Hampton Green Homes

Deciding to put a loved one in a nursing home is a very difficult choice. It is emotionally stressful to place someone who has cared for you under the care of strangers. In addition to medical care and daily sustenance, safety is a big concern. If a fire occurs in nursing homes, residents are less able to escape than healthy, independent people. To become more aware of the reality of this threat, take a look at summaries of five cases of nursing home fires and the losses suffered by each.

1. Hampton Plaza Fire of 2008

On May 14, 2008, two men were pronounced dead of apparent smoke inhalation following a nursing home fire in Niles, Illinois, a suburb of Chicago, on the third floor of the Hampton Plaza Nursing Home. Two more were injured of the same cause without life-threatening damage. The fire was believed to have been caused from smoking materials stored in a closet, belonging to two residents who smoked. The fire claimed the lives of two residents who were asleep in bed when the fire broke out in very late evening. Upon the firefighters’ arrival four minutes after being alerted, Deputy Fire Chief Steve Borkowski claimed that, “There was zero visibility in the room”1 already filled with smoke. In this case, the facility was equipped with sprinklers and smoke detectors which worked properly and responded effectively to the fire.

2. Governor’s Creek Health and Rehab Fire of 2008

An afternoon fire broke out in Governor’s Creek Health and Rehabilitation Center in Green Cove Springs, Florida in April of 2008. The fire claimed the lives of one resident and injured five patients and three staff members. The fire is believed to have been caused by the deceased victim smoking in bed while using an oxygen machine, allowing for rapid spread of the flames. The concrete structure of the facility contained the fire to one room, allowing staff members to break windows to ventilate other rooms as patients were evacuated. The fire was isolated mainly to the victim’s bed.

3. Mount Pleasant Fire of 2007

On December 30, 2007, Blues legend Weepin’ Willie Robinson was the victim of a fire at Mount Pleasant Home in Boston, Massachusetts. Boston’s “Elder Statesman of the Blues” also was the victim of a fire in his room resulting from smoking in bed. He knew this was against policy but would forget at times, finally claiming his own life just before the new year. Robinson was found when the fire alarm and sprinklers were set off in the early morning hours.

4. Tula Nursing Home Fire of 2007

In November of 2007, 31 residents were killed in a nursing home fire in the Tula region south of Moscow, Russia. The facility was in violation of numerous fire safety codes, including not having a fire alarm. The rapidly moving flames combined with thick smoke claimed the lives of the victims. The wooden interiors of the brick building encouraged the fire’s quick advancement. A short circuit in a second-floor ceiling lamp was the apparent cause of the fire. Survivors claim that the lamp began smoking before crashing to the ground to spark the initial flames. Some residents who escaped with their lives were able to jump from windows out of desperation, even losing consciousness for a time. The facility had previously been under appeal to be shut down in violation of numerous fire safety rules, including replacing the electrical system which had been deemed a fire hazard.

5. Southern Russia Nursing Home Fire of 2007

A southern Russia nursing home lost 62 residents as the result of a fire in March of 2007. The high death toll is attributed to an incomplete alarm system as well as the sluggish response of a watchman who heard two fire alarms and alerted the nursing home staff prior to notifying the fire department, delaying authorities by approximately 21 minutes. Many of the victims were bed-ridden and unable to escape the smoke and flames invading their rooms. The fire came as the deadliest in Russia in more than 15 years. Home to more than 90 residents, the facility violated 36 fire safety standards. The facility contained insufficient equipment to protect against smoke, and the wooden panels lining each room were not flame-proofed.

Nursing Home Fire Safety Factors

It is impossible to be too particular about to whose care you entrust your loved one. When selecting a nursing home, be sure to include fire safety questions in your inquiry such as:

- Does the facility use fire-retardant on combustible materials?

- Does the building meet fire safety code?

- Does the facility have and maintain adequate fire protection equipment such as fire alarms, sprinklers, and extinguishers?

- Will the fire department automatically be alerted of a fire in the building?

- What is the smoking policy of the facility?

Even when all of the fire safety standards are met, there is no guarantee that fires will not ignite or be extinguished before anyone is harmed. In the American instances above, many lives were saved due to the structure of the buildings and the usual quick response of rescue workers. However, even with these assistances, smoke inhalation cannot be remediated if the poisonous gas has already invaded the lungs. In circumstances especially where residents are prone to forgetfulness as in the case of Weepin’ Willie Robinson, fire hazards are always a possibility. It is far better to prevent fires from starting than to extinguish them afterwards.

Paul Galla

1 [http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/chi-nursing-home-fire-both-16may16],0,1400649.story

2 http://www.news4jax.com/news/15935283/detail.htmlp

Terms will prepare you to discuss them with your doctor or other medical providers if the need arises: Preemie-a is the baby born prematurely at less than 37 weeks of age. The average twin birth occurs at 35.2 weeks. Th is is the most common reason for twins to require NICU admission. RDS-respiratory distress syndrome, a lung problem typically seen in babies born less than 34 weeks of age. Premature babies frequently have underdeveloped lungs that do not produce enough surfactant, an important substance that helps the lungs function normally. Babies with RDS often require oxygen and mechanical ventilation.

Fortunately, doctors can give surfactant to babies with RDS. The availability of surfactant has dramatically improved the survival and health of premature babies. PDA-patent ductus arteriosus. Babies in the womb have a conduit between two blood vessels that stem from the heart. Usually, this conduit closes shortly after birth. When the conduit fails to close, this condition is called a patent ductus arteriosus. A PDA typically causes no major problems. However, it can sometimes lead to heart failure and breathing difficulties, especially in premature babies. In these cases, doctors can use medications or surgery to close the PDA.

NEC-necrotizing enterocolitis, a condition characterized by inflammation of the intestines. Premature babies have a greater risk of developing NEC. Sometimes the intestines may be sufficiently damaged so as to require surgical removal of the damaged area. IVH-intraventricular hemorrhage, a bleed from small blood vessels in the brain. Babies less than 1,500 grams (3 pounds 5 ounces) have the greatest risk of IVH. Severe IVH can lead to neurological damage, but minor bleeds typically pose no major long-term problems.

ROP-retinopathy of prematurity, a condition where the eye does not develop normally in premature babies. Some babies require laser surgery to prevent vision loss. Hyperbilirubinemia-a high level of bilirubin in the blood. Prematurity is one of the most common risk factors for hyperbilirubinemia. Premature babies do not process a normal chemical in the blood called bilirubin as efficiently as full-term babies.

This chemical increases and causes yellow skin (jaundice). If severe jaundice is left untreated, bilirubin can build up in the brain and cause injury. Most babies with jaundice are easily treated by being placed under special fluorescent lighting that helps the bilirubin level drop. In rare cases, blood transfusions may be needed.

Apnea of prematurity-long pauses in breathing in premature babies. Typically the brain automatically directs the body to breathe. The immature brain of a premature baby, however, sometimes allows the baby to stop breathing for too long. Treatment includes the use of medications to stimulate breathing. Premature babies typically outgrow this condition once they approach the age equivalent to the number of weeks by which they were premature. I know that reading about these conditions may be scary but it is very necessary.

An unspoken sisterhood exists between mothers of multiples. The instant they meet, they are bonded by a shared understanding of the joys and challenges of parenting multiples. They want to encourage each other. They freely admit their mistakes as they relate their experience for the sake of the other mother. Novice mothers attentively seek advice while more veteran mothers graciously impart it.

This spirit of sisterhood and sharing provided the inspiration for writing this book. My personal journey with twins began with two unusually solid blue lines on a pregnancy test strip. Two stripes, you are pregnant. One stripe, you are not. I knew the routine from my prior pregnancy with my then two-year-old daughter. What made this test different was an unusual clarity to the blue stripes considering that the test was done at least a week before my period would have arrived. I remember with my first daughter that we could barely tell if there was a second line.

But with this test, the two blue lines emerged quickly and solidly, indicating that my pregnancy hormone level was surging. In retrospect, my hormone level was unusually high because I was pregnant with twins. Seven weeks into my pregnancy, I started spotting. An ultrasound to evaluate the bleeding surprised both me and my obstetrician when two little bodies appeared on the screen. I could not believe I was pregnant with twins! As the weeks passed, I continued to have regular ultrasounds to monitor the health of the twins.

With amazement, I saw the babies transform from two tiny white masses on the screen into two fully formed babies. Th ere were many challenges along the way, but before I knew it, I was on the laboring table giving birth. What started out as two beautiful blue stripes on a pregnancy test culminated in the birth of two beautiful girls, Faith and Hope. Parenting them has been a learning and rewarding experience. From the day I found out I was pregnant with twins, I knew I was embarking on a special journey. Mothers of multiples openly share what they have learned from their experiences because they understand that parenting twins can be very different from rearing singletons.

Like breast-fed twins, bottle-fed babies can follow a staggered or simultaneous feeding schedule. Some mothers prefer to feed their babies one at a time so they can easily focus on each baby. Ann Tran, mother to twin boys, found that “feeding both at the same time was difficult. We actually staggered their feedings one after another. That may seem tedious, but that ensured that each child got individual attention and ate as well as he could.” While staggered schedules may work well for some families, some twins prefer simultaneous feedings. Faith and Hope came home on a staggered schedule, but it was not long before they made it clear that they wanted to eat together.

Feeding presents a special opportunity to bond, and I found it impossible to bond with one baby while the other screamed throughout her sibling’s entire feed. I learned rather quickly the art of bottle-feeding both babies at once. You can easily bottle-feed your twins simultaneously by sitting each child in a car seat or bouncy chair. Make sure both babies are tilted upward at a thirty-to-forty-five-degree angle and not lying flat.

Face both seats toward you, off er a bottle to each baby, and… presto! Instant happy babies! Bottle Feeding with Love Breast feeding naturally creates an atmosphere for bonding. However, some babies cannot nurse on the breast for one reason or another.

If your babies require bottle feeding, you can still create intimate moments of connection with your babies as they eat by using some of the following tips: Feed y our babies in a quiet place where there are no environmental distractions. That way, you can focus on each other. Look lovingly at your twins. Gently talk to them, and tell them that you love them. You can softly sing to your babies while feeding them.

If feeding one at a time, hold your baby close, skin to skin, and gently stroke your baby’s head or hand. Do not feel bad if you wanted to breast-feed but were unable to. Remember that a mother’s love for her babies is more important than any feeding technique. Your love will traverse any distance that a bottle may seem to create.

Before you know it, your twins have reached four to six months of age and are ready for solids. Starting foods is one of my favorite moments in parenting. A baby’s transition from a purely milk-based diet to eating solid foods marks a key milestone in their lives. A baby’s face covered up with food for the first time brings tears of joy to my maternal, sentimental soul. This momentous occasion reminds you that your twins are not tiny newborns anymore. They are growing up, and quickly! Eating opens up a whole new world of sensory exploration, social interaction, and motor development. These are precious times. Take lots of pictures! When to Begin You can start feeding your babies solids around four to six months of age.

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends waiting until at least four months of age to decrease the risk of developing food allergies. If allergies run in your family, your pediatrician may recommend waiting longer before starting solids. Generally babies will tell you when they are ready for solid food through a number of physical and behavioral cues.

Typically, it is best to wait until your twins have good head control and can sit easily with support in a high chair or on an adult’s lap. You will notice that your babies have started to show an interest in eating. They may stare at you while you eat. You may even see them smack their lips as they watch you eat. If you feel that they are watching your every bite, it may be time to get your children in on the fun! Just be sure they are physically and developmentally ready.

How to Begin – Many pediatricians recommend starting with rice cereal since it is generally well tolerated and one of the foods least likely to cause an allergic reaction. You can mix the rice cereal with breast milk or formula so the taste is familiar to your babies. For your babies’ first meal, you may want another adult to hold them (one at a time) in his or her lap while you feed.

Alternatively, you can seat your babies in side-by-side high chairs and feed them both at once. Definitely have a bib on the babies. Things will get messy! Using an infant spoon, offer a small amount of food at a time to your babies. It is completely normal and fine for your babies to push or spit out food at first. No worries. You can keep trying as long as your babies show interest and seem to be enjoying themselves.

Signs that your babies are done with eating include turning away or shutting their mouths. End the meal at this point, and look forward to trying again the next day.