The Truth Behind Field of Dreams --

Field of Dreams for Active Senior Living is a senior living campus nestled in the quiet foothills of Allegany, New York. To the outsider, this facility looks like a luxurious not-like-any-other place within the area.

It features hotel-like lifestyle, one side being Assisted Living, and the other side being focused for Memory Care.

What seems like with it's many amenities would be a peaceful home for many--- Behind closed doors, this is another story.

What is Happening?

Since the opening of Field of Dreams for Active Senior Living, there has been a numerous amount of things that are affecting the livelihood of both former employees, employees, and especially the elderly residents whom reside at Field of Dreams. 

To Employees and Former Employees: 

• Huge amount of turnover rates - The amount of turnover is at an all-time high. Many of which were not given a reason to their firing. In fact, were lied to by management, offering them higher positions, encouraging them that they were doing well, only to never receive what they were offered, as well as lie continuously to them about the state of their job. Many of these individuals reported that they were "blind-sided" by losing their jobs and when asked for reasoning the administrator was unable to give this to them. In some situations, many of these individuals reported that they were locked out of their computer systems before knowing their jobs were terminated, were embarrassed by staff and walked out of the building and/or watched as they were forced to leave immediately. 
• Lack of job Training - Many individuals whom are currently working at Field of Dreams for Active Senior Living, or were previously employed reported that they did not receive adequate job training. Some of these positions included, but are not limited to are: Personal Care Aide, Human Resource Department, Activities Department, Food Service Department, Case Management, Nurses, and Medication Aide. All of which are/ were individuals whom were given positions that are in charge of the care of many individuals livelihood.  
• Unequal Pay Rates between employees - As Pay Transparency is legal, when discussing topics of pay, employees discovered that they were not being given the same rates for the same jobs, as well as discovered that some employees with higher education and experience were being paid less than others with less education and experience. 
• HIPPA Violations - Many former employees and employers reported their HIPPA rights being violated. Many of which was by the administration, as well as others within the main offices. Employees reported their personal information being spread throughout the workplace-- some of which regarding home life, struggles they had within their lives, health knowledge, mental health, sexual partners, reasoning for not being at work, reasoning of relieving other employees from their positions, information regarding other employees lives, and more. 
• Unprofessionalism, and Pinning employees against one another - Many employees and former employees reported that they felt as if they were being set up or pinned against their co-workers by their supervisors and/or administration team members-- only to find out that they were both being lied to. Some of which former employees even reported that they received retaliation from spending time with certain employees in or outside the workplace if the administration was not okay with these behaviors. 

They also reported noting that their administration was extremely unprofessional when talking about workplace matters, as well as in making them feel as if they were able to come to them with any matters, or problems they may have regarding their job. Former employees and employees reported a lack of trust within the workplace, and being unsure if the administration team would use what they spoke about in private against them or to other employees. This created a workplace environment that employees did not feel comfortable in, or certain about the status of their jobs.

• Emotional Abuse, Discrimination and Harassment within the workplace -- Many employees and former employees have witnessed and/or experienced emotional abuse from others in the workplace. Many of which was caused by higher up management, supervisors, as well as the face of Field of Dreams, their CEO. This has created unsafe, unethical work environments and caused divides between staff. Some individuals even reported that this made past traumas come forth for them, and that they reported being scared. When reporting this behavior to their administration team, the people in question were only given warnings and, in some instances, the victims were penalized as well. Others have even reported being targeted because of certain attributes, and have written evidence of supervisors  targeting specific employees.
• Money Driven Company - Many former employees, reported witnessing employees, as well as administration be verbally abused by CEO when it came to "numbers" and the amount of money that was being brought into The Field of Dreams for Active Senior. The jobs of individuals were threatened if they did not make these numbers, recruit x amount of individuals to join their facility then there would be consequences or changes to come. Some of these individuals lost their careers for not meeting this quota.

To The Residents:

• Emotional Abuse to Elders--  Many individuals whom have worked at Field of Dreams for Active Senior Living, have reported the harsh mannerisms that take place to elders; especially within the memory care unit. Some of this emotional abuse referred to threatening comments, verbal abuse,  as well as short patience, and aggressive or angry verbiage.  
• Health Regulations & Standards NOT Being Met- "The New York State Department of Health's Bureau of Community Environmental Health and Food Protection works to protect the public health by assuring that food service establishments are operated in a manner that eliminates hazards through design and management, resulting in a decreased incidence of foodborne illness in our communities. The Bureau's Food Protection Program also coordinates foodborne outbreak investigations, analyzes the findings and uses this information to develop regulations and guidance designed to prevent similar outbreaks in the future.
• Many of the individuals whom are currently working in the kitchen of Field of Dreams, and or previously were are not certified through the standards of food safety training. As they often had to pick up the slack of not being adequately staffed within the kitchen.
• Along with this, many former employees reported that there was unsafe and unclean regulations within the kitchen. Some of which included, overgrown mold and bacteria within the kitchen. 
• Former employees and employees also reported that adequate amounts of food and drinks were not being provided as per the Food and Health safety guidelines. 
• Consistency is not being met. - With the constant change in the facility, as well as constant change of staff, consistency is not being met. For many individuals who are elderly or who suffer from Alzheimer's Disease and/or Dementia this can be incredibly detrimental to their overall health and can be incredibly confusing for elders. 
• Understaffed working conditions - At times, the ratio of staff to residents was not met. "The typical caregiver-to-resident staffing ratio in memory care is 1:6, which is much higher than the assisted living ratio of 1:15". By New York State regulations, "A case manager, as well as an activities director, must be on duty at least 30 minutes each week per resident. For employees that work directly with the staff, 1 employee per 6-8 residents is recommended during the day and one employee per 12-15 residents at night." Many times, these were not met by Field of Dreams for Active Senior Living and 1 staff was in charge of both floors of Assisted Living. This also occurred on Memory Care, and 1 Medication Aide who had to go between floors. As you can imagine, this could be very high stress, prone for burn out and could cause problems if there were ever an emergency with residents. 
• Staff is not trained specifically for the population of individuals in which they are working with which then = burnt out staff and tension between elders and staff. With no training, they are set up for failure to these elders. Individuals need to be knowledgeable about the geriatric population, as well as memory care individuals when working in these very fragile environments. 
• Staff and residents are being victims of discrimination -- This then causes the outcome to not be beneficial for either parties. 
• Lies and lawsuits are being covered up - Employees and former employees have reported lies being told to families regarding the care of their loved ones, along with reporting learning of knowledge of lawsuits potentially happening against Field of Dreams for Active Senior Living. Some of which these lies occurred included the well-being of residents in the care of Field of Dreams, and some of which were fatal. 
• HIPPA regulations being violated against residents. 
• Files and Forms were not completed per NYS Guidelines 
• Higher needs residents were sometimes discriminated against or talked badly of because they were "harder" to work with. Former employees then witnessed these residents not receiving adequate care from all staff. At times, these needs will even be "forgotten about" if the staff feels as if the resident "should" be able to do things for themselves, and see them as more of a "long term care level" instead of just caring for them out of human kindness and nature. 
• Maltreatment and neglect occurring to residents, some of which has resulted in hospitalization, or death.

What happens if things do not change?

• The cycle will continue. -- The lies will continue; the livelihood of others will continue to be risked. For both employees, future employees and residents. 
• When working with elders, consistency is key. If things do not change, this could be potentially detrimental to their health and safety of elders. Consistency helps to keep seniors oriented, preventing distraction, anxiety and frustration. It also helps to maintain their abilities, reduce anxiety, and increase their independence. Something that as caregivers we all strive to do for them. 
• The stress of care givers will heighten which then = not being able to give elders in their care adequate care. 
• These working and/or living conditions can be extremely detrimental to an individual's health, mental health, sense of safety / security, trust within employees/supervisors or even their care givers.   
• & More.

Is this a place you would want to work or have your family members? Please consider the reality, and do not believe everything that you see on social media, broadcasts, or networking. There is more to the story behind Field of Dreams for Active Senior Living, and this is just a portion of it.

What can you do to create change?

• Sign this petition in order to create change.
• Share it to your pages on social media, local neighborhood pages.
• Send to your local News Station.
• Make a claim against "Field of Dreams for Active Senior Living" to the Department of Health, Department of Labor, or Department of Aging. 

With you, we can make change happen.