Lawmakers consider a residents’ ‘bill of rights’ for seniors in independent living facilities
A disagreement between residents at a Lacey senior living facility and their management has led some state lawmakers to consider legislation that would create a residents’ bill of rights for senior citizens living in independent facilities.
“The number of seniors is like a silver tsunami and as you look around, there are new facilities being built everywhere,” Rep. Laurie Dolan, D-Olympia, said. “But because there’s no coordination that facilities have to do the same kinds of things, it’s sort of like the Wild West right now.”
Dolan told McClatchy Thursday that she has been in discussion with Sen. Sam Hunt and Rep. Jessica Bateman about the potential new legislation since the first meeting with residents at Bonaventure in Lacey occurred on June 7.
Hunt and Dolan were in attendance at that meeting with residents, and both left before it was over due to management allegedly taking over.
In an email shared with McClatchy that was written June 8 by Hunt and Dolan to Bonaventure Senior Living CEO Kelley Hamilton, the lawmakers described how the initial meeting was “hijacked” by executives and said that constituents were “denied the opportunity” to talk to their legislators as a result.
Pam Gray, chief operating officer for Bonaventure, told McClatchy that she disagreed with that assertion.
“We have helped facilitate meetings between politicians and residents across all of our communities and the ad hoc, resident-initiated nature of this particular meeting led to misunderstandings and miscommunications beyond anyone’s control,” Gray said in an email.
Still, some residents felt slighted by the first meeting and had other concerns at the living community.
Bonaventure resident Gail O’Grady, 73, told McClatchy that she felt like the facility misrepresented the services it would provide. For example, van services are supposed to be provided for seniors to get to appointments and stores, but O’Grady said most of the time there is no driver available. The van also was broken down for quite some time, she said.
The living facility also promises a “fine dining experience” on its website, but the food is nothing more than basic cafeteria food, she said.
Gray denied both of these contentions.
O’Grady was one of several independent living committee members who initially requested to speak with their elected officials.
There is a difference between assisted living facilities and independent living facilities, and Bonaventure has a hybrid of both.
Dolan said there are a lot of eyes on assisted facilities because of the government funding that goes into them, but not as many eyes on independent ones because seniors pay their own way.
And these types of facilities are expensive, Dolan explained, which is why she said she was disappointed in the way management first reacted to the residents who pay their “hard earned saved money” to be there.
She also was notified by residents at Bonaventure that some services were not being provided even though residents pay extra for them.
Additionally, those who are in independent living know they will eventually need assisted living, so they tend to not to “rock the boat” to avoid any conflict trying to get into assisted living, Dolan added.
Dolan said the issue extends beyond Bonaventure, which is why elected officials are looking into a possible statewide statute.
As for now, Dolan said the latest meeting Thursday with residents and management at the facility seemed more productive and was much more positive. Residents expressed an interest in “standardizing” independent living facilities with elected officials, as well.
A long-term ombuds person was at the meeting Thursday too, and they will be in communication with seniors, management and elected officials in the upcoming months before the next legislative session. They will report back to Bateman and Hunt later in the year to see if they need to move forward with new legislation, or if there are simply statutes that can be rewritten.
Dolan is not seeking re-election, and said she hopes that whoever replaces her will be on the same page if legislation is needed.
This story was originally published July 9, 2022 at 5:00 AM.
