Four nursing home residents are dead after seven nursing homes in Jefferson, Lafourche, Orleans, and Terrebonne Parishes were evacuated Friday to a warehouse in Tangipahoa Parish located in Independence. Independence Police Chief Frank Edwards, who is also the brother of Governor John Bel Edwards, says the warehouse owned by Waterbury Companies was only equipped for 300 to 350 patients.
“I don’t know if the water was rising, I don’t know if the roofs had been blown, I know nothing about why, but about 800 people, 800 residents were transported here,” said Edwards.
According to The Advocate the seven nursing homes are all owned by Bob Dean.
Edwards says 843 patients put the warehouse well overcapacity, and the building was neither equipped nor prepared for that many. Edwards says conditions then deteriorated rather quickly and he contacted his brother, Governor Edwards, on Tuesday.
“LDH sent a team down here and they began triaging patients who needed to go first, who needed to go where, it was a massive effort on behalf of the state, to bring these residents to a better-equipped, better-prepared facility,” said Edwards.
During their initial visit to the warehouse, Louisiana Department Health inspectors were expelled from the site. State Health Officer Dr. Joe Kanter says during triage 14 residents were determined to need immediate hospitalization and four evacuated residents have since died, of which three have been listed as storm-related deaths. A cause of death for the four residents hasn’t been released. Kanter says an investigation is underway.
“There will be a lot that gets looked at in this over the coming weeks and months. What is most important now is that those individuals are all in a safe environment and receiving the care that they need,” said Kanter.
Identities of the deceased have not been released yet.
According to LDH unless under a mandatory evacuation order, nursing homes make the decision of when and where to evacuate, but they must always provide safe conditions for their residents.
The Louisiana Nursing Home Association released a statement that they are saddened to hear of the four deaths and the nursing homes involved are not members of the LNHA.
The nursing homes involved are River Palms Nursing and Rehab, Orleans Parish; South Lafourche Nursing and Rehab, Lafourche Parish; Maison Orleans Healthcare, Orleans Parish; Park Place Healthcare Nursing Home, Jefferson Parish; West Jefferson Health Care Center, Jefferson Parish; Maison DeVille Nursing Home, Terrebonne Parish; and Maison DeVille Nursing Home of Harvey, Jefferson Parish.
Concerned family members can call 2-1-1 for updates. You will need to provide the patient’s name, facility, and date of birth for updates.
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