Families say there was no communication for evacuation of Colorado Springs nursing home
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) - Those impacted by the evacuation of one Colorado Springs nursing home due to an asbestos contamination, say there remains a severe lack of communication about the ongoing situation.
Families with loved ones who lived in the Kiowa Hills Health and Rehab Center in Old Colorado City say they were never even notified of the evacuation that happened on Thursday, January 4th.
"I went there to go visit her [Sunday] and, you know, was surprised to see that the whole building was evacuated," explained Robert Kelly, whose 93-year-old mother, Kyong Kelly was a resident at Kiowa Hills for the last six months.
Kelly says he was not told that the facility had been cleared out three days earlier, or been told where his mother is.
"I'm just kind of hoping my mom is okay 'cause she does have dementia and Alzheimer's, and I don't know if she's, you know, freaking out or, you know, what the deal is. I just wish I knew where she was," said Kelly, who has power of attorney over her elderly mother, and is confused why he was never contacted.
Kiowa Hills explained in a statement to KRDO13 that residents were sent to facilities in Denver and Pueblo, as well as multiple locations in Colorado Springs. That's where Jennifer Senger and 14 others remain as of Monday.
"I mean if it wasn’t for me calling my family, they would have never known [where I was going] either. There's no communication [at Kiowa Hills] whatsoever," said Senger
She says residents were told they could take only one pair of clothes, or in her case, what she was wearing that day, before heading onto a bus to their new facility.
Senger's roommate Debra Callaghan, also spoke with KRDO13 over the phone. She and a group of 13 are at a home in Denver.
Both she and Senger say they have no idea when they'll be able to return to their rooms with all their belongings. Callaghan said she had initially heard it would take 30 days, but most recently heard it could be as long as 90 days.
Kiowa Hills explained in a statement to KRDO13 that an asbestos abatement company has been hired to complete the necessary extraction of the material from within the flooring and the walls where it was found during a construction project.
Due to the widespread contamination, Senger and Callaghan said they have heard that the items in their room may have to be destroyed due to contamination. Kiowa Hills addressed the issue in their statement, saying:
"Residents’ belongings are currently still at Kiowa Hills while we await direction from CDPHE (Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment) regarding handling of their personal items. The community’s goal is to preserve as many of the belongings as possible as we know how important they are to our residents. In the interim, we are actively working to procure clothing and personal items for each resident."
Statement from Kiowa Hills Health and Rehabilitation Center on Monday, January 8th.
CDPHE did clarify that residents were asked to leave personal belongings at the facility so they can be properly cleaned. CDPHE did not ask that the belongings be thrown away.
The 53-year-old Senger says she's also worried about her lungs, as the contamination was found on a floor that many residents used every day. Callaghan, at 67, echoed the sentiment, wondering when she'll be able to get tested for the dangerous fibers in her airways.
"[We were] breathing that stuff in for how long? [It's] where we are supposed to live ... and we were being poisoned," said Senger.
"I never thought I'd be in a position like this in my entire life. It's crazy," she added.
Kiowa Hills also said in their statement that they have had their staff transferred to the communities where residents were brought, to ensure their continuity of care and familiarity for the residents.
