Bend Senior Home Was Under State Scrutiny Prior to Resident’s Death

A resident of a Bend assisted-living facility died Aug. 30 after being left out in the sun. WW has now learned that the facility where the death occurred had been under scrutiny for not meeting state training requirements for staff.

WW first reported online earlier this week that the state had declared residents of Aspen Ridge Memory Care in “immediate jeopardy” following the death after an investigation revealed that only a single caregiver was on duty at the time.

But a review of state inspection records shows this wasn’t the first time in recent months that state inspectors have identified staffing issues at the facility. In March, the state Department of Human Services cited Aspen Ridge for over a dozen issues, including failing to provide required training to six staff members.

The facility’s administrator promised to fix the problem. But when inspectors returned four months later in July, they found that four new hires “lacked documented evidence of completing some or all of the pre-service orientation and training requirements.”

“The health and safety of our residents has, and will always be, our number one priority,” said a spokesperson for the home’s management company, Frontier Senior Living. “The incident is under investigation, and we have contacted and are working with local law enforcement and Health and Human Services.”