Yesterday I told the story of my mom’s Brookdale Assisted Living apartment. What started as a perfectly lovely space to live, ended looking like a war zone filled with plastic garbage bags, toxic chemical dust, and overturned furniture. Check out the first part of Jeanne’s Brookdale Bedbug story here:
Today we’ll continue the story by sharing Jeanne’s Brookdale Folsom Bedbug timeline. It started in April 2026.
Jeanne’s last day at Brookdale was May 14 .
Her 5 1/5 months at Brookdale Folsom had its ups and downs. Many of the promised services were never delivered. This included missed showers, laundry, help with dressing, and escort to meals. Each time I discussed a missed service with Brookdale staff, there was always an excuse. Lack of staffing was often to blame.
Most distressing was a frequent fear of bugs in the room and bed. Jeanne reported bug sightings in April and May. Brookdale Folsom investigated the frequent reports. Each time she was told nothing was found.
She had the opportunity to live with my sister out of state. The high costs associated with Brookdale were becoming a problem. Although she hated to leave her friends in California and those living at Brookdale, she welcomed the chance to spend time with my sister and live in her beautiful new home.
June 1 – Jeanne Gives 30 Day Notice
On June 1, we provided the required 30 day notice to end her contract to live at Brookdale Folsom’s room 232. Her last day at Brookdale continued to be May 14. However, by contract, she was required to pay through June 30.
I was tasked with clearing out her room at Brookdale. The plan was for me to sell her furniture, send her clothing and personal belongs to her new home, and put her remaining items in storage.
June 4 – Early Prep Work
I had the month of June to clean out her apartment. I spent time the first week of June organizing her belongings.
I took pictures of her bed and couch and posted them for sale online. This is how I left the room in early June.
June 12 – Pest Control Inspection
On June 12, Brookdale Folsom hired Ecolab Pest control to look for bedbugs in apartment 232. According to their report, bedbugs were found.
The family was not notified of this inspection.
It would not be until June 18 that we would learn of a bedbug infestation in Jeanne’s Brookdale apartment 232.
It would not be until June 22 that we would receive the law-mandated pest control report (AB 551 Within two days following a professional inspection, the landlord shall notify tenants within inspected dwellings, in writing, of the inspection findings.)
None of this information was proactively provided to us by Brookdale. Rather, it was a result of calls and emails made by me to request information (see documentation below).
June 16 – Room in Shambles
I found a buyer for her couch on June 16. When I unlocked the door to apt 232, this is what I saw.
Here’s a closer look.
The couch was turned on its side and bedding was tossed all over the floor.
As I looked around the room, I saw some strange boxes on the floor. Here’s one I photographed next to the thrown couch cushion. We know now that these are bug traps.
The shock of seeing her overturned couch lead me to wonder if my mom’s room had been vandalized.
June 16 – An interesting conversation with Brookdale’s Director
After seeing what looked like a vandalized room, I had an interesting conversation with Brookdale’s director who I will simply call S.
She told me that the room had not been vandalized. Rather, a “few days earlier” (exact date not provided), she had unlocked my mom’s Brookdale apartment while accompanied by a pest control inspector. I was told that it was the inspector who left the room in shambles. According to S, he inspected the baseboards and found a bug infestation. I was not told anything about bedbugs at that time.
By that time the buyer of the couch arrived in room 232. I introduced her to S and helped her move the couch out of the room.
Later that day I questioned S. “Why was I not notified about the pest inspection?” She said nothing, but offered me $500 for the mistreatment of the couch and other property that was left in shambles. The $500 would be sent to my address and issued by Brookdale’s corporate office later in the month. You will likely not be surprised that as of today, July 10, I have not received a check for $500.
As for the “infestation” found by the pest control person . . . the room would be fumigated. Apparently the rooms on the right and left of 232 were also inspected. That is all I was told. At the time, I still trusted S. I foolishly thought that if I needed to know more, she would tell me.
S asked what I would be doing with the bed. I told her I planned to sell it.
June 16-18 Still in the Dark
Still in the dark about bedbugs in room 232, I went home the night of June 16, opened my laptop and inquired about what kind of bug infestation might be in my mom’s overpriced Brookdale Assisted Living Studio Apartment.
What did I learn? The problem was more than likely BEDBUGS!
Here’s an excerpt from the conversation I had with Google’s AI Gemini.
June 17-22 Inquiries to Brookdale
The next day I sent S an email to ask for more information.
My email remained unanswered.
The next day I patiently waited for a response, but nothing came. I finally called Brookdale in the late afternoon and asked to speak with S. That was when I first heard the word “BEDBUGS” from Brookdale. That answered my first question (what specific pest was discovered in Jeanne’s room?), but the other questions in the email were never answered.
After the conversation, I wrote this in my notes.
June 18. Called Brookdale. Talked to S. When asked, ‘What specific pest was discovered?” S verbally answered “bedbugs”. She advised that fumigation had already taken place. Was told it was OK for me to return on Monday. At that time, I could get the previously discussed Tulip painting and laptop that should be treated with extra care during fumigation.
After hearing the word “bedbugs”, I refunded the money to the buyer of the couch and advised the buyer that I just learned that the room was determined to have bedbugs.
It took a second email to get the pest control report.
The next day I got a call from S. She was joined by maintenance manager C.
They assured me they had followed protocol and used integrity every step of the process. More details were provided about the bedbugs in 232. There were bedbugs found in her mattress and headboard, but I was assured that there were only a few.
I was also assured that S didn’t stop me from selling the couch when she knew that it had been in a bedbug-infested apartment because it was inspected by the pest control man and no bedbugs were found in the couch or on that side of the apartment.
Later in the call, S offered to pay for Jeanne’s property that remained in the room. I found this odd since I was told by S that no bedbugs were found on the couch side of the apartment.
This would be the first and ONLY time that Brookdale called me regarding bedbugs despite multiple attempts to get more information.
Later that day, I received this email from S.
This would be the first and ONLY written correspondence that I received from Brookdale regarding bedbugs despite sending multiple emails and registered letters sent to get more information.
June 22 – Received Pest Control Report (dated June 12)
Here are screenshots of the Ecolab pest control report dated 6/12/26 at 2:37pm. As the report suggests, “bedbugs noted during inspection – 232”. Also noteworthy, “We recommend the room(s) be taken out of service”.
When Can We Return to 232?
I was initially told I could return on Monday, June 22. That was postponed. Each attempted arrangement to pick up Jeanne’s special-care property was postponed.
By the time June 28 came around, I was getting pressure from my mom and the rest of the family to retrieve the tulip painting, laptop, artwork, and other precious family mementos. Having waited long enough, I returned to 232 on June 28. No tulip picture or laptop were found. Thankfully, I was able to retrieve many of the family photos and artwork. I returned on June 29 and retrieved the the laptop and tulip picture with the help of S.
June 28-? Room remains in quarantine among the rubble
Besides my mom’s property among the rubble, we found these pest control packages.
And many of these green and black adhesive pest traps . . .
Not to mention the white powder spread throughout the apartment which I am told is chemical dust. .
It has been impossible for me to understand why her room was in such ruin. To date, our questions remain: “What was the extent of the bedbugs found and how long have they been injuring my mom?” We have yet to be told.
July 12 – Still no payment or communication to Jeanne
To date, I still have no idea what went on in 232 after June 16. Rubble, chaos, chemical dust, garbage bags, boxes of pest control supplies, discarded clothing, tossed personal items, and trashed mementos. Jeanne would love to know what went on in her quarantined apartment. She has not been told AND she has not been paid. More about that tomorrow.
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