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In starting the process of looking for a good assisted living facility for your loved one, it’s always a good idea to start online. By researching the facilities with the best reviews, ratings, and fewest violations, you can narrow down a list of facilities that offer the greatest chance at a safe home for your loved one.
However, simply finding facilities that are top-rated online isn’t enough, as seen with an assisted living facility in Florida called The Vineyard Inn. This facility has satisfactory ratings from the Florida Department of Health yet they have a serious bed bug problem. A viewer of a local news station reported the facility, claiming the facility was trying to cover up the creepy crawlers. The viewer added that the owners urged employees to keep the problem quiet by using a code word for the bed bugs – “jellybeans.”
That local news station spoke to the owners of The Vineyard Inn, Hank and Sandra Bollenback, who invited them in to see their bed bug battle plan. They admitted they’re dealing with bed bugs and just finished cleaning up a room that was reported to have bed bugs the previous night. They added that they have placed trays underneath the beds to catch bed bugs and alert them when they’ve moved in. The owners also admitted to using the nickname for the bed begs, but said that it’s no secret.
Fortunately, these owners have invested in technology to kill the bugs. It’s called a “hot box” and costs thousands of dollars. If you put furniture or other items you suspect to have bedbugs inside, it’ll heat it up and kill the problem.
Not all facility owners will be responsible in taking care of the issue once and for all. The Vineyard Inn may not have been as responsive to the problem had the public not been notified. This is why it’s so important to report a problem if one arises in an assisted living facility. It not only protects your loved one, but it protects others considering moving into the facility, too.
This is also a great example as to why we always recommend you tour a facility before moving a loved one in (Tip: If you can tour more than once at different hours of the day, this is even better). While touring, you’ll want to take note of how the other residents look, interact and more. The way that they are treated is a good indication of how your loved one will be treated.
It’s also a good idea to research the statutes and rules that regulate assisted living facilities in Arizona. You can find those on the Arizona Department of Health Services website or by clicking here.
Looking for information on a particular assisted living facility in Arizona? The AZDHS has a handy tool that allows you to search by the facility’s name or you can sift through many homes in a particular area using a city or zip code. They will then show all inspections on file including any deficiencies found in the homes. Click here to start researching specific homes now.
The personal injury attorneys in Phoenix, Arizona, at Knapp & Roberts have the compassion and trial lawyer skills to tell your story to a jury. We will get to know you and your family so that we can help the jury understand what has happened to you and your family and how it has changed your lives. Obtain the compensation necessary for the injuries and losses you have suffered.
