Safety and Emergency Preparation
Emergency Plans
We have emergency plans and procedures in place at all our homes for:
- Fire, bomb threats, chemical spills and evacuation.
- Tornado, severe weather, floods and heat/cold stress.
- Power outages and disaster preparedness.
- Missing residents.
Ongoing Reviews of all Emergency Plans
A Quality Assurance/Standards of Care Committee meets every year to review our policies and procedures, which include detailed plans covering:
- Chain of command.
- Evacuation plans and transportation to a safe location.
- Family notification.
- Emergency supplies.
- Safeguarding of residents’ personal items.
- Security of medical records and resident fund records.
Resident Safety
Strict measures are taken to avoid a situation where a resident with impaired safety judgment could go missing:
- Every resident is assessed upon admission, quarterly and upon any significant change in condition for the likelihood of trying to leave the nursing home without an escort.
- Alarm systems are on at all times and only disabled while an exit is under visual supervision by a staff member.
- In the case of a high risk resident, and after discussion with the family, the nursing home may use a personal alarm.
- A sign-out procedure is in place for when a resident leaves the nursing home and its grounds.
Staff Training and Fire Drills
Staff training and drills in fire and disaster policies and procedures are held at regular intervals and are documented, in writing, with original signatures of participants available for review.
Emergency Power Source
Each home has an emergency electrical power system that will provide basic lighting; fire detection/extinguishing equipment; and life support systems if there is any interruption of normal electrical supply.
