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Evacuees go home
  
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Nursing home residents from Beaumont sent back after three-day stay in Cleveland
By VANESA BRASHIER
Over four dozen displaced nursing home residents — evacuees of Hurricane Gustav from the Beaumont area — returned home Tuesday morning with the help of firefighters from Cleveland Volunteer Fire Department, City of Cleveland employees and Cleveland EMS workers.
The nursing home residents — patients at Beaumont Health Care Center — had been in Cleveland since Saturday, staying at Cleveland Health Care Center, the sister facility to the Beaumont nursing home. Fifteen other residents were sent to another sister facility in Conroe and others were sent to Tomball.
Sandra Hilland, director of Cleveland Health Care Center, said that everything went smoothly over the weekend and Labor Day holiday.
“We all watched storm coverage on television to see what was going on,” she said.
Hilland said all the visiting residents were housed over the weekend in the facility’s “Station 1,” which hasn’t even been opened up since renovations at Cleveland Health Care Center were finished earlier this year.
“I am so proud of my staff. They were so good. The reception for them has been wonderful,” said Hilland.
She complimented local businesses for giving discounts for food and other necessities. She also had praise for the fire department, city workers and EMS employees who helped load the residents onto a bus Tuesday morning for the return trip to Beaumont.
Some people questioned whether or not the Cleveland nursing home should have been allowed to accept the extra residents, given that Cleveland is considered a “pass through city” and does not have the ability to meet the extra demands caused by evacuees.
Hilland explains her viewpoint by saying, “This was our sister facility, not just people off the street.”
Hilland said she received permission to accept the residents from the Texas Department of Aging. However, Kelly Baker with the Texas Department of Aging said her agency does not give nor deny permission in these types of cases.
“When the facility sets up a disaster plan, we don’t determine whether they are in a pass-through city. The facility would have to get that checked with the Texas Department of Health Services,” said Baker.
The Advocate will continue to look into this issue with the Texas Department of Health Services. More information will be provided as it becomes available.
The nursing home residents — patients at Beaumont Health Care Center — had been in Cleveland since Saturday, staying at Cleveland Health Care Center, the sister facility to the Beaumont nursing home. Fifteen other residents were sent to another sister facility in Conroe and others were sent to Tomball.
Sandra Hilland, director of Cleveland Health Care Center, said that everything went smoothly over the weekend and Labor Day holiday.
“We all watched storm coverage on television to see what was going on,” she said.
Hilland said all the visiting residents were housed over the weekend in the facility’s “Station 1,” which hasn’t even been opened up since renovations at Cleveland Health Care Center were finished earlier this year.
“I am so proud of my staff. They were so good. The reception for them has been wonderful,” said Hilland.
She complimented local businesses for giving discounts for food and other necessities. She also had praise for the fire department, city workers and EMS employees who helped load the residents onto a bus Tuesday morning for the return trip to Beaumont.
Some people questioned whether or not the Cleveland nursing home should have been allowed to accept the extra residents, given that Cleveland is considered a “pass through city” and does not have the ability to meet the extra demands caused by evacuees.
Hilland explains her viewpoint by saying, “This was our sister facility, not just people off the street.”
Hilland said she received permission to accept the residents from the Texas Department of Aging. However, Kelly Baker with the Texas Department of Aging said her agency does not give nor deny permission in these types of cases.
“When the facility sets up a disaster plan, we don’t determine whether they are in a pass-through city. The facility would have to get that checked with the Texas Department of Health Services,” said Baker.
The Advocate will continue to look into this issue with the Texas Department of Health Services. More information will be provided as it becomes available.
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