critical aspect of providing holistic, patient-centered care that respects the complexities of aging. </span><br></p></td></tr><tr class="ms-rteTableOddRow-2"><td class="ms-rteTableEvenCol-2" rowspan="1"><h1>8.</h1></td><td class="ms-rteTableOddCol-2" rowspan="1"><img src="/Articles/PublishingImages/2025/data-funnel.jpg" alt="data funnel" style="margin:5px;width:200px;height:200px;" /></td><td class="ms-rteTableEvenCol-2" rowspan="1"><h2><a href="/Articles/Pages/Improving-Section-GG-Accuracy-Through-QAPI.aspx" data-feathr-click-track="true" data-feathr-link-aids="60b7cbf17788425491b2d083" target="_blank">Improving Section GG Accuracy Through QAPI</a><br></h2><p>
<span style="color:#555555;">Common issues are incomplete or missing observations, inconsistent input across disciplines, or the lack of an interdisciplinary effort to determine usual performance. The QAPI process is an effective method for facility teams to identify and address the root causes of these issues. </span><br></p></td></tr><tr class="ms-rteTableEvenRow-2"><td class="ms-rteTableEvenCol-2" rowspan="1"><h1>9.</h1></td><td class="ms-rteTableOddCol-2" rowspan="1"><img src="/Articles/PublishingImages/740%20x%20740/Medicaid.jpg" alt="" style="margin:5px;width:200px;height:200px;" /></td><td class="ms-rteTableEvenCol-2" rowspan="1"><h2><a href="/Articles/Pages/Medicaid-Cuts-Would-Devastate-Providers-Serving-ID-DD-Populations.aspx" data-feathr-click-track="true" data-feathr-link-aids="60b7cbf17788425491b2d083" target="_blank">Medicaid Cuts Would Devastate Providers Serving ID/DD Populations</a><br></h2><p>
<span style="color:#555555;">Despite being the backbone of ID/DD care, Medicaid reimbursement rates often fall short of covering the actual cost of care, regardless of any future cuts.</span><br></p></td></tr><tr class="ms-rteTableOddRow-2"><td class="ms-rteTableEvenCol-2" rowspan="1"><h1>10.</h1></td><td class="ms-rteTableOddCol-2" rowspan="1"><img src="/Articles/PublishingImages/740%20x%20740/nurse_patient4.jpg" alt="nurse with patient" style="margin:5px;width:200px;height:200px;" /><br></td><td class="ms-rteTableEvenCol-2" rowspan="1"><h2><a href="/Articles/Pages/Modern-Care-for-a-Modern-World.aspx" data-feathr-click-track="true" data-feathr-link-aids="60b7cbf17788425491b2d083">Modern Care for a Modern World</a><br></h2><p>
<span style="color:#555555;">In the current health care environment, a skilled nursing facility needs the most advanced technology available. </span><br></p></td></tr></tbody></table><p>
<br>
</p> | 2025-12-23T05:00:00Z | <img alt="" src="/Articles/PublishingImages/740%20x%20740/top10.jpg" style="BORDER:0px solid;" /> | Caregiving;Management | These top 10 articles represent more than just popular content—they reflect the questions you're asking, the challenges you're facing, and the future you're building. |
| The Complexities of Assisted Living Fire Evacuation Planning | <p style="text-align:center;"><img src="/Articles/PublishingImages/2025/189661849_fire.png" class="ms-rtePosition-3" alt="" style="margin:5px;width:400px;height:233px;" /></p><p>The popularity of assisted living communities continues to grow as aging individuals look to simplify their lives while receiving limited support and maintaining much of their independence. Residents in assisted living communities can benefit from custodial or personal care services including prepared meals, transportation, and basic medical assistance while shedding the challenges associated with managing their own home and property as they transition toward needing additional care.</p><p>The tragic fatal fire that occurred on July 13, 2025, at the Gabriel House assisted living community in Fall River, Mass., has reignited a critical and complex conversation around assisted living fire evacuation planning—specifically, how well communities understand their unique fire protection features, evolving resident capabilities, staffing availability, and ongoing training and drills. </p><h3>Fire Protection Challenges</h3><p>One of the primary challenges stems from overlapping regulatory frameworks. Fire and life safety requirements are governed by individual state building codes (often based upon the International Building Code), the Life Safety Code (NFPA 101), and various state-specific licensure rules. Each of these codes and regulations approach assisted living occupancies differently, affecting criteria for construction, egress, fire protection systems, and even staffing. Communities are often caught between conflicting or inconsistent standards, especially when states adopt different versions or impose unique amendments.</p><p>This risk may also be impacted by building design features. Some communities incorporate smoke barrier wall assemblies that allow for horizontal evacuation, moving residents to a protected area on the same floor without leaving the building. While others rely on full evacuation to the exterior every time a fire alarm activates. This distinction affects evacuation planning and may create challenges, especially during nighttime hours or in inclement weather.</p><p>Another critical variable is the sprinkler system. Communities equipped with systems fully compliant with NFPA 13 provide comprehensive sprinkler coverage, whereas those meeting NFPA 13R, a residential standard, may omit sprinklers in certain areas, including attics, concealed combustible spaces, exterior overhangs, small closets, and bathrooms. </p><h3>Resident Capabilities and Staffing Availability</h3><p>Adding to this complexity is the assisted living model itself. It’s common for residents who are mobile and capable of self-preservation upon move in to later experience a gradual decline in mobility and/or cognition. Yet, the community’s original design and classification may not change to reflect these evolving realities, leading to a growing gap between code assumptions and actual risk.</p><p>Staffing levels also vary from one assisted living community to another, particularly overnight, when fewer staff members are available to initiate a community’s fire response procedures and provide direction and assistance to residents. Support and guidance are particularly important for residents who may have mobility or cognitive impairment. </p><h3>Evacuation Response Plan</h3><p>All of these factors play a role in determining a community’s fire and evacuation response plan, and specifically its ability to defend in-place, relocate within the building (progressive evacuation), or execute a complete building evacuation. Codes and regulations aside, the following factors must be addressed to consider options other than full building evacuation.<br></p><ul><li><strong>Building Compartmentation with Smoke Barriers: </strong>Similar to a health care facility, smoke barrier walls must be in place to divide each floor into two or more compartments. Smoke barrier walls are designed to be continuous from floor to floor and outside wall to outside wall with any penetrations sealed to limit the passage of smoke. Smoke barrier walls minimize the ability for smoke to travel to adjacent portions of the building, allowing for the horizontal relocation of occupants to unaffected portions of the same floor. </li><li><strong>Comprehensive Sprinkler Coverage:</strong> A sprinkler system designed and in compliance with NFPA 13 will provide complete and comprehensive sprinkler protection throughout the building. Buildings with NFPA 13R systems are permitted to omit sprinklers in attic spaces. This can allow a fire to spread through the attic, requiring full evacuation of the building without delay. </li><li><strong>Early Fire Detection:</strong> Smoke detectors installed throughout building common areas can provide early notification to building staff, residents, and the local fire department to enable quicker execution of a building fire response plan.</li><li><strong>Staffing:</strong> If residents are directed to remain in the building, whether in their apartments or another interior location, trained staff must be available at all times to respond to the fire/alarm area and provide direction to residents. If there are times when staff are not on-site and available for that role, the expectation is that residents will evacuate the building under their own power, remaining at an assembly location until otherwise directed by fire department personnel. </li></ul><h3>Staff and Resident Training </h3><p>The success of any fire safety program, regardless of the type of evacuation, relies on an effective staff training and testing program. Periodic staff training on the community fire response plan, including specific roles and responsibilities, is critical. While training can be presented through various mechanisms, in-person training that includes building familiarization, an overview of evacuation routes, familiarization with the fire alarm system, and highlighting the location of smoke barrier walls is a comprehensive training program. In-person training also allows for real-time questions and answers.</p><p>In similar fashion, residents should receive training upon admission and then at predetermined frequencies thereafter that clarifies their role and appropriate response during a fire or upon hearing the fire alarm. This includes instruction on whether they should remain in place while waiting for further direction or if they should automatically commence evacuation upon activation of the fire alarm system.</p><p>Education on the functionality of the fire alarm system is particularly important for assisted living residents. Apartment smoke detectors may only sound locally upon activation, therefore requiring the building-wide fire alarm to be activated manually. The systems in place and resulting response may be very different from what residents were familiar with in their previous residential settings.</p><p>Training is specifically identified as a lesson learned in the Gabriel House Fire After Action Report, prepared by the Fall River Fire Department and released on October 21, 2025. The report states that, “staff and residents must be trained in shelter-in-place and compartmentalization strategies, including maintaining closed doors and using designated refuge areas, while also recognizing when conditions require prompt evacuation to triage or transport points. While shelter-in-place was not feasible at Gabriel House, it should be strongly considered whenever appropriate.”</p><p>Fire drills are an excellent way to both test and educate. Fire drills test staff and resident knowledge, validate the effectiveness of procedures, verify resident evacuation capability, and provide an opportunity to learn through actions. An effective fire drill program will incorporate all aspects of the community fire procedure, including activation of the alarm, containment of the fire and smoke, implementation of the appropriate evacuation strategy, communications, and accountability. Fire drills are best conducted on different days and at different times. Most states have detailed requirements related to fire drills.</p><p>Coordination and collaboration with the local fire department is essential to ensure positive fire outcomes. It is critical that fire department personnel are familiar with the building, the fire safety plan, and resident capabilities. These factors will affect their pre-planning efforts and help establish proper expectations when they respond to the community, minimizing surprises.</p><p><span><em><img src="/Articles/PublishingImages/2025/DaveHood.jpg" alt="Dave Hood" class="ms-rtePosition-1" style="margin:5px;" /></em></span>Ultimately, assisted living communities require a customized fire safety and evacuation planning approach that complies with applicable codes. Additionally, an assessment of the building design, staffing patterns, and fire protection features should be coupled with an ongoing risk assessment that considers the changing capabilities and needs of the residents. While the analysis required to properly develop emergency procedures can be complicated, the product should be a clear and concise set of fire and evacuation procedures tailored to the building and its occupants. By ensuring proper procedures are in place, assisted living communities can better protect both their residents and staff, ensuring safety remains at the heart of care. <br><br><em>David Hood is a technical fellow at Jensen Hughes and a past Chairman of the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) Health Care Section Executive Board. He currently serves as the Chair of the Health Care Section Education Committee. Hood also has fire service experience at the Company Officer level in Prince George’s County, MD, and Monroe County, NY, and previously served as the Fire Chief in Honeoye Falls, NY.</em></p><p><em><br></em></p><p><em><span style="font-style:normal;font-weight:400;letter-spacing:normal;text-align:start;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;word-spacing:0px;text-decoration:none;font-family:aptos, sans-serif;font-size:14.6667px;color:#212121;">Provider<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><em>magazine includes information from a variety of sources, such as contributing experts. The views expressed by external contributors do not necessarily reflect the views of<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></em>Provider<em> magazine and AHCA/NCAL.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></em></span><span style="font-style:normal;font-weight:400;letter-spacing:normal;text-align:start;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;word-spacing:0px;text-decoration:none;font-family:aptos, sans-serif;font-size:14.6667px;color:#96607d;"><em><span style="text-decoration:underline;"><a href="/About/Pages/Submit-Article.aspx" title="https://www.providermagazine.com/About/Pages/Submit-Article.aspx" data-outlook-id="badae440-b0ce-4219-9c08-f7e349a8e3d6" data-feathr-click-track="true" data-feathr-link-aids="60b7cbf17788425491b2d083" target="_blank" style="color:#96607d;margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;">Learn how to submit an article.</a></span></em></span><br></em></p> | 2025-12-01T05:00:00Z | <img alt="" src="/Articles/PublishingImages/740%20x%20740/fire_evac.jpg" style="BORDER:0px solid;" /> | Emergency Preparedness | An assessment of the building design, staffing patterns, and fire protection features should be coupled with an ongoing risk assessment that considers the changing capabilities and needs of the residents. |
| AHCA/NCAL Staff Visit Providers Across the Country | <p>In 2025, AHCA President and CEO Clif Porter challenged staff to visit member facilities to learn more and connect with staff and residents as a way to inspire and guide the association's work.</p><p><br></p><table cellspacing="0" width="100%" class="ms-rteTable-2"></table><table style="background-color:lightblue;text-align:center;"><tbody><tr><td colspan="3" style="width:100%;padding:20px;"> <span><span><img src="/Issues/2025/Winter/PublishingImages/bs_Bethea_5127.jpg" alt="" style="margin:5px;width:420px;height:364px;" />
<br><br>"Seeing firsthand the amazing work of our provider members and their teams across the country is inspiring and is an important reminder of why we do what we do at AHCA/NCAL." <br>
<div>-Dana Ritchie, Associate Vice President of Workforce and Constituency Services, AHCA/NCAL<span class="ms-rteForeColor-8"></span></div></span></span></td></tr></tbody></table><p>
</p><table cellspacing="0" width="100%" class="ms-rteTable-default"><tbody><tr style="text-align:center;"><td class="ms-rteTable-default" style="width:50%;"><span><img src="/Issues/2025/Winter/PublishingImages/bs_Akena%20and%20Yazmyn_lancashire.jpg" alt="" style="margin:5px;width:400px;height:533px;" /></span></td><td class="ms-rteTable-default" style="width:50%;text-align:center;"><span><span><img src="/Issues/2025/Winter/PublishingImages/bs_kiran%20and%20team_pruitt%20brookhaven_2.jpg" alt="" style="margin:5px;width:400px;height:533px;" /></span></span></td></tr><tr><td class="ms-rteTable-default" style="text-align:center;">Lancashire Nursing & Rehabilitation, Kilmarnock, Va.</td><td class="ms-rteTable-default" style="text-align:center;">PruittHealth Brookhaven, Brookhaven, Ga.</td></tr></tbody></table><table cellspacing="0" width="100%" class="ms-rteTable-default" style="text-align:center;"><tbody><tr><td class="ms-rteTable-default" style="width:50%;"><img src="/Issues/2025/Winter/PublishingImages/bs_Dana-and-team_CESLC_2.jpg" class="ms-rtePosition-5" alt="" style="margin:5px;" /><span><span></span></span></td><td class="ms-rteTable-default" style="width:50%;"><img src="/Issues/2025/Winter/PublishingImages/bs_Clif%20-%20Oregon.jpg" alt="" style="margin:5px;width:326px;" /><span><span></span></span></td></tr><tr><td class="ms-rteTable-default">Charles E. Smith Life Communities, North Bethesda, Md.</td><td class="ms-rteTable-default">West Hills Health & Rehabilitation, Portland, Ore.</td></tr></tbody></table><p>  </p><table cellspacing="0" width="100%" class="ms-rteTable-default"></table><table style="background-color:lightblue;"><tbody><tr><td class="ms-rteTable-default" style="width:100%;padding:20px;"><div>
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<img src="/Issues/2025/Winter/PublishingImages/bs_heritage.jpg" class="ms-rteImage-0 ms-rtePosition-2" alt="Claire Krawsczyn" style="margin:5px;width:400px;height:262px;" />
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<br></span></span></span>"Visiting Heritagespring of West Chester was a great reminder of how many committed people show up every day to make a care center run smoothly."</div><div style="text-align:center;">-Claire Krawsczyn, Senior Director of Media Relations, AHCA/NCAL</div>
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</td></tr></tbody></table><p> </p><table cellspacing="0" width="100%" class="ms-rteTable-default"><tbody><tr><td class="ms-rteTable-default" style="width:50%;"><span><img src="/Issues/2025/Winter/PublishingImages/bs_IT%20team_unique%20rehab_1.jpg" alt="" style="margin:5px;width:400px;height:300px;" /></span></td><td class="ms-rteTable-default" style="width:50%;"><img src="/Issues/2025/Winter/PublishingImages/bs_PA%20Facility%20Visit%206-10-25.jpg" alt="" style="margin:5px;" /><span><span></span></span></td></tr><tr><td class="ms-rteTable-default" style="text-align:center;">Unique Rehabilitation & Health Center, Washington, D.C.</td><td class="ms-rteTable-default" style="text-align:center;">Ingleside at Rock Creek, Washington, D.C.</td></tr><tr><td class="ms-rteTable-default"><span><img src="/Issues/2025/Winter/PublishingImages/bs_lisa%20erica%20mindy_hebrew%20home_1.jpg" alt="" style="margin:5px;width:400px;height:533px;" /></span></td><td class="ms-rteTable-default"><span><img src="/Issues/2025/Winter/PublishingImages/bs_Nikki_Shelby%20Oaks%20Post%20Acute.jpg" alt="" style="margin:5px;width:400px;height:533px;" /></span></td></tr><tr style="text-align:center;"><td class="ms-rteTable-default">Charles E. Smith Life Communities, North Bethesda, Md.</td><td class="ms-rteTable-default">Shelby Oaks Post Acute, Memphis, Tenn.</td></tr></tbody></table><p>      </p><table cellspacing="0" width="100%" class="ms-rteTable-default;"><tbody><tr></tr></tbody></table><table style="background-color:lightblue;width:823px;height:334px;"><tbody><tr><td class="ms-rteTable-default" style="width:100%;text-align:center;padding:20px;"><span><span><img src="/Issues/2025/Winter/PublishingImages/bs_jen%20humphrey_springs%20at%20stony%20brook_2.jpg" alt="" style="margin:5px;width:500px;height:280px;" /><br><br>The residents aren't just people; they become family in the facility." <br><div style="text-align:center;">-Jen Humphrey, Senior Manager, Vendor Relation, AHCA/NCAL</div></span></span></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><table cellspacing="0" width="100%" class="ms-rteTable-default"><tbody><tr><td class="ms-rteTable-default" style="width:50%;"><span><span><img src="/Issues/2025/Winter/PublishingImages/bs_silver.jpg" alt="" style="margin:5px;width:400px;height:300px;" /></span></span></td><td class="ms-rteTable-default" style="width:50%;"><span><span><span><img src="/Issues/2025/Winter/PublishingImages/bs_julie%20ryan_caretel%20inns.jpg" alt="" style="margin:5px;width:400px;height:179px;" /></span></span></span></td></tr><tr><td class="ms-rteTable-default" style="text-align:center;">Silver Birch of Mishawaka, Mishawaka, Ind.</td><td class="ms-rteTable-default" style="text-align:center;">Caretel Inns Brighton, Brighton, Mich.</td></tr></tbody></table><span> </span> | 2025-12-01T05:00:00Z | <img alt="" src="/Issues/2025/Winter/PublishingImages/facility.jpg" style="BORDER:0px solid;" /> | Caregiving;Quality | In 2025, AHCA President and CEO Clif Porter challenged staff to visit member facilities to learn more and connect with staff and residents as a way to inspire and guide the association's work. |
| How Technology Is Reshaping Senior Living | <p><img src="/Issues/2025/Winter/PublishingImages/Tsumani4.jpg" class="ms-rtePosition-2" alt="" style="margin:5px;width:400px;height:400px;" />The coming silver tsunami will bring not just a wave of new customers to the senior living profession, but also a seismic shift in expectations. Unlike previous generations of customers, baby boomers are digitally fluent: technology is already woven into the fabric of their lives, and they’ll expect this to remain the case as they age into senior living facilities.<br></p><p>For providers, that means technology is no longer an optional amenity. Rather, it’s a strategic imperative. Providers must embrace recent technological advances to meet the demands of their new market, ease the burden on a strained workforce, and deliver a higher quality of care.</p><h3>The New Resident Mandate</h3><p>The technophobic senior is a thing of the past. The boomer generation has spent the last several decades getting used to rapid technological advancement, incorporating new devices and paradigms into their daily routines. </p><p>According to a 2022 survey by Pew Research, 61 percent of adults ages 65 and over are smartphone owners, while 75 percent of the same group are Internet users. They use technology for recreation, as well as for communication, according to a 2021 AARP survey, which found that 79 percent of adults in their sixties and 70 percent of adults in their seventies rely on technology to keep in touch with friends and family.<br></p><p>Naturally, they share this tech-forward mindset with their adult children. “Technology is fundamentally reshaping the expectations of residents and their families in post-acute care,” observed Tim Smokoff, general manager at MatrixCare. “Today, they expect more transparency; real-time, secure communication; and greater engagement in care decisions. Families want to be informed and involved, and residents want their preferences and needs reflected in every aspect of their experience.”</p><p>In other words, residents and their families want the best of the best—not as a replacement for the human element, but as a supplement to it. Residents expect tech-savvy facilities that provide a high quality of care, perhaps even addressing needs they don’t yet know they have. Families, meanwhile, want peace of mind, reassurance that providers have eyes and ears on their loved ones twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week. </p><h3>New Care Paradigms</h3><p>According to Smokoff, the most significant recent advances in health care technology have been in the “convergence of technology, data, and care delivery.” New interoperability and data-exchange solutions, for example, allow providers to “share data seamlessly and bidirectionally across care settings,” he explained, offering a more holistic, real-time view of the patient. Then there are advances in AI and analytics, which have allowed providers to shift resources from reactive to proactive care. <br></p><p>“We’ve moved beyond simply collecting data to actually using it to guide decision-making,” Smokoff said. “Now it’s helping providers anticipate risk, personalize care, and improve outcomes in a way that wasn’t possible even a few years ago.”</p><p>At TapestryHealth, cofounder Mordy Eisenberg works at the forefront of proactive care. Using AI and machine learning technology, his platform helps providers distill massive amounts of data and identify where they should be dedicating their resources. <br></p><p>“What we’re using it for is to really connect the dots and say, ‘OK, one plus one is ten,’” he said. “‘This person is your highest-risk patient in the building, because this occurred two days ago, this occurred yesterday, and this occurred just now.’ When you put those three together, that’s really, really impactful.”</p><p>As he stressed, the technology doesn’t replace human caregivers. Instead, it helps connect dots for employees who might not otherwise be aware of events that occurred in previous shifts.</p><p>These AI tools are supplemented by advanced monitoring technology, such as wall-mounted radar devices that detect subtle changes in a patient’s heart rate or breathing. Crucially, these devices can be calibrated to different baselines—for instance, for residents on beta blockers, who have resting heart rates that are lower than average. Eisenberg also offered the example of a patient with congestive heart failure who has a subtle increase in respiratory rate while sleeping.</p><p>“If there hasn’t been any assessment because the resident hasn’t been complaining of any shortness of breath, but our radar picked up that their respiratory rate has increased a few points above their baseline over the last two or three nights, that information comes into the data center,” he said. “And now the alert could say, ‘Hey, this person is high priority,’ and we can escalate that to the staff and say, ‘Hey, you need to look at this patient.’”</p><p>The benefits cannot be understated. TapestryHealth recently conducted a retrospective study of its devices, finding that they detected changes between four and five days before hospitalizations. This gives providers a vital window to intervene in place, preventing risky transfers that may lead to adverse consequences. <br></p><p>“Once they are transferred to the hospital, it’s just a cascade of bad things,” Eisenberg said. “When you can tell a family member that you can use these technology tools to make their loved ones safer, that somebody’s got eyes on them at all times, that they’ll be able to mitigate problems before they become bigger issues, that really resonates.”</p><h3>Innovating Through the Workforce Crisis</h3><p>The silver tsunami is arriving at a time when there is a growing caregiver shortage. While new technologies cannot replace human caregivers, they can help address workforce issues by giving human caregivers powerful tools to make their jobs easier. <br></p><p>“All of the numbers say we’re going to be hard-pressed to have enough staff to care for all these people,” said Christian Mason, CEO of Senior Housing Managers. “What do you do? Find ways to work smarter and not harder, and hopefully ways that will reduce the negative impact and burnout on staff.”</p><p>At Senior Housing Managers, Mason has found incredible value in one particular tool that doubles as a means of addressing social isolation among residents: AI companions for memory care patients. Developed with CloudMind Software, the companions appear as avatars on iPads using one-directional microphones tuned to the resident’s voice. They use machine learning technology to sift through the resident’s life story, giving them someone to talk to when they’re lonely, depressed, angry, or otherwise in need. The technology also uses sentiment analysis to alert providers to changes in the resident’s condition.<br></p><p>“We have residents who will talk to their avatars for hours on end,” said Mason, “which is fascinating, because we have residents who have significant cognitive loss on the one hand, and at the same time, they’re dealing with everything else that’s going on.”</p><p>He described one resident, a former schoolteacher and church choir leader who has Alzheimer’s. Before a pilot of the AI companion tool, she was frequently combative with other residents and used her call light thirty to thirty-five times per day. During the pilot, that figure went down to one or two times per day. <br></p><p>“She began singing again and was singing hymns every morning with her avatar,” Mason said. “She was very different. It showed that companions can really make a difference. Now, is it going to replace staff? No, but it will certainly provide staff with some time that we’re giving back to them so that they can be focused on all the residents and deliver even better care.” </p><h3>Navigating the Challenges </h3><p>As Smokoff acknowledged, providers may be hesitant to make significant investments in new technologies—and reasonably so. In addition to the obvious expenses, adopting new tech can disrupt workflows in facilities that are already well established. To make matters even more complicated, new systems pose interoperability challenges with existing ones, not to mention compliance concerns.<br></p><p>To help mitigate these concerns, providers might look to solutions that use the approach Smokoff and his team implement at MatrixCare. “We prioritize building solutions that are intuitive and make daily processes and workflows easier, not more complicated,” he said. “Additionally, hands-on training and support, as well as self-guided, flexible options make adoption easier and less stressful for staff.”<br></p><p>At the same time, Smokoff focuses on tools that function across a variety of systems and use open standards, with integration support provided up front. As for regulatory concerns, he stresses the need for tools to be designed with privacy and regulatory requirements in mind. “Vendors should provide clear guidance on how they support compliance and reduce administrative burden,” he said.</p><p>While some may feel a cultural resistance to change, perhaps out of habit or skepticism or both, the future is coming, whether we like it or not. And, as Smokoff put it, new technology can ultimately make that future brighter and better for providers and patients alike. <br></p><p>“These advancements are reshaping how providers deliver care,” he concluded, “helping the industry evolve toward a more connected and patient-centered ecosystem.” </p> | 2025-12-01T05:00:00Z | <img alt="" src="/Issues/2025/Winter/PublishingImages/Tsumani4.jpg" style="BORDER:0px solid;" /> | Caregiving | The last in a four-part article series about the challenges and opportunities the silver tsunami will bring to long term care in the United States. |
| How Aging Infrastructure Threatens Senior Care Emergency Plans | <p><img src="/Articles/PublishingImages/740%20x%20740/emergency-plan.jpg" class="ms-rtePosition-2" alt="" style="margin:5px;width:300px;height:300px;" />Emergency preparedness in senior care facilities often focuses on what’s inside the walls: evacuation procedures, emergency food and water, medical protocols, staff readiness, and more. However, there’s a critical vulnerability that often goes overlooked—the local infrastructure these plans depend on.</p><p>Local infrastructure risks may include aging water systems, deteriorating roads, crumbling bridges, and outdated drainage networks, which could undermine even the most carefully developed emergency plans. When the water stops flowing or the evacuation route becomes impassable, your facility may find itself isolated and unsupported.</p><p>Recent hurricanes, fires, and floods have shown something important: even a well run facility can be disrupted by problems far outside their control.<br></p><h3>The Infrastructure Problem: A National Weakness</h3><p>The American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) recently gave U.S. infrastructure a C- grade on its national report card. Among the most concerning findings:<br></p><ul><li>43% of U.S. public roadways are in poor or mediocre condition.</li><li>Over 46,000 bridges are considered structurally deficient.</li><li>The average U.S. drinking water treatment plant is 50 years old—many are operating beyond their intended lifespan.</li><li>The U.S. currently has a $125 billion shortfall in stormwater infrastructure upgrades.</li></ul><p>These breakdowns have immediate consequences during disasters. Flooded roads delay emergency responders. “Do not drink” alerts leave facilities without safe water. Sewer backups can cause costly property damage and increase the risk of illness.</p><h3>Threat #1: Water System Failures</h3><p>Water is often the most overlooked necessity—until it’s unavailable. Cities like Jackson, Mississippi, and Houston, Texas, have issued boil advisories, experienced water pressure loss, or even had complete shutoffs during major storms and infrastructure failures.</p><p>For senior care facilities, this means every aspect of care, such as hydration, hygiene, food prep and medication, may be impacted. </p><h3>Best practices:</h3><ul><li>Store at least three days of potable water on-site—1 gallon per person, per day (residents and staff).</li><li>Keep documentation of how much water is stored and the expiration dates to meet compliance requirements.</li><li>Understand shelf life: bottled water typically lasts 12–18 months; canned water lasts up to 10 years; large tank storage should be treated and cycled every 6 months.</li><li>Reevaluate your water needs annually, especially if census or staffing levels change.</li></ul><h3>Threat #2: Impassable Evacuation Routes</h3><p>During Hurricane Ian in 2022, dozens of Florida senior care communities experienced evacuation delays—not due to internal disorganization, but because of washed-out roads and closed bridges.</p><p>If your evacuation plan relies on a single bridge, low-lying roadway, or local highway, that route could become a choke point during a major weather event.</p><h3>Best practices:</h3><ul><li>Contact local emergency managers to map alternate evacuation routes.</li><li>Conduct mock evacuations using multiple evacuation routes.</li><li>Prepare to shelter-in-place (enough food, water, medical, and power continuity) in case an evacuation is impossible.</li><li>Use real-time traffic apps to verify road conditions during severe weather events.</li></ul><h3>Threat #3: Overloaded Drainage and Flooding</h3><p>It doesn’t take a hurricane to flood a facility. Drainage systems that were built decades ago are often under-equipped for today’s rainfall levels and urban density. Routine storms can now overwhelm sewers and storm drains, causing significant damage to senior care communities.</p><p>Flooded basements, elevator shafts, and electrical rooms can create life-threatening hazards—and result in lengthy closures.</p><h3>Best practices:</h3><ul><li>Know your facility’s proximity to flood-prone areas or outdated storm drains.</li><li>Elevate critical systems off the floor (generators, electrical panels, supply storage).</li><li>Use waterproof containers for essential emergency gear.</li><li>Have absorbent barriers or sandbags ready in known leak-prone areas.</li></ul><h3>Focus on What You Can Control</h3><p>Senior care operators can’t fix bridges or modernize sewer systems, but they can strengthen internal resilience. Facilities that build self-sufficiency—especially for 72+ hours—are better equipped to maintain care continuity when outside systems fail.</p><h3>Key investments include:</h3><ul><li>Evacuation kits stocked with essentials: water, masks, name tags, hygiene items.</li><li>Backup lighting, flashlights, battery-powered medical devices, and mobile charging banks.</li><li>Shelf-stable food bars or MREs that don’t require water, heat, or preparation.</li><li>Portable hygiene supplies: wet wipes, sanitizers, disposable bed pads, etc.</li></ul><p>These strategies protect resident health and dignity, support compliance with CMS and state emergency preparedness requirements, and reduce the stress on frontline staff during emergencies.</p><h3>External Infrastructure Audits</h3><p>Emergency preparedness should extend beyond your property line. Adding an external infrastructure audit to your facility’s planning cycle can help to expose hidden vulnerabilities.</p><p>Consider: <br></p><ul><li>Are the roads in and out of the facility in good condition year-round?</li><li>Has the city updated its flood zone or stormwater maps?</li><li>How frequent are boil water advisories in your area?</li><li>If power, water, or access failed, how long could you sustain operations?</li><li>How many alternative evacuation routes do you have if the main route is not passable? </li></ul><h3>Emergency Planning Doesn’t Stop at the Property Line</h3><p><img src="/Articles/PublishingImages/2025/Byron-Walker.jpg" alt="Byron Walker" class="ms-rtePosition-1" style="margin:5px;" />Infrastructure failure can have a meaningful impact on senior care facilities. These failures can escalate quickly, especially for vulnerable residents with mobility or medical needs.</p><p>By planning beyond your walls and by preparing for infrastructure failures, operators can better protect residents, reduce operational risk, and build a reputation for true emergency readiness.<br><br><em>Byron Walker is the founder and CEO of Peak 10 Emergency, a Colorado-based company specializing in emergency preparedness solutions tailored to the senior care industry. He can be reached at <a href="mailto:%20byron.walker@peak10emergency.com" data-feathr-click-track="true" data-feathr-link-aids="60b7cbf17788425491b2d083" target="_blank">byron.walker@peak10emergency.com</a>.</em></p><p><em><br></em></p><p><span class="ms-rteFontSize-1"><em>Provider</em> magazine includes information from a variety of sources, such as contributing experts. The views expressed by external contributors do not necessarily reflect the views of <em>Provider</em> magazine and AHCA/NCAL. </span><a href="/About/Pages/Submit-Article.aspx" title="https://www.providermagazine.com/About/Pages/Submit-Article.aspx" data-outlook-id="badae440-b0ce-4219-9c08-f7e349a8e3d6" target="_blank"><span class="ms-rteFontSize-1">Learn how to submit an article.</span></a><br></p> | 2025-11-18T05:00:00Z | <img alt="" src="/Articles/PublishingImages/740%20x%20740/emergency-plan.jpg" style="BORDER:0px solid;" /> | Architecture;Emergency Preparedness | Local infrastructure risks may include aging water systems, deteriorating roads, crumbling bridges, and outdated drainage networks, which could undermine even the most carefully developed emergency plans. |