New Orleans Senior AdvisorDo Louisiana assisted living providers have to evacuate for hurricanes?
Each ARCP must have a written plan for both evacuation and sheltering in place, monitor official watches, warnings and evacuation orders, and follow the plan; the decision to evacuate depends on the storm, the building and local orders.
LDH must be told where residents go, and of any change from the planned host site within 48 hours.
Can an ARCP charge extra during a hurricane?
Yes, if it disclosed the charges in advance: Louisiana requires the pre-residency information to include additional costs during natural disasters with a formula and cost parameters.
Compare those formulas across providers.
What does an ARCP's generator have to power?
Louisiana does not require every ARCP to have a generator, but its emergency plan must list exactly what any generator powers and how it will be fueled and refueled.
Ask whether air conditioning, refrigerated medications and oxygen concentrators are on the list.
How are residents identified in an evacuation?
Each ARCP resident must be given identification attached to his or her person, and the plan must list residents' medications, needs and next-of-kin contacts.
Ask to see the identification method and how records travel with residents.
When can residents return after an evacuation?
An ARCP that evacuated, was damaged or lost power for a significant period may not re-open until LDH authorizes it.
Ask the provider how it keeps families informed during the time residents are at the host site.
What should a parent living at home do before hurricane season?
Make a written plan: destination, driver, the point at which you leave, a week of medications, copies of insurance cards and a medical summary, and registration with the parish's program for residents who need help evacuating.
If your parent receives LT-PCS, CCW services or PACE, ask the provider about its client emergency plan.
Do nursing homes have to plan for hurricanes?
Yes: certified nursing homes must meet federal emergency preparedness rules, including evacuation and shelter-in-place plans and alternate power for safe temperatures, and LDH surveys them for CMS.
Ask where residents went in the last evacuation and how long the trip took.
What should families bring if they evacuate a parent from an ARCP themselves?
Bring at least a week of medications with the current list, the care plan, mobility aids, glasses, hearing aids, chargers and copies of insurance cards, and tell the ARCP so its resident count is accurate.
Confirm with the provider how and when your parent can return after LDH authorizes the building to re-open.
Is hurricane season the same every year?
The Atlantic hurricane season runs June 1 through November 30, with the busiest weeks for the Gulf Coast usually in late August through September.
Review your parent's plan, or the provider's, every spring before the season starts.
