An 84-year-old veteran is battling “outrageous” charges he said he is facing from a local assisted living facility.
Adelard Alphonse Bernard in November was living at Village Veranda at Lady Lake when he got very sick. He was taken by ambulance to UF Health Spanish Plaines Hospital in The Villages where he was diagnosed with Respiratory Syncytial Virus, better known as RSV.
When the 20-year U.S. Navy veteran was deemed well enough to return “home,” he chose to self isolate to protect his fellow elderly residents from suffering the same illness. RSV is spread through close contact.
The Massachusetts native said that’s when things went off the rails at Village Veranda. He asked that his meals be delivered to his room, rather than going to the dining hall.
“Nothing fancy. Just leave it at the door in a styrofoam box,” he said.
He was told there would be a $15 per day upcharge.
“No way,” he said.
Instead, he put on a mask and went to pick up his food. It took an hour.
They also billed his insurance for using the gym, even though he said he was too sick to use the gym.
Bernard, who lived in Wildwood for 40 years, finally had enough and moved out on Dec. 30.
He said Village Veranda has tacked on $1,772 in charges that he refuses to pay.
“They are wrong. I know they are wrong. I am going to stand up and fight,” said Bernard, who suffers from limited mobility and relies on a walker.
He claimed that Village Veranda has blocked his calls and even blocked him from their internet site.
Frustrated and desperate, he has set up a one-man protest, with a sign, outside Village Veranda on U.S. Hwy. 27/441 on the east side of Lady Lake.
“I want them to make it right,” he said.
He is asking for those who are passing by, to honk and wave to show their support.
A spokesman for Village Veranda said Bernard needs to pay the balance that is owed.
“At Village Veranda, our priority is providing exceptional care and service to our residents and their families. We understand transitions can be difficult, and while we empathize with Mr. Bernard’s frustration, we must adhere to the same contractual agreements that all residents agree to upon move-in,” said Daniel Almendares, senior vice president of operations for SRI Management, the company that runs Village Veranda.
“Mr. Bernard chose to leave before the end of his lease term, and while we cannot waive the financial obligation he legally agreed to, we remain committed to treating everyone with kindness and respect. We wish him well and have even offered him refreshments while he voices his concerns, as caring for seniors—both former and present—is at the heart of what we do.”