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Care homes sued over conditions
Toilet paper, food and clean linens are lacking at Clearview Manor and Assisted Living With Grace, investigators say.
By BRADY DENNIS
Published February 23, 2005
TAMPA - State officials on Tuesday filed suit against two Tampa assisted living facilities and the man who owns them, claiming they had failed to meet the "most basic health and safety needs" of their elderly residents.
Investigators said residents at Clearview Manor at 1080 S Clearview Ave. and Assisted Living With Grace at 3713 El Prado Blvd. - both owned by Kevin S. Kladakis - had been subjected to squalid and inhumane treatment.
Among the offenses: residents using coffee filters as toilet paper; ant and roach infestations; soiled linens, pillows and mattresses; sewage backing up into bathtubs and showers; exposed electrical outlets; mold infestation; fire hazards, including an intentionally disabled fire alarm system; and intoxicated staff members.
The lawsuit also alleges that residents were forced to perform household chores without compensation and subjected to verbal abuse, including threats of eviction if they complained to government agencies. According to the lawsuit, both facilities lacked basic necessities, such as toilet paper, laundry detergent and a three-day supply of food.
Fire officials ordered Clearview Manor to close, and residents have been moved to other facilities, according to the lawsuit. Attorney General Charlie Crist's office said the alleged violations were uncovered as part of the Operation Spot Check program, a statewide campaign aimed at combating elder abuse, neglect and exploitation in the health care community.
The lawsuit, filed in Hillsborough Circuit Court, accuses Kladakis of unfair practices under Florida law.
Kladakis, 40, could not be reached for comment Tuesday.
The suit seeks fines of $10,000 for each violation of Florida law and $15,000 for each practice that victimized those older than 60.
It also asks the court to award damages to the Florida Medicaid Program, saying Kladakis and his businesses defrauded the program, and seeks to permanently bar him from owning or operating any assisted living facility.
"If somebody can't follow the law and guidelines, then they shouldn't be in business," said Bob Sparks, with the state attorney general's office.
[Last modified February 23, 2005, 00:34:19]
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