Clients of the Legend Gardens assisted living and memory care facility have a lot of questions about state officials shutting it down. NBC Palm Springs has confirmed that employees at that facility haven’t been paid for their work in weeks.
“It bounced, and then everyone’s account was in the negative and we heard nothing from the owner, everybody was trying to contact him,” said Naomi Saavedra, a staff member at Legend Gardens.
When employees of Legend Gardens should have been enjoying their Thanksgiving Day, they were met with empty bank accounts.
Their paychecks had bounced, and the owner is refusing to answer calls. But more than a week later, they’re still showing up to do their job.
“If there was no staff, they would not be able to eat because unfortunately, they can’t. There are some that can’t go to the restroom, can’t walk. So if some of us were not here they literally would not be able to do anything on their own,” explained Saavedra.
The nursing facility specializes in memory care, and now 30 of their residents have to find a new place to live.
“We’re here to take care of patients and patient care, and make sure that they are transferred safely to a safe healthy environment where they will be happy,” said Lola Andrews, CommunityLiaison with Omni Senior Services.
State and local services were both on-site Friday morning, to not only provide assistance to patients but to help long-time staff members find new jobs.
“Legend Gardens, every staff member here and the residents, it’s a family, it doesn’t feel like any other facility,” added Saavedra.
Some patients hope to be placed with a familiar face.
“I do know some of the staff here pulled together their resources to host thanksgiving for their residents, so you have staff members and care providers who are not making a lot of money that are contributing financially to the benefit of their residents,” explained Andrews.
“There’s a lot of residents right now that are heartbroken, we can’t even go into a room because as soon as they see us they start crying and they start saying they don’t know what they are going to do without us. family members actually want to know where we are going to go because they want to move the family members where they want to be,” added Saavedra.
Family members are working with state and local officials to find a new facility for all patients, and we are happy to report that everyone will have a place to go.
