Redmond police, state investigating claims by former, current staff against assisted living facility
(Update: Adding comments and video)
REDMOND, Ore (KTVZ) -- A 108-unit residential care facility in Redmond is being investigated by local police and the state. More than two-dozen current and former employees of Juniper Canyon Living have communicated with NewsChannel 21 about concerns.
The facility is funded in part with state grants amounting to $14,000 per patient per month. Residents also pay a monthly fee.
Staff complaints include hostile work environment, bullying, sexual harassment, violation of residence rights, putting medication in the residents' food and drink, questionable hospice deaths, intoxication in the workplace, narcotic theft, falsification of medical records, expired staff licenses, wrongful termination, and retaliation.
Former caregiver for JCL, Harlie Day, said, "It -- it really makes me sad, I just want them to be happy and healthy and thrive. Even though they have behavioral and mental health problems, they are still people. They still need love and compassion and rights."
Another former employee who wanted to protect their identity said patient rights are violated when they're unknowingly given pills in food: "It's absolutely illegal. You cannot use psychoactive medication to treat and control behaviors."
Many of the other 30 employees who wanted to speak insisted on remaining anonymous due to widespread fears of retaliation among current staff.
This week, they say, in response to the NewsChannel 21 investigation, management sent a company-wide email to employees. It reminds workers of a policy stating media requests are to be handled by the administer or someone he designates.
A former employee said, “There's probably 15-20 of us that stood up, and all that got us was unemployed. He let me go after I wouldn't sign the confidentiality agreement. Care staff that have stood up against the RCC’s before have been physically assaulted.”
Former caregiver Harlie Day also raised concern about the sudden death of a hospice patient because of improper morphine dosage: “There was a resident who overdosed by medication, and they passed away from it.”
At least three current staff members tell us the state agency Adult Protective Services was at the Juniper Canyon facility on Thursday of last week, along with multiple unmarked law enforcement vehicles. On Friday, the employees say, the Oregon Department of Human Services was on site again.
Day recalled, “I was concerned why they were there, because of the residents' safety and the residents' rights. APS was also looking at documents, to make sure that everything was being documented right.”
Redmond Police have confirmed to NewsChannel 21 they have opened an investigation into the residential care facility, although they said they couldn't provide specifics.
The interim administrator, Austin Evans, in regard to the investigation said he was unable to comment on active investigations and internal HR policies.
