Cathy Cress

Expert in Aging Life and Geriatric Care Management

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Rural Living Elders Greatest Risk to Perish in Massive Western Fires

September 17, 2020

ELDERLY 2XMORE LIKELY TO DIE IN FIRES

The U.S. Fire Administration estimates that older adults are more than twice as likely than the general population to die in fires. One-quarter of the Paradise residents, in the devastating fire that burnt down an entire California town in 2018, through PG&E Malfeasance had a disability which is double the statewide statistic. One geriatric care manager who lives there, lost his home and practice trying to rescue a local older client.

Decades of research confirm that the physical limitations that accompany advanced age make it much more difficult to escape disaster, but so do the social isolation and stubbornness that experts say are common among the elderly.

BREATHING PROBLEMS FOR SENIORS UBER RISK IN FIRES

The elderly are at the greatest risk for fire-related breathing problems according to the CDC.So if they just live in fire-prone areas and do not lose their home the very air they breathe can make them ill or actually kill them. Wildfire smoke can in the worst cases be deadly, especially among older people. Studies have shown that when waves of smoke hit, the rate of hospitalizations rises, and patients experience respiratory problems, heart attacks, and strokes.

In 23 counties, older Californians overwhelmingly choose to live in fire-prone areas. Including in San Luis Obispo County, where 82% do live in rural areas.

That means nearly 2 million older Californians live in areas where wildfire is a formidable threat. It is not only the elderly who are losing homes in these rural Forest fires but those in facilities.

According to NPR in San Francisco, there are more than 10,000 long-term care facilities in California, from six-bed assisted living homes to large nursing centers.

Their analysis found that 35% of these facilities are in risky areas. With as many as 105,000 residents to safeguard if fire comes, these care home operators must now consider how to evacuate during a pandemic, a more complicated and difficult task.

California is aging faster than the rest of the country. In 10 years, the state projects the number of people over 65 will grow to 8.6 million.

SANTA CRUZ COUNTY FIRES TURNED REDWOODS INTO INFERNOS 

In my county, Santa Cruz, wildfires in our Santa Cruz mountain forest burnt down 25 % of our county in the past month. Among the many senior facilities damaged was Brookdale Senior Living which was evacuated due to smoke damage and inhalation by residents, along with the Kaiser facility. Both had to send patients to the Bay area, where the Brookdale case, frail confused elders were sleeping on cots close to each other, risking COVID -19 and exacerbating their confusion, according to one daughter who moved her mother to her home in Santa Cruz permanently.
ELDERS COLLIDE WITH CLIMATE CHANGE

“There is absolutely a colliding of the events of both population aging and climate change,” said the University of South Florida gerontologist Kathryn Hyer.

TRUMP ANSWER CA MANAGE FOREST- YET FEDS CONTROL 57%- CA 3%

President Trump claimed when he came to California a few days ago that the problem with wildfires was forest management. Governor Newsome agreed but pointed out that 57% of California forests are managed by the federal government and 3% by the state of California. When it was pointed out in that state meeting that the problems with the forest were rooted in climate change, Trump’s answer was, it will get colder, you’ll see..

Trump has rolled back regulations, like auto emissions that prevented climate change- now ravaging our forests .“As a historic figure, he is one of the most culpable men in America contributing to the suffering and death that is now occurring through climate-related tragedy,” Jerry Brown, the former California governor who made climate change his signature issue, said in an interview on Sunday

It seems that it is only getting hotter, harder to breathe more dangerous for all Western residents

but radically  more so for elders, who are number 1 in health problems, number 1 risk in COVID and breathing problems and live at home or in facilities in the middle of these mammoth forests, turned into infernos  of death

 

 

Filed Under: Aging Families and Disaster, aging family crisis, Aging Life Care, ALCA Disaster Plan, Assisted Living Crisis, Blog, COVID-19 & Wildfire, Disaster, Disaster 2020, ELDER FIRE RIsk, Elderly Disaster Plan, FIRES, GCM Disaster Plan, Home care disaster plan, Home Care Emergency Coronavirus Plan, Nursing Home disaster plan, Paradise Fire, Rural Elder Fire Risk, Santa Cruz Fires, Trump Administration, Trump's lack a federal response, Trust Departments, WESTERN FIRES, Wildfire Tornados Tagged With: aging parent care, aging parent crisis, Breathing Problems in fires, California wildfires, care manager, case manager, crisis with aging parents, Elder risk in fires, Long Term Facilities Risk Fires, nurse advocate, nurse care manager, preparing for a disaster, Rural Aging & Wildfires, Rural Fires in West, Rural Risks in Wildfires, Santa Cruz Wildfires, Trump response Ca Wildfires, Western fires & Elders, wildfires in west

Mourn Dead Essential Workers on Labor Day& Blame President

August 30, 2020

3000 Essential Workers Have Died on Front Line Worldwide

Labor Day is dedicated to the social and economic achievements of American workers. Instead, we mourn front line workers’ unnecessary deaths. Essential health care workers who have died worldwide of COVID -19 are thought by Amnesty International to be about 3000 and counting.

 More than a month ago, Kaiser Health News put the US total at almost 600. The report said, “The overall figure is likely to be a significant underestimate due to under-reporting, while accurate comparisons across countries are difficult due to differences in counting.”

US Essential Worker Left Unprotected By PPE

“Health and essential workers have played an extraordinary role in this pandemic. But those so dedicated workers are often left unprotected by governments and systems that have failed to supply them with enough personal protective equipment (PPE), supplies, and resources to do their jobs.”( trash bags they got from FEMA, as you can see)

In April alone, there were an estimated 27 COVID-19-related health worker deaths in the USA, 106 in the UK, and 180 in Russia, with tens of thousands of infections. The actual numbers are probably much higher.

Although COVID Take it’s the biggest toll on the elderly, nurses, nursing students, and nurses aides at hard-hit nursing homes caring for the elderly, die young of COVID. 

I am a social worker and have worked on the social work/nurse team, with nurses & nurses aides for 40 years, so this really matters to me as it should to all of us.

Trump Failed to Use Defence Production ACT to Make PPE

According to Kaiser this month it was over 900 and counting in the US. And as is so often said- it did not have to be this way. If Trump had used the  Defence Production Act to get PPE made the PPE and distributed to essential workers, they would not have died. As cases mount in the south and the west where I live, lifesaving PPE- N-95 masks, gloves, gowns are not adequate although Trump keeps giving more dubious information that every worker had what they needed. Poor government preparation or actions, government missteps, and overburdened health care created this travesty

Mourn Essential Workers on Labor Day

So on labor day offer a thank you, a prayer,  light a candle, create art  -burn a stick of sage as the American Indians do -all in their memory – a ritual of mourning for these essential workers who did not have to die because the richest nation in the world could not give them simple protection.

Contact Your Legislator After Labor Day

Then contact your local legislator about the lack of PPE that the government is not sending to save another nurse, bus driver, care providers, doctor, policeman, social worker, firefighter who offered themselves up for us and died for our Presidents’ sins.

 

 

Filed Under: Blog, COVID-19 Emergency Plan, Covid-19 mixed messaging, COVID-19 Webinar, COVID19 Deaths Essential worker, Covis-19 Services, Defence Production ACT, Essential Workers deaths, Labor Day Mourn Deaths of Workers, PPE, PPE and Essential Workers, PPE Essential Workers, PPE not ordered by Feds, Trump Administration, Trump's failure to order masks, Trump's lack a federal response Tagged With: aging family, aging life care manager, COVID_19 Deaths Labor Day, Deaths Of Essential Workerss, Mourn Essential Workers Labor Day, nurse advocate, nurse care manager, Nurse's aides Deaths of COVID, nurses death of COVID, PPE for Essential Workers, Trump Administration, TRUMP ADministration ordering PPE

130 million Dead COVID- Trump will not require the #1 deterrent -Masks

July 9, 2020

Number 1 Prevention of COVID -19  Wearing A Mask

The Coronavirus yesterday reached the 3 million mark in mark in cases  The number one preventative step we could have taken is to wear masks 

 

Citing Lone Ranger-TRUMP Refuses National Order For Masks

Yet, President Trump refuses to issue a federal order to wear masks and leaves it up to the states. In Texas, where the coronavirus rampages, the  Republican governor has also refused to issue a state order to wear masks. Like ordering the US to wear masks, has something to do with his looks, Trump said a mask makes him look like the Lone Ranger. The Lone Star state topped over 1000 cases 5 days in a row

 

33 Million Would Not Be Dead if Masks Ordered in  October

A new study says wearing masks would have saved 33 million lives since last October. Yet there are still no federal mask requirements.

Lack of President’s National Response Leading to New Depression- Says World Bank

This lack of federal response, like no federal order to wear masks, is not only killing huge swaths of the world population but has torpedoed our economy. President Trump wants to reboot the economy yet by not using federal controls, according to the World Bank the President is moving us to a recession and the cusp of depression worldwide.

Less than half the States Require Masks

Only 20 states require masks as Trump, instead of requiring masks, has left it up to the states. He relented recently, narcissistically,  saying he thought he looked good- like the lone ranger in a mask but ordered no federal requirement. 

Dr. Anthony Fauci predicts a few days ago that the huge COVID spread could leave 100 million a day dying. Masks are our # 1 deterrent again this  slaughter by the omission of using federal powers

33 States Now in Crisis Surge of Virus Sunbelt Devastated

A total of 33 states now have a coronavirus surge with 7 states in the southwest at a crisis level.

Without required preventative steps from the Trump government and the wildfire surge immolating ¾ of our states, COVID 19 is not going away, in fact, may last well into 2021

Mixed -Messaging by President, States, Counties Gives Families no Path to Virus Safety

The problem is made more confusing by the administration’s mixed messaging with different states, cities, counties telling residents what to do to be safe. Families have no idea which way to turn to keep themselves and the most vulnerable senior family members safe.

 

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Filed Under: Aging deaths, Aging Family, aging family crisis, ALCA Products for COVID_19, Blog, coronavirus, Coronavirus Coaching, Coronavirus safety elders, coronavirus shut down, CORONAVIRUS Stay at Home Plan, COVID-19 & Care Management, Covid-19 GCM Products, Covid-19 mixed messaging, COVID-19 Webinar, elder care manager, FREE WEBINAR, GCM COVID 19 Crisis, GCM products in COVID-19, Geriatric Care Management Business, Geriatric Care Manager, geriatric social worker, Home Care Emergency Coronavirus Plan, INFECTION CONTROL & COVID-19, inquiry COVID-19, Intake COVID-19, mask wearing covid-19, Telehealth COVID-19products, telemedicine, Therapist Specializing in Aging, Trump's failure to order masks, Trump's lack a federal response Tagged With: aging family, aging life care manager, aging parent crisis, care manager, COVID_19, COVID-19 Deaths, COVID-19 deaths SNF's, COVID-19 exposure, COVID-19 prevention, COVID-19 Telehealth product, GCM Telehealth Product, geriatric care manager, geriatric care managers, geriatric social worker, masks, nurse advocate, nurse care manager, Telehealth counseling, wear mask 4COVID

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