Murfreesboro, TN--- An elderly Murfreesboro woman is fighting back after she claims she was robbed, neglected and mistreated by a home health care company.
Phyllis Roysden, 81, and her attorney Roland Mumford, plan to file a lawsuit this week against Right at Home.
“I just felt an obligation to help her,” said Mumford. “I’m sure there are other elderly residents that have probably suffered at the hand of this company and others.”
Roysden said after her husband passed away, she required 24 hour care. Due to arthritis and knee pain, she is homebound and has limited mobility. With no family in the area, she turned to Right at Home for help. She said from the beginning employees weren’t helpful and often slept on the job.
“They played on their cell phone and very seldom spoke to me,” said Roysden.
Roysden said over the last year, the care turned criminal. Multiple reports filed with the Murfreesboro police department claim multiple accounts of theft, harassment by the owner of the company, and that one caretaker forged a check for $3,000.
In addition, Roysden said an employee stole $145,000 out of her personal safe, and also took multiple handguns and jewelry.
“Anything my husband gave me was something I wanted to keep and they took everything,” said Roysden.
On the phone, an employee at Right at Home said during the last year Roysden never reported any issues or concerns to the company, and she has $9,625 in unpaid bills.
Right at Home also released a statement that said, “The safety and wellbeing of our clients is of utmost importance to Right at Home. We are actively working with the authorities to resolve this matter.”
Mumford argued the company was charging Roysden $12,000 a week for inadequate care, and took advantage of her.
“Here you have a lady who is 81 years old and blind in one eye,” said Mumford. “The company has her sign a contract with size six font and nobody read it to her.”
Roysden said she stopped using Right at Home for care on May 27th, and now relies on a new personal care assistant for daily help. She said losing her valuable belongings left her heartbroken, but she hopes to ultimately get some justice.
“I want to see them pay for what they put me through,” said Roysden.
