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Boston Globe

After the Gabriel House fire, here's how to help keep your loved ones in assisted living safe

Write to us at . To subscribe, . TODAY'S STARTING POINT Nearly 36 hours after a five-alarm fire ripped through Gabriel House, an assisted living facility in Fall River, there's a lot we still don't know. It's unclear how the blaze, which killed nine residents and injured about 30 more, began. Governor Maura Healey says the state is investigating, and you'll find the Globe's latest coverage below. In the meantime, you may be wondering what you can do to protect loved ones who live in similar facilities or soon will. 'This tragedy is a reminder of the need to keep older adults safe, supported, and treated with dignity,' Jen Benson, the director of AARP Massachusetts, said in a statement. While a lot depends on your loved one's specific circumstances, here are some guidelines. Find the right place Advertisement Nearly a quarter of Massachusetts residents Advertisement If your loved one is a good fit for assisted living, start talking to them about what they'd like in a facility before they need one. Factors to consider include a facility's location and environment, cost, amenities, and whether it has different levels of medical care depending on a resident's needs. Some older people may shy away from the conversation, so the website AgingCare suggests having it Ask questions Once you've identified a few places that seem promising, tour them in person and ask questions of management and staff. Safety-related questions include whether hallways are well lit and the ratio of staff to residents during off-hours. The state Office of Aging and Independence, which oversees assisted living facilities, Sometimes due diligence means imagining the worst. Ask when the last fire inspection happened and whether there's a comprehensive plan for facility-wide evacuations, particularly for residents with limited mobility (like many at Gabriel House). Don't forget to ask how the staff handles other kinds of emergencies. For example, are doors alarmed in the case of a resident wandering off? It's also worth exploring what existing residents, their families, and staff have to say about the facility online and in person, because truth and advertising can differ. Yesterday, a certified nursing assistant at Gabriel House told the Globe that there were Advertisement Stay informed Once your loved one moves in, stay on top of what's happening there. Talk to them often in person and on the phone about their care and experience. Visit the facility regularly and get to know the staff, who may get comfortable sharing information with you if there's a problem. Trust, but verify. And if you suspect your loved one isn't receiving the care they should, there are That said, there's only so much you can control. The state office that oversees assisted-living facilities has limited authority, 'Any emergency situation could be amplified by the availability of staff, time of day, or other conditions,' Michelle Putnam, the head of UMass Boston's Gerontology Institute, said. But that doesn't mean you're powerless. As one Gabriel House survivor Advertisement The latest news: The authorities will keep investigating today but said the fire's origins Investigators named seven of the deceased, who ranged in age from 61 to 86, including a Vietnam veteran Dennis Etzkorn, Gabriel House's longtime owner, The fire was 🧩 5 Across: 88° POINTS OF INTEREST A developer is proposing to transform a vacant office park on Route 9 in Brookline. Suzanne Kreiter/Globe Staff Housing: Right now it's a mostly vacant office park in Brookline. It could soon become a 600-unit complex, among Earmarks: Citing fiscal uncertainty, top Massachusetts Democrats trimmed programs that help the state's poorest. But they mostly kept the funding Haverhill death: 7 police officers Lessons learned: A former New Hampshire Supreme Court justice's son, struggling with mental health, attacked him. Decades later, he tells the story Free falling: Lukas Lamb-Wotton, 31, fell off Mount Washington while free climbing earlier this month. As he recovers from his injuries, our reporter Building up: Boston Legacy FC, the city's professional women's soccer club, is planning a $27 million Rules of the road: Starting next year, New Hampshire residents won't have to get their cars inspected annually. Republican proponents say the inspections are unnecessary. Opponents, including the state police, Caitlin Clark: She and the Indiana Fever will play the Connecticut Sun tonight at TD Garden, where Advertisement 'In it to win it': Andrew Cuomo, the former New York governor who lost the Democratic nomination for New York City mayor to Zohran Mamdani, will run as an independent in November. ( 2028: Amy Klobuchar, Gavin Newsom, and other Democrats are acting like the BESIDE THE POINT By Teresa Hanafin 🥬 A CSA model? It delivers produce and other food ✏️ Fewer fidgets: Parents are trimming the back-to-school spending a bit this year, ditching brand names and shopping July sales. One item they'll splurge on? The first-day outfit. ( 🤬 Miss Conduct Classic: A co-worker revealed private things about a colleague's family to people in their office. 💪 Sitting a lot? Loosen up your joints and improve your mobility by lying on the floor. All of the exercise comes from you struggling to get back up. ( 💦 Drying up: For years, Great Salt Lake has been shrinking due to water overuse and rising temperatures. That will have serious impacts 🫥 Hey, Zoomer: Millennials are getting exasperated with the Gen Z 'stare' — that blank look you may get when you ask a young person a question. Either the kid doesn't have social skills or they think you're a total moron. ( 💍 The Big Day: They each planned to propose on the same day. But Advertisement Thanks for reading Starting Point. This newsletter was edited by ❓ Have a question for the team? Email us at ✍🏼 If someone sent you this newsletter, you can 📬 Delivered Monday through Friday. Ian Prasad Philbrick can be reached at