After a structure fire broke out at the Jeffersonville Adult Home late last month, 48 longtime residents were displaced to a number of locations throughout the state – including Queens and the Bronx in New York City. But where have they gone?

While the circumstances that followed the fire are non negotiable at this point, the treatment and relocation of people who once lived in Jeffersonville are left with confusion and doubt as communication with the W Group, those in charge of transporting these individuals, has left something to be desired; transparency.

The appropriate people should be made more aware of not only their locations, but also the conditions of these facilities they are calling home for now. To add to the unsteadiness, our elderly residents have been sent off without any sense of a timeline for when they will be able to return home. 

Not to mention with the big move, what about the accessibility to family members who took care of those in the home? Families are in danger of being broken up with the possibility of little to no communication available to contact each other.

Reports of family members being unable to reach their loved ones, and vice versa, are being noted. One of these caretakers worried for the health and safety of their ex-husband who is at risk for elopement, but had zero ways of contacting him directly after he had been moved. This is unacceptable.

We urge the owners of the adult home in Jeffersonville and the organizations allied with them that are responsible for the well-being of the long-term residents to construct and relay a detailed list of the whereabouts, status and contact information to those relevant in the safety and security of those affected. 

At this moment of instability and vulnerability, there must be better communication and transparency as to avoid any and all issues that may arise while they are being cared for outside of the county.

We also wish for the speedy recovery of the building in Jeffersonville so that we may bring them all home so they may continue to live as they have been.