PINELLAS COUNTY, Fla. (WFLA) — A Pinellas County senior was forced to evacuate from his assisted living facility for Hurricane Helene, but five weeks later, he still hasn’t been allowed back in his home.
Now his frustrated family is turning to 8 On Your Side for answers.
James Donarski’s family said he left The Barclay at Pasadena with just two days’ worth of clothes and a week’s worth of medication and now he needs to get back into the facility. Turns out, James isn’t the only one.
“I am homeless, and that’s a hell of a feeling,” Donarski said.
Donarski relied on medication for his congenital heart failure to keep him healthy at 92 years old.
“This is unbelievable that they won’t let me get in that building,” Donarski said.
Residents at The Barclay at Pasadena were told to evacuate on Sept. 26 before Hurricane Helene. Some were bussed to a sister property in Sarasota, forced to sleep on cots. Others, including Donarski, went to stay with family.
“He’s not that independent outgoing fella,” said Cathy O’Brien, James’ daughter. “He looks at me and goes, ‘help’ I go, ‘I’m trying, dad.'”
O’Brien said her dad’s zest for life is gone as five weeks have passed without being allowed to return home.
“He’s lost 10 pounds in one month,” she said.
O’Brien said staff at the Barclay only retrieved two small bags of her dad’s items.
“Who’s watching what’s going on over there?” O’Brien asked. “The valuables are photos, but there’s also other things that no one needs to be going in and out of my father’s room unless you’re a nurse or management.”
Cameras inside other residents’ rooms have caught strangers going in and out at all hours of the day. 8 On Your Side has learned those cameras have since gone dead.
QSLM is ensuring that the men and women inside are contractors working, adding the buildings have no power.
Investigator Brittany Muller asked if O’Brien thinks someone needs to be held accountable, she responded, “I do.”
Adding to the confusion for families and residents, a new property management company, QSLM, took over Oct. 15. They’ve told residents they won’t move back in before 2025 because of damage from both Helene and Milton.
Leland Rice, Chief Growth Officer at QSLM, shared this statement with 8 On Your Side: “QSLM is driven by a strong purpose to help seniors live rich, full lives, and our top priority is and always will be the safety of our residents.”
“We recognize and understand the uncertainty and frustration our residents are feeling following the tragic impact of Hurricanes Helene and Milton on their residences,” said Rice. “We deeply regret the impact these hurricanes have had on our residents, and are fully focused on ensuring we do everything in our power to help them wherever we can.”
Rice also said, “We have been in regular touch with our residents over phone, email and social media channels, and recently held several town hall meetings to hear and address their concerns and work on ways to improve their experiences.”
“The severe damage sustained by The Barclay at Pasadena has unfortunately rendered it unsafe for occupancy or public access at this time, and we are prohibited from allowing access to the building,” he said. “This damage has led to a high fire risk due to damaged electrical and mechanical systems and non-functional sprinklers, made all elevators either inoperable or unsafe, and significantly flooded the floors with unsanitary sewage, ocean water and ground water. We have processes in place to have our staff enter the building and retrieve residents’ personal items and have already completed a large number of these retrievals. Residents should reach out to evacinfo@barclayseniorliving.com or call (727) 381-5411 to schedule a time.”
As the weeks pass with uncertainty about a date to move back in, O’Brien and her father feel they have few options.
“We’re forced to find him a new home,” she said.
“I feel left out, insulted,” he said.
Residents at the Barclay said they have other worries, too. For example, with no plan to get their mail to them, they say their mail in ballots had been marked “return to sender.”
8 On Your Side asked QSLM about their plan to make things right, they said they’ve been in touch with the Pinellas County Supervisor Of Elections to help them get an expedited replacement ballot or register to vote in Sarasota.
You can call 727-464-8683 to request an expedited replacement ballot. You will need to give your current address at Sarasota or Boynton Beach. Your replacement ballot will be overnighted to you.
QSLM said a member of its leadership team will collect secured votes and overnight them back to the Pinellas County voting location.
For anyone who was not registered for mail-in ballots: Please call the Sarasota voting office (941-861-8600) or the Palm Beach County voting office (561-656-6200) and ask for a change of address for in-person voting. Once complete, you will be eligible to vote in your current location.
For any Pasadena resident wishing to vote in person in your home precinct, Bayada Home Health has generously offered to provide transportation to and from Pinellas County on election day. For this option, you must have physical possession of government-issued identification.
