Despite a 7.0 magnitude earthquake hitting Alaska over the weekend — tearing open roads and jostling buildings — the state’s skilled nursing facilities have remained up and running, officials said Tuesday.
The weekend quake, and its many aftershocks, led President Trump to declare an emergency and launch federal assistance to the state Friday. None of Alaska’s nursing homes were forced to close or evacuate, Connie Beemer, VP of post-acute care and finance for the Alaska State Hospital and Nursing Home Association told McKnight’s. She touted an “amazing response” by the group’s members on Tuesday.
“The good news continues to come in,” Beemer said.
One of its member SNFs, the Prestige Care & Rehabilitation Center of Anchorage, did lose heat, but it was able to quickly get utility maintenance workers onsite to restore services on the same day. Administrator Tammy Rose similarly praised the facility’s workers, saying they worked their emergency operations plan and kept things “well under control.” “I’m very proud of them,” she relayed to the ASHNHA. “They all did a fantastic job.”
Beemer said that nursing homes located in regions near coastal waters that are susceptible to tsunamis prepared for evacuation. The National Weather Service had initially issued a warning, but that was later canceled.
The California Association of Health Facilities offered assistance to Alaskan nursing homes, after providers in the Golden State recently grappled with deadly wildfires. “Please know that your partners in the state of California stand with you, and we wish your state’s providers patience, compassion and comfort during this disaster,” CAHF CEO Craig Cornett said.
ASHNHA’s anchorage offices received minimal damage during the quake. On Monday, the Health and Human Services also declared an emergency. All told, Alaska has four standalone SNFs and 14 that are co-located with hospitals.
