Industry Helped Derail Efforts to Ensure Nursing Homes Had AC After Storms
Now that we’ve jogged the distance from “compassionate conservatism” to our current callous state congresses, we can expect a lot of seniors to die unnecessarily in coming years.how’s your state congress? Are they listening more to lobbyists than citizens, are they kinder to businesses than constituents?
In the aftermath of 2005’s destructive Hurricane Wilma, Florida lawmakers approved laws to protect motorists at risk of getting stranded on the interstate, and residents of new high-rises who can’t climb stairs.
Proposed at the same time: a bill that would have required some nursing homes to have generators to protect frail elders from the ravages of heat and dehydration.
That bill died.
Cause of death: industry opposition and government miserliness.
The initial idea in the 2006 session was to require all nursing homes to install generators capable of cooling and running their facilities. That went nowhere as the powerful long-term care industry objected to the price tag.
More: Industry helped derail efforts to ensure nursing homes had AC after storms