CLARKSVILLE, TN (CLARKSVILLE NOW) – The executive director of the Ajax Turner Senior Center was fired this week, and as a consequence, the center’s adult daycare has been temporarily shut down, leaving families that rely on the the service with nowhere to turn.
Justin Cunningham, whose father attends the Senior Circle of Friends Adult Day Center, told Clarksville Now on Friday about the situation and concerns about his father’s cognitive abilities declining.
“The Tennessee Department of Human Services (DHS) requires that either the adult day care center director, or the executive director of the senior center, has a certain level of education and so many years working with either senior or adults with cognitive disabilities. Because of the forced termination of Rita (Allsop) … there is now no one that has those (needed) credentials.”
The Senior Center board fired Allsop on Wednesday. Cunningham said that because the board failed to immediately appoint an interim executive director, or preemptively file for an exception with DHS, he was told the adult daycare can no longer operate for the time being.
“They called us yesterday a couple of hours after drop-off and said, ‘You have to come get your people, we can’t legally operate,'” he said. “No notice, nothing. The employees weren’t even told when they’d reopen, we know nothing.”
The firing comes amid the City of Clarksville decision to terminate the nonprofit senior center’s lease for the facility as the city pursues a plan to move Senior Center operations under the Parks & Recreation Department. The Senior Center itself remains open – only the adult daycare has closed.
| PREVIOUSLY: Ajax Turner Senior Center plans to relocate rather than fall under city management
‘It really should be considered elder abuse’
Cunningham said thankfully, he’s a teacher, so this summer he can stay home with his father. “But it’s more than that. It’s not just hardship on the working family members that are caregivers, but my dad depends on that for his socialization – the activities they do to help keep his cognitive abilities where it is and from declining.
“So, it’s not just about the hardship. That’s a part of my dad’s daily life and structure, that helps preserve what amount of memory he has left. In changing this so quickly, without time to prepare, it can actually cause lasting damage to my father. Really, because of that, it really should be considered elder abuse on the board of the senior center.”
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Cunningham said he wants the board to appoint an interim executive director, with the proper credentials, effective immediately, or communicate with DHS so the adult daycare can be reopened.
Senior Board voted 3-2 to fire
Senior Citizens Board member Lois Greider told Clarksville Now on Friday that Allsop was fired after a 3-2 board vote, with Chairwoman Beverly Guynn, Maureen Potter and Otis Sanders voting to fire. Voting against the firing were Greider and Dr. Gregory Fryer, she said. Board member Rose Bennett was reportedly absent.
Clarksville Now has reached out to Guynn and to Allsop for comment.
Greider said she has concerns on whether the board followed their own bylaws, which included the vote taking place without Allsop in attendance.
In response to a Clarksville Now inquiry, attorney Kyle Shannon, who represents the Ajax Turner Senior Center, said, “We are aware of the unfortunate ongoing situation regarding the Adult Day Care Center at the Senior Center, and plan to have more information available during next week’s board meeting.”
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