Guardian Firm’S Practices Raise Concerns Late Accounting Reports Prompt Court To Assign Investigator To Spokane Company

A Spokane company is among the first statewide to run afoul of tougher regulatory efforts in the professional guardianship field.

A special investigator assigned by Spokane County Superior Court is looking into Guardianship Services of Eastern Washington.

The company, which handles the finances and medical decisions of about 90 elderly and mentally incapable clients, came under scrutiny last month when a court commissioner noticed that some accounting reports were five years late.

In one case, the guardianship of Louise Nichols, the company was removed for cause. Court Commissioner Fred Aronow notified the new state certification board of the action which, under new guidelines, could be reason to lose a license to operate in the state.

When Nichols’ relatives petitioned to have the company give them personal items, Guardianship Services didn’t show up in court.

Aronow, who oversees guardianship cases for the Spokane court, ordered elder-law attorney Carol Hunter to investigate seven cases of late accounting and report back by Oct. 23.

“All we have are the appearances that something might not be right,” Aronow said. “I can’t take any action based on what I might believe. I have to have some facts in front of me.”

An investigation by the state certification board on Guardianship Services is stalled, pending final approval of the board’s discipline policies by the state Supreme Court.

The company, the first professional guardianship firm in Spokane, takes an unusual number of cases in which the clients have little money.

“They’re a resource, and we want to make sure they’re doing it right,” Aronow said.

Dale Frederickson, director of Guardianship Services, referred questions to attorney Jim Spurgetis.

Spurgetis acknowledged the company had been late with accountings. It has gone through “growing pains” since Frederickson took over the business from his father, Gleyre, about four years ago, Spurgetis said.

Spurgetis said missing paperwork doesn’t suggest serious problems. “We’re not talking about theft; we’re not talking about people not being cared for; we’re not talking about people not getting a doctor,” he said.

“They take cases no one else will take. Their family deserts them, everyone deserts them. Who is going to take care of them? Dale Frederickson.”

But the company has angered some people. Complaints of unreturned phone calls triggered a lawsuit by the owners of a Spokane mobile home park, who say two years of attempts to collect $7,700 in unpaid rent from one of the company’s clients were frustrating.

Richard Blum, owner of an adult family home that cares for Guardianship Services clients, said he’s complained to state attorneys about the company.

His concerns started while caring for an elderly man who requested money to buy a case of Pepsi each month. The company refused to pay, he said.

The company “is not looking out for the best interests of our clients,” said Blum. “We’ve all wished there would be others in the industry.”

Spurgetis said about 20 percent of the company’s clients are indigents, and others have such minuscule estates that bills are often paid with Guardianship Services’ own money.

“Being a guardian is not easy,” he said.