Admissions Ban On Florida Nursing Home Tied To Irma Deaths

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) — Florida health officials will not allow new patients to be admitted to an assisted living facility associated with a nursing home where a dozen residents died after the facility lost power in a hurricane.

The Agency for Health Care Administration banned Floridian Gardens Assisted Living Facility from taking new patients Friday, citing “an immediate serious danger to the public health, safety or welfare” at the Miami facility. The Miami Herald reports a survey uncovered at least two deaths and multiple falls due to “deficient practices.”

The facility is owned by the same people that operated the Rehabilitation Center at Hollywood Hills. Regulators tried to shut down Floridian Gardens after the Hollywood deaths. A criminal investigation is ongoing into the deaths at the Hollywood facility.

A telephone message could not be left Saturday and an email to the facility was not immediately returned.

Information from: The Miami Herald, http://www.herald.com

Jim Williams is the Washington Bureau Chief, Digital Director as well as the Director of Special Projects for Genesis Communications. He is starting his third year as part of the team. This is Williams 40th year in the media business, and in that time he has served in a number of capacities. He is a seven time Emmy Award winning television producer, director, writer and executive. He has developed four regional sports networks, directed over 2,000 live sporting events including basketball, football, baseball hockey, soccer and even polo to name a few sports. Major events include three Olympic Games, two World Cups, two World Series, six NBA Playoffs, four Stanley Cup Playoffs, four NCAA Men’s National Basketball Championship Tournaments (March Madness), two Super Bowl and over a dozen college bowl games. On the entertainment side Williams was involved s and directed over 500 concerts for Showtime, Pay Per View and MTV Networks.