Families scramble to find new home for loved ones as major senior care facility is shut down by ADHS

Peoria, Arizona: The Arizona Department of Health Services (ADHS) has shut down the Avanti Senior Living facility in Peoria, citing repeated violations and claims that the care provided endangered residents' lives.

The closure has left 60 elderly residents and their families with less than two weeks to find new accommodations, prompting an outcry from some families who say their loved ones were well cared for.

The decision has seen families scrambling to secure housing for their elderly relatives. One woman, whose mother was a resident at the facility, described the emotional toll of the sudden move: “She’s very, very confused and doesn’t really understand all that’s going on because everyone’s disappearing.

The Texas-based operator of the facility has been in a years-long dispute with state regulators. ADHS documented 21 violations of Arizona’s administrative code, including: Failing to notify residents about available vaccines; employing at least one caregiver without proper training; and omitting key services from residents' medical records.

ADHS ultimately revoked Avanti’s license, stating that efforts to bring the facility back into compliance were unsuccessful.

In a statement, Avanti called the the violations “administrative and paperwork infractions” that did not affect the quality of care provided to residents.

ADHS issued a statement acknowledging the hardship caused by the closure but emphasized that they had no choice but to act after continued violations.

“We share in residents’ disappointment with being uprooted on such short notice,” the statement read. “We exhausted all options to bring the facility back into compliance, but ultimately, the violations continued.”