Assisted living
Massachusetts orders corrective action at an assisted living residence after weeks of heating problems
Town officials recorded dangerously high indoor temperatures after the building switched from cooling to heat. If a parent is in assisted living, this is the season to ask how temperature problems get reported — and how fast they get fixed.
Key facts
- Town officials in Hopkinton, Massachusetts, found indoor temperatures up to 94 degrees at an assisted living residence after a resident died on September 30.
- Ten residents were taken to the hospital in early October, and the town said it does not know the cause of the resident's death.
- The state found several violations and requested a plan of correction.
What happened
Boston.com reported on October 20 that town health officials in Hopkinton, Massachusetts, found indoor temperatures from 74 to 94 degrees at the Golden Pond assisted living residence after an 86-year-old resident was found dead on September 30 in a room measured at 99 degrees. The health director said he does not know the cause of her death.
Town crews and the fire department transported 10 residents to the hospital on October 2 and 3. Complaints continued into mid-October. The state's Executive Office of Aging & Independence found several regulatory violations, requested a plan of correction and said it will keep monitoring. The facility's director did not respond to the outlet's request for comment.
What it means for families
Room temperature is a basic safety issue for older adults, and problems often show up when buildings switch between cooling and heating. Families visiting regularly are often the first to notice.
Quick answers
What did Massachusetts order after the heating problems in Hopkinton?
Town crews and the fire department transported 10 residents to the hospital on October 2 and 3. Complaints continued into mid-October. The state's Executive Office of Aging & Independence found several regulatory violations, requested a plan of correction and said it will keep monitoring. The facility's director did not respond to the outlet's request for comment.
What to do this week
- On your next visit, check the room temperature and ask how staff monitor it.
- Ask the residence what its plan is if the heating or cooling fails.
- If you have a concern that isn't resolved, contact your state's assisted living oversight office or the long-term care ombudsman.
Sources
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