Seniors in the Valley are locked in a battle to retrieve hefty refunds from a senior living facility, with some waiting for years to see their money returned. Entrusted with six-figure entrance fees, facilities like Sierra Winds promise a refund upon departure. However, residents like Forrest Buck and Janet Farnsworth have found themselves empty-handed long after moving out. Buck, a decorated war veteran, expected a $102,000 refund when he left in 2018, a sum he has yet to receive even up to his death in 2022, as ABC15 reported.
Farnsworth faced a similar plight. Having put down a large deposit, she anticipated to quickly get back $193,000 after her husband's death. Yet three years later, the promised refund was nowhere to be seen. "People would ask, 'Let's go to lunch' and I'd say, 'Oh, I already ate.' But really, I was afraid to spend any money," Farnsworth told ABC15. This echoes a growing concern among elder residents, who often count on these returns to sustain their livelihood.
The heart of the issue lies in the contracts that mandate refunds only after the vacated units are sold and re-occupied – a condition that seems to solely benefit the facilities. Buck's friend, Barbara Taylor, expressed their shared frustration to ABC15, noting, "He would say, 'Barbara, I just don't think it's right they can use my money and I don't even know if they're really trying to sell my apartment unit or not.'" The lack of a state-mandated refund deadline in Arizona exacerbates the issue, as seniors have no legal time frame to reclaim their funds.
Hopes are pinned on legislative action to protect seniors against these lengthy refund delays. A precedent is potentially being set in New Jersey, where a one-year deadline for such refunds is being considered. Despite bringing this concern to state legislators, no steps have been taken yet in Arizona. Meanwhile, the struggle continues for seniors and their families; despite Sierra Winds' claim to not comment on private matters, they have stated that refunds were issued "within the contractual timeframe." As for Farnsworth, her persistence eventually paid off with the help of ABC15's volunteer team, and she finally received her refund enveloping $193,000.
