There was a story on Channel 13 this week regarding an Adult Family Home in Olympia, WA. Although this home has been closed for several years, the story just came out. The Department of Social Health Services failed this family, and any other senior that happened to be living in this home, immensely.
The Department of Social Health Services had numerous negative reports on this Adult Family Home. They had received many violations in health and safety, the staff had been found negligent of their duties, and in an obscene display of “senior care,” the staff were told to sedate residents if they were “annoying.”
And yet, they maintained their license.
For some reason, this home was still allowed to accept new residents. This is not just an oversight, but a failure on behalf of the Dept. of Social Health Services by allowing the “home” to continuing putting vulnerable seniors at risk.
Regulation is a huge issue when it comes to this kind of senior care mistreatment and DSHS does not have enough staff to inspect these residences more than once a year. This is simply not enough.
Why Work with Concierge Care Advisors
That’s why we believe it is crucial for families to work with Concierge Care Advisors. We have advisors that are in and out of adult family homes regularly; we know which homes will provide quality care and which ones couldn’t care less.
The family at Olympia spoke with a staff member on the phone that did not provide their violation history and claimed to have none. We do no such thing and we will not hide information from you. What’s more, we will tour communities with you and encourage you to visit the homes at different times so you can see what it’s like on various days.
The State keeps bad homes open and sometimes going on the DSHS website is just not enough. Whereas we’re in these homes two to three times a month, so we know great providers.
Vulnerable consumers and families should know about placement agencies, so they’re not just being referred to the establishment that will reward them with the biggest check. We are experts in senior housing and elder care; we know what to look for.
We help a lot of families – not just one or two a year, but over our entire lifetimes; this is our profession and we take it very seriously. We were passionate about senior living and the homes we deal with are absolutely top-notch. Some are enviable even by adult children standards.
Unfortunately, they don’t get the press or media attention.
Personally, I know of homes with staff that will sit by someone on hospice, at the end of their life, and never let them be alone. I have witnessed them hold a senior’s hand every night and stay by their side when they pass.
These are not homes that draw negative media attention and therefore do not make it on TV or in newspaper stories. Most of these providers are amazingly compassionate, wonderful people that turn a difficult job into a vocation.
It’s stories like the one above however, that reminds us of the bad people that do bad things.
Please, count on Concierge Care Advisors as the experts.
There is no fee to use our service, we never charge a consumer, and are reimbursed by the senior housing communities. Helping a senior move into an adult family home or in an assisted living community means you have to get right the first time, since there are no second chances.
Our heart goes out for this lady and her family for the tragic death of her lovely husband that served in our military. It’s not fair that a man who protected our country, had no one to protect him.
