I am writing to raise serious concerns regarding the treatment of inhabitants at Harmony at Kent, a residential facility for older adults in Dover, following a significant incident earlier this year.
My mother, who is 95, has been an independent-living resident of Harmony at Kent since it opened in 2022. In February, a pipe burst there, causing extensive water damage and rendering many apartments uninhabitable. Months later, several residents, including my mother, remain displaced, as repairs continue to be delayed. Initially, residents were told the work would be completed at the end of April. That timeline has since shifted to June 10, and there is a growing concern it may be pushed back even further.
My mother was offered an alternative unit, but it is not a viable option, due to its distance from the elevator and her significant mobility limitations. Since being displaced, she suffered a fall, resulting in a broken femur and further decreasing her mobility.
Despite these ongoing hardships, residents whose apartments remain unlivable are being charged full rent. A 25% discount was applied for a brief period — from Feb. 9 to March 3 — but since then, full charges have resumed. Many residents feel this reduction does not adequately reflect the severity of the situation and the hardships they have endured.
Residents and their families are increasingly frustrated and concerned with how this situation has been handled, given the vulnerable population. Harmony at Kent’s management needs to take more meaningful steps to support and be more empathetic toward its displaced residents, as well as provide transparency and accountability, as this situation continues.
Mary M. Neumann
Lewes
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