Seniors left to swelter as wild weather tests Houston’s independent senior living facilities trendy New

 

Seniors left to swelter as wild weather tests Houston’s independent senior living facilities

Unlike nursing homes and assisted living facilities, independent living facilities for seniors are not subject to the same stringent oversight.

I’m sitting here in the living room now with my little portable fan that I bought from Walmart," she said one June afternoon. Her thermostat read 87 degrees Fahrenheit.

Powell moved to Palisades of Inwood, a senior living complex in North Houston, a decade ago because she decided living in a senior living community is much cheaper and easier than maintaining her own property. She also enjoys the camaraderie of other elderly people.

But she said the tradeoff has come with a cost: the type of facility she lives in comes with little oversight.

Although Powell is in a senior complex, there's a stark contrast in how the different types of senior living facilities are regulated — and that leaves some of the most vulnerable seniors in gaps in care. "Nobody come over here and see about us," Powell said.

Nursing homes and assisted living facilities, which provide medical care, are required to be prepared for storms. The guidelines outlined by Texas Health and Human Services for how these kinds of facilities should be prepared for emergencies are stringent.

However, independent living communities like Palisades of Inwood are exempt from these regulations.

Despite being targeted at individuals over the age of 55, independent complexes typically are not required to provide specialized care for seniors. Amy Peck, a member of the Houston City Council, stated, "It's just like a regular apartment complex." Low-income, medication-dependent, and unable to walk alone residents of independent complexes are common.

Peck is concerned that many of them are not as independent as those who live in specialized care facilities, and the risks are high given the approaching active hurricane season.

Peck went on to say, "Most of the time there are a bunch of senior citizens living in an apartment complex without any kind of accountability for what could happen in a disaster situation or any other kind of situation."

Powell claimed that on June 7, her air conditioner and nearly a dozen of her neighbors failed. Because some of them have more serious health issues, she is concerned about them. Their landlord provided them with portable air conditioners, but they were insufficient to cool their home in Houston's triple-digit summer heat.

Powell stated, "I’m sitting here in the living room now with my little portable fan that I purchased from Walmart." It's just not what we were told it would be, so I just try to brace myself and make sure I have enough food and water here to take care of myself.

Palisades of Inwood manager Latasha Washington declined to comment. Powell lives in this complex.

Seniors, even those who live independently, frequently suffer from chronic health conditions and rely on electricity to maintain the proper temperature for medications and charge life-saving devices, making prolonged power outages even more dangerous for them.

State Congressperson Molly Cook holds an Expert's in General Wellbeing. She stated that dehydration is more common in older people.

Cook stated, "Especially if it’s humid, that could be lethal for them."

Houstonians were taken aback by storms in May, particularly the derecho, which left many, including senior care communities, without power or air conditioning for days. It turned into a trial of who is ready for storm season.

Cook stated, "What we saw out there was that people were falling between the gaps."

The state mandates that medical facilities have an evacuation plan, a generator, and enough food and water for at least three days for each resident.

The Housing Corporation, a non-profit with eight Houston independent living communities, including Houston Heights Tower, is led by Linda Holder as executive director.

She said in spite of the fact that they take special care of the older, it's all in the name: living independently

Holder stated, "We really can't, we can't take care of people's medical needs." We have a very high profile with the fire department, so there's always 911."

Regardless of that, she said they really do stock additional food and water and give a cooling community when power goes out.

cut them down and they can either be on the corridors or locally room here since I don't need nobody on the top, to make sure they will not get terrified or anything," Aguirre said.

City Council member Peck stated that she is researching the creation of local policies to regulate independent living communities.

She stated, "There needs to be some changes to our city ordinances and possibly the state law as well that says, you know, that there has to at least be some kind of minimum standard of care at these apartment complexes." Additionally, "there needs to be some changes to our state law as well."