New conditions were placed on an Oregon assisted living community’s license following an emergency evacuation and allegations of elder abuse.
Junction City Retirement and Assisted Living in Junction City, OR, cannot accept new admissions, must undergo a medication and pharmacy audit, must hire an administration/RN consultant and must provide abuse reporting training to employees.
The conditions were placed on the community’s license by the Oregon Department of Human Services on Friday for failing to provide a safe environment. The notice follows the evacuation of 48 residents last week after an extended power outage caused by a driver hitting a nearby utility pole. Residents are staying with family members or have been rehoused at Lone Oak Assisted Living, Junction City’s sister property in Eugene.
“We understand that this has been a difficult and stressful time for our residents and their families,” Caitlin VanDerSchaaf, regional vice president of Frontier Management, which operates Junction City, told McKnight’s Senior Living. “Moving forward, we are taking every necessary precaution to ensure they receive the care they need while working diligently to return them back to a safe environment at Junction City Retirement and Assisted Living. Our residents’ health and comfort has, and will always be, our number one priority.”
Frontier Management indicated that it is working closely with the Oregon State Fire Marshall to ensure all electrical and maintenance requirements in the facility are addressed in a safe and timely manner. The company indicated it is in “regular communication” with residents and families about when they can safely return to the community.
According to published reports, Lane County Adult Protective Services contacted police Tuesday morning after a visiting hospice nurse reported that the community had been without power for several hours due to the accident. An APS investigator noted that the community was without lights, heat, necessary first-aid supplies and refrigeration for medication and that it lacked the ability to provide oxygen required by some residents.
The Oregon DHS website shows thatJunction City has been cited several times going back to 2011 for neglect, financial abuse and licensing violations for failure to provide a safe environment, failure to follow a care plan, failure to administer medications and failure to have appropriate staffing.
Frontier Management, which operates retirement living, assisted living and memory care communities in 19 states, said it is working to address staffing needs at the Junction City community.
