Man wanders away from assisted living facility

April 8th, 2009 by Jennifer Walker-Journey

Richard Constable, 66, walked away from his Staten Island and remained gone for two days before staff bothered to call the police, according to the Staten Island Advance. Staff felt the police would respond better the longer the man was missing.

“We were surprised by that,” says Claudia Hutton with the Health Department. “You call the police as soon as you realize someone is missing.” Federal regulations state that the facility must report persons who have been missing for more than 24 hours.

Constable was a resident of Lakeside Manor Home for Adults, a facility that allows residents to come and go as they please. Residents there must be able to function on their own at a basic level but may require assistance with some tasks.

A therapist discovered Constable was missing when Constable was not at the home for a regular therapy session. The police are actively searching for Constable. They won’t say what condition Constable suffers from; however, they do not believe he is in imminent danger.

People who live near the home have made several complaints saying the residents of the home are publicly drunk, urinate on lawns and litter the area with cigarette butts and trash. Many neighbors don’t blame the residents of the home, but the staff there for not keeping up the property.

“It’s the staff; they’re just nasty, miserable people. They don’t care,” says neighbor Anthony Caccamo.

A representative from the health department says the facility likely won’t face more than a citation.

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