Senior Living: What You Need To Know

It is now the turn of the baby boomers. The sandwich generation that took care of its parents while raising children soon will occupy most of the beds in the country's assisted living residences and nursing homes. It is simply the circle of life.

Assisted residences around the country continue to rise faster than the boom in suburban housing that followed the end of World War II. While most families prefer that their loved ones remain at home, residences that provide around-the-clock efficient care continue to be considered as a viable alternative.

A resident at an assisted living facility pays the freight of room, meals and any necessary assistance and care. Services are monitored by local governments. At most residences, which are owned by corporations, staff often is held more accountable for care by management than the staff at other kinds of senior facilities. However, if an assisted living residence is not managed well, problems can occur that will compromise the care and safety of a resident. Such issues must be addressed quickly by families.

Local Experiences

Over the last decade, a local family has had different experiences with two separate assisted living residencies in Westchester.

About 10 years ago, at The Fountains at RiverVue in Tuckahoe, an 80-year-old woman was subject to invasion of privacy and robbery perpetrated by one or more employees. A few years later, when the sister of the resident also required assisted living arrangements, The Fountains immediately was dismissed from consideration by the family. Following a thorough review and consideration of several properties in the county, the family selected Sunrise at Fleetwood in Mount Vernon. The family has been pleased with the exceptional attention provided by Sunrise management and staff.

Robbery And Invasion Issues

A staff member or two at The Fountains, according to the family, had removed costume jewelry from the resident’s jewelry box. Three separate incidents were documented to the staff. One missing item, by chance, was returned with the resident’s laundry a few days after the family reported the incident. The staff's comment was that the item was found mixed within the resident's laundry bag. The family countered that the jewelry had not been worn by the resident during her time at the residence.

A second item was removed a few weeks later and never recovered by the staff. A short time later, the resident heard a staff member rustle through a cabinet near the front door.

“She mentioned that her door was opened at night,” said a family member. The resident “was awake in bed and while she could not see the person she could see and hear" that the cabinet was opened and searched. “She opted to simulate stirring in bed and coughed,” continued the family member, “to get the person’s attention. The person quickly closed the cabinet and exited the room.”

Management Unresponsive

The Fountains’ executive director at the time of the incidents was unresponsive, refusing to engage the family and conduct a sufficient investigation. A while later, following the resident’s death, the family noticed that new clothing and irreplaceable personal sentimental items had been removed from the room. When no immediate solution was offered by the director, the family called The Fountains’ head office (Watermark Retirement Communities) in Arizona. This also did not produce results to address the situation for the late resident’s family. But, the family did learn that other residents had reported similar issues with the staff.

With the director and head office unresponsive, the family filed a report with the local police department. The items never were recovered. Neither the director nor management at the head office reached out to the family to offer condolences nor to explain the failure to properly investigate the issues. The facility's director departed Watermark a few months later and continues to work within the industry at another assisted living company with properties in Westchester.

Know Your Rights

The rights of assisted living residents may differ from state to state. Every facility should provide a new resident with a bill of rights. These rights must be understood by the resident and family.

Services at a residence must be monitored by the family to identify potential red flags that might reveal resident abuse or neglect, or failure to deliver basic services. Families must employ the same monitoring procedures for loved ones who are nursing home residents.

Besides creating a warm and safe new setting for an loved one, families should consider the social activities, the level of care and the quality of meals when selecting a new home for a senior who requires assistance. Families need to visit often and listen to any issues voiced by the resident while embracing a friendly but professional ongoing dialogue with the staff. This will help contribute to a safe living environment and a productive life for a loved one.

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Mike Virgintino is the author of Freedomland U.S.A.: The Definitive History, the story about America's theme park located in The Bronx. Published by Theme Park Press, it can be found on Amazon, eBay and Goodreads.