Many of the residents of Kempton of Charleston are longtime Charlestonians, and so are accustomed to the storms that occasionally pass through their cherished city.
But knowing that Liberty Senior Living, which owns and operates the premier senior living community, has prepared far in advance for how Kempton of Charleston will respond to storms and other disruptive events provides residents and their families with peace of mind and a sense of security.
Staying safe and sound during any storm—most recently Tropical Storm Debby—that submerged some Charleston streets in June—required planning and forethought. That started well before they broke ground in the community that provides assisted living, memory care, respite care, and skilled nursing.
Executive Director Lindsay French says Liberty Senior Living consulted flood maps and other predictive research to choose a site that’s close to all of the amenities the city has to offer while avoiding areas designated as flood-prone.
The successful manner in which the community withstood Tropical Storm Debby shows that their choice of site was a good one.
“We didn’t lose our utilities, and we didn’t get any water in the building,” French says. “We fared really well.”
As part of its thorough planning long before Debby struck, Liberty Senior Living prepared a comprehensive disaster plan. It covers all aspects of how the staff is expected to respond during an emergency, including, if needed, transferring residents to other nearby Liberty Senior Living communities, including Oakleaf Village of Lexington in Lexington, South Carolina; the Kempton of Rock Hill in Rock Hill, South Carolina; the Barclay at SouthPark in Charlotte, North Carolina; and the Templeton of Cary in Cary, North Carolina.
“We are fortunate to have so many high-quality communities that are able to step in to help as needed,” French says.
Kempton of Charleston’s building itself is designed with features that can help it withstand a storm or hurricane. All of the apartments are on the building’s second to fifth floors, which is a precaution to protect them from rising water. All of the windows have hurricane glass that is designed to withstand winds of up to 135 miles per hour. The windows of the lower portion of the building are protected by five-foot-tall aluminum panels to keep water from entering the building.
The building has a generator that is situated five feet off the ground to prevent it from being affected by water. The generator is a critical part of the plan for ensuring that operations continue as usual during a storm or another disruptive event such as a power outage.
During the recent storm, French says Kempton of Charleson prioritized communication with residents and their families to ensure everyone felt informed and safe. That communication—which is a regular part of how the community handles any similar event—was essential for family members who were not able to visit their loved ones.
“No one could come downtown,” French says. “Every road was barricaded. We didn’t want them to drive downtown and get into flooded roads.
Staff called and emailed families and residents a total of 180 times over two days to keep everyone updated.
French is happy to say that operations proceeded without a hitch during the storm because the community also ensured that the usual number of staff members were on-site and working with residents as they always do.
“We went to pick up staff needing help with transportation so we could continue normal operations,” French says.
Whether it’s during a storm or on an average day, French says Kempton of Charleston works hard to see that every resident is kept safe.
One of its routine safety initiatives outfits residents and front-line staff with wearable bracelets that enable Kempton of Charleston to track movements and interactions. The NextGen bracelet allows staff to quickly respond to residents’ care requests and proactively monitor their health and well-being.
Other safety measures include elevators, walk-in showers, call buttons, an around-the-clock nursing team and transportation.
Whether a storm is brewing or not, “the safety of our residents is our number one priority every day,” French says.
