Former staffer claims Brighton Gardens communications poor

ENCOURAGED.A FORMER EMPLOYEECLAIMS A LACK OFCOMMUNICATION TOSTAFF, FAMILIES ANDRESIDENTS HAS BEEN AMAJOR FACTOR IN THECOVID-19 OUTBREAK ATBRIGHTON GARDENS - APRAIRIE VILLAGE HOTSPOT.AS 41 ACTION NEWS I-TEAM REPORTER ANDYALCOCK SHOWS US, NOWTHE FACILITY IS FACING ANULTIMATUM.ACCORDING TO A NEWEMAIL FROM BRIGHTONGARDENS TO FAMILYMEMBERS OF RESIDENTS,AS OF TUESDAY THEREARE NOW 79CORONAVIRUS CASESASSOCIATED WITH THEFACILITY.THE JOHNSON COUNTYDEPARTMENT OF HEALTHAND ENVIRONMENTREPORTS 14 DEATHS.ON MONDAY, IT LED TOTHAT DEPARTMENT'SULTIMATUM TO THEFACILITY'S MANAGEMENTAND OWNERSHIP...FOLLOWOUR GUIDELINESIMMEDIATELY OR WE'LLENFORCE IT FOR YOU.DR. SAMNI AREOLA/JCDHEDIRECTOR"WE'RE NOT GOING TOSTRICTLY RELY ON THESEENTITIES TO DO THE RIGHTTHING.

WE'RE GOING TOSTAY ON THEM AND HOLDTHEM ACCOUNTABLE."WE SPOKE WITH A FORMERBRIGHTON GARDENSEMPLOYEE.THAT WORKER, WHODOESN'T WISH TO BEIDENTIFIED DUE TOconcerns about FUTUREEMPLOYMENT, QUIT LASTWEEK.THE WORKER TOLD USTESTING OF ALL STAFF ANDRESIDENTS DIDN'T HAPPENUNTIL THE HEALTHDEPARTMENTINTERVENED, A CLAIMHEALTH DEPARTMENTDIRECTOR DOCTOR SAMNIAREOLA CONFIRMS.DR. SAMNI AREOLA/JCDHEDIRECTOR"THE DECISION TO DOTESTING OF EVERYONE INTHE FACILITY WAS ONETHAT WE MADE."ANDY ALCOCK"We also spoke several timeswith A FAMILY MEMBER OF ABRIGHTON GARDENSASSISTED LIVINGRESIDENT.

THAT FAMILYMEMBER TOLD US AFTERMULTIPLE CALLS TO GETINFORMATION, THE FIRSTCOMMUNICATION FROMBRIGHTON GARDENS WASLAST WEEK, WELL INTOTHE FACILITY'S OUTBREAK.SPECIFICALLY, THATFAMILY MEMBER SENT USTHIS MAY 4TH EMAIL FROMBRIGHTON GARDENSEXECUTIVE DIRECTOR LISABARNES.BY THAT TIME, THE EMAILNOTED THERE WEREALREADY 50 BRIGHTONGARDENS COVID-19CASES, 36 RESIDENTS AND14 STAFF.IN A WEEK, THAT NUMBERHAS GROWN TO 79 CASES,BARNES ALSO WROTE INTHAT MAY 4TH EMAIL,"WHILE IT HAS BEEN ANINCREDIBLY CHALLENGINGTIME FOR OUR ENTIRECOMMUNITY, I AM SOTHANKFUL FOR YOURCONTINUED SUPPORT ANDPROUD OF ALL THEEFFORTS OF OURINCREDIBLE TEAM."WHEN WE TRIED TOREACH BARNES FORCOMMENT back on May 5th,WE WERE REFERRED TO ACORPORATESPOKESWOMAN FORSUNRISE SENIOR LIVING,BRIGHTON GARDENS'OWNER.On Monday - we received ANEMAIL STATEMENT FROMSUNRISE REGIONAL VICE-PRESIDENT OFOPERATIONS DENISEFALCO.IT READS IN PART, "SINCETHE BEGINNING OF THEPANDEMIC, WE HAVEREGULARLY PROVIDEDUPDATES ON THE IMPACTOF THE PANDEMIC TORESIDENTS, FAMILIES ANDTEAM MEMBERS."BUT THE FORMER employeeas well as a family memberWE SPOKE with SAID theybelieve communication bothinside and outside the building- was poor.AND DESPITE BARNES'ASSURANCES, THERESIDENT'S FAMILYMEMBER told US STAFFROUTINELY enters THATRESIDENT'S ROOMWITHOUT PPE...ASRECENTLY AS MONDAY.DR. SAMNI AREOLA/JCDHEDIRECTOR"TO ME, IT'S NOTCONTAINED UNTIL THESPREAD STOPS AND THECONSEQUENCES STOPS."DOCTOR AREOLA SAYS ASECOND ROUND OFTESTING ON BRIGHTONGARDENS STAFF ANDRESIDENTS WHO'VETESTED NEGATIVE FORTHE VIRUS BEGAN THISWEEK.I'M INVESTIGATOR ANDY