My father moved into assisted living in March 2020. Since then, his phone line has not worked properly. At least once per month to month and a half the phone line just stops working. I've complained to no avail. Being on a lockdown in NC and not seeing my father in person, I'm feeling the least the facility should provide is a working phone line, especially since he pays extra to have a phone in his room. He and I talk daily, sometimes twice per day...when the phone line works. The director has admitted the lines are antiquated, but claims under covid19 that they can't bring anyone in to make repairs. Well, unless the entire staff is also on lockdown in the facility, the staff comes and goes, bringing no more possible infection than that of a phone line repairman. Which, the facility doesn't need to have the residents in the room while repairs are made. It's Dec 2020. It's not right that I cannot have direct phone access to my father who pays over 6k/mo to live in a facility where something as simple as receiving a phone call isn't available! I don't know what to do or where to go for answers. My father is extremely depressed. This facility has not followed through with things they said they would. Not to mention, they don't always answer their phones and it's a challenge getting them to answer their front door. I'm so fed up. Please help. How can I get a working phone line in my father's room during this time?
Another approach you can take is to document as much as possible the down time for the inhouse phones, than advise that you're going to prorate that down time and deduct it from the monthly charges.
Another thought occurs: emergencies. Is the facility equipped enough to call for an ambulance, or police or fire if the need arises? I'm definitely not trying to induce fear into the equation, but thinking that this might be a leveraging point.
As to phone repair repairmen/women coming in, that's an issue, but there's always masks, and it might be possible for them to do some of the repair work in off hours when less staff are available and residents are in their rooms.
I'm guessing that there are probably some old main lines that need to be upgraded, and the facility owners/admins just don't want to spend the money.
And another alternative, start researching other facilities; it may at some time be necessary to find a more responsive home for your father.
You might also check with the state of NC by doing some research on its website to locate regulations for AL facilities. This could be a timely research project, so it could be difficult for some members here to do that kind of research.