EVERETT — An Everett assisted-living home got into trouble with the state earlier this year because of a land deal between a resident and the home administrator.
The administrator and her husband bought property from a person in her care for $5,750. The appraised value was $81,593, according to a report by the state Department of Social and Health Services. The resident suffers from mental health issues and a neurological disorder.
Management at Everett Plaza, 2204 12th St., disagrees with the state’s findings. An appeal hearing is scheduled in January.
The state asked Everett police to investigate. In their report, officers wrote that there was “no reason to believe (the sale) to be under duress or exploitative in nature.”
The police say documents they reviewed show the property changed hands for $10,013, almost double the price reported by DSHS.
The administrator, 53, has no criminal history. A state Department of Health database also shows no history of complaints against her license as a registered nursing assistant.
The home that was sold was in poor condition, and the purchase helped the resident get out from under her debt, said Joe Kilkelly, owner of the CarePartners Management Group, which includes Everett Plaza.
Kilkelly gave The Herald documents showing the property in the Lost Lake area of Camano Island was in need of repairs in excess of $70,000.
The resident also told DSHS that she asked the administrator to buy the house, documents show. The administrator checked with her bosses before the purchase.
The allegations of wrongdoing are simply false, the administrator wrote in a Dec. 2 letter to the state.
However, the DSHS investigation says Everett Plaza failed to protect its residents from potential financial exploitation. DSHS reported the incident as a possible case of fraud, Everett police spokesman Aaron Snell said.
“A report was taken by our department and based on the findings, DSHS will continue the investigation internally,” Snell said. “If applicable, we will review their results to determine if any criminal action was taken.”
The Herald is not naming the administrator because she has not been charged with a crime. She is still employed at the home. The resident no longer lives there.
Everett Plaza has been fined by the state at least three times since 2011 for safety findings. One 2011 fine had to do with medication distribution, and another for allowing people to smoke too close to oxygen tanks. In April 2013, the home was fined for failing to conduct fingerprint background checks on new staffers.
In November, Everett Plaza was cited for not disclosing an extra $100 in monthly fees collected from a resident for at least seven years. In December, it was cited again for not properly monitoring a resident who was abusing alcohol.
The recent citations also are part of the home’s dispute resolution hearing with DSHS, set for next month.
Rikki King: 425-339-3449; rking@heraldnet.com.
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