During Tuesday’s Oceana County Council on Aging (OCCOA) board meeting, four county residents took the opportunity at public comment to share their disappointment over the recent dismissal of Tami Smith, manager of the adult day service Our Friends House, and their dissatisfaction with the response they had been given for the sudden change. This dismissal impacted the planned field trip to last week’s Oceana County Fair, a service provided by the OCCOA for the clients of Our Friends House.
Many of the public comments emphasized the emotional distress of their impacted family members due to the trip’s cancellation and Smith’s absence from the program. “Tami had no opportunity to tell the clients goodbye… There was no closure for your clients, who should be your biggest concern,” expressed Mary Sloan, whose husband is a client of Our Friends House.
Family members and caregivers received the following letter, shared with the Echo by Sloan, from Senior Care Services Director Jacci Smith, to account for the sudden change in personnel.
“Dear Clients and Families of OCCOA’s Our Friends House,
We want to inform you that, after careful consideration, we have made the difficult decision to part ways with Tami Smith, our former House Manager. We wish her the best in her future endeavors.
During this transition, I, Jaccie Smith, Senior Care Services Director, will be overseeing the Daily Operations at Our Friends House. I am committed to maintaining the high-quality care you expect and ensuring a smooth transition. We are actively working to hire a new House Manager and will keep you updated on the process.
Rest assured, the daily routines and care plans will remain unchanged. Our team is dedicated to minimizing any disruption to your loved ones’ care.
If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to reach out to me directly. I will also be scheduling regular check-ins to keep everyone informed and comfortable during this transition.
Thank you for your understanding and continued trust. We appreciate your support as we navigate this change.
Warm regards,
Jaccie Smith”
Commenters, likewise, discussed concerns for their family members and their continual care. Sloan, again, said, “every person at the Friends House is dependent on a caregiver. Every person at the Friends House has one or more needs that need to be met by a person knowledgeable and qualified to care for them…cognitively, physically and emotionally.”
The dismissal of Smith was not on the agenda for the regular board meeting, and the subject of the prior public comment was not discussed, leading to tension following the meeting’s adjournment.
Misty Persenaire, whose relative is a client of Our Friends House, said, “I am leaving more frustrated and with more questions than I came.”
The Echo reached out to Executive Director of the Council on Aging Stephanie Moore for comment and was provided with a statement Wednesday afternoon.
“The Oceana County Council on Aging does not comment on personnel matters. All services provided by the agency, including Our Friends House, will continue without interruption, ensuring seniors in Oceana County receive the highest quality care delivered with compassion.”
