The print edition of The Hermiston Herald named an incorrect company in the headline of this article. We regret the error.

By Karen Hutchinson-Talaski

Staff writer

HERMISTON The company who owns Hermiston Terrace Assisted Living Facility has been named in a class action lawsuit claiming Sunwest Management of Salem has been charging for services that the management had no intention of providing.

The suit, filed in Multnomah County Circuit Court, alleges violation of state laws governing the operation of residential facilities on the part of Sunwest, who runs more than 200 residential facilities for seniors nationwide.

“This is about broken promises for higher profits,” said elder rights attorney Kathryn Stebner, who filed the lawsuit. “It’s shameful that Sunwest is preying on our senior citizens and their families at such a vulnerable time.”

The lawsuit alleges residents’ contracts promise care and services of a certain quality. However, Stebner alleges the contract fails to state the facilities and Sunwest management cannot and do not provide those services. Stebner is a San Francisco attorney who practices in Oregon and California. She is co-counsel in a similar class action lawsuit against Sunwest in California.

Named as representative plaintiffs in the class action are 81-year-old Cathleen Naylor and 80-year-old Gwen Olmstead, two residents of Sunwest-operated Deer Meadow Assisted Living in Sheridan. The lawsuit states Naylor and Olmstead signed contracts for services at Deer Meadow that were never provided. Naylor has been a resident since February 2004 and Olmstead since January 2003.

Phone calls to Sunwest Management were not returned by press time.

Karen Hutchinson-Talaski can be reached at ktalaski@hermistonherald.com.