State regulators have ordered the owners of a Scottsdale assisted living facility to divest from the business following the heat‑related death of an 85‑year‑old resident. The Arizona Department of Health Services (ADHS) issued the decision after determining the facility failed to protect the man, who was found unresponsive in an outdoor courtyard during extreme summer temperatures.

According to ADHS findings, staff members did not adequately monitor the resident, who had dementia and a history of wandering. Investigators reported that she was left outside for an extended period during a heat wave, leading to fatal heat exposure. The state subsequently moved to revoke the facility’s license and bar the owners from operating any similar care homes.

The owners appealed, but an administrative law judge upheld the state’s action, concluding that the facility’s failures represented “a substantial risk to the health and safety of vulnerable adults.” Under the ruling, the owners must sell or transfer the business and are prohibited from holding a license for at least five years.

Source: AZFamily