Today

Fire at a Chilean nursing home kills sixteen elderly residents

Good morning. A fire at a nursing home in Chile killed 16 elderly residents, one of the deadliest incidents of its kind reported recently. Closer to home, a fire also broke out at an assisted living facility in Glendale, and a woman died after an assault at an assisted living facility in Jennings, Missouri. In Ohio, a grand jury is looking into a nurse who reportedly performed an exorcism on a nursing home resident. Together these stories raise hard questions about safety and oversight in facilities meant to protect older adults.

On the Medicare side, a report found the program paid an estimated $380 million for organs that patients never actually received, raising fresh concerns about waste and weak guardrails. Meanwhile, Medicare's fall open enrollment period starts October 15, and seniors are being reminded to review their plans since changes may require picking something new.

In Washington state, residents at a Wenatchee senior living community raised concerns about nutrition, safety, medication handling, and billing, echoing worries seen elsewhere about day-to-day care quality.