By Katarina A. Lewczyk | Date published: July 1, 2024
David Dosa Weighs in on Risks of Planned Power Outages for Nursing Homes
David Dosa, MD, MPH, chief and professor of medicine in the Division of Geriatric Medicine, was quoted in a recent article in KFF Health News, titled, “Nursing Homes Are Left in the Dark as More Utilities Cut Power to Prevent Wildfires.” The article describes the practice of planned power outages to keep downed power lines from sparking wildfires in the western United States. Most recently, power was shut off in Boulder, Colorado, affecting 52,000 homes and businesses, including assisted living and skilled nursing facilities. During power shut-downs, these facilities are forced to rely on power generators to keep oxygen machines, refrigerators, lights, and more up and running, putting residents at risk.
“We need to prioritize these folks so that when the power does go out, they get to the front of the line to restore their power accordingly,” said Dr. Dosa.