Richmond man did not receive reasonable accommodate in eldercare housing

CentralMaine.com reports in "Richmond Eldercare home faulted by human rights panel" that the Maine Human Rights Commission voted in August that James Nichols of Biddeford was discriminated against when he was discharged from Richmond Eldercare Coalition housing instead of provided an accommodation to his disability.

According to the newspaper report, Nichols, who has PTSD and other disabilities and is a recovering alcoholic

was moved involuntarily to a different room at the home after living there a month, and the change triggered his post-traumatic stress disorder since the new roommate could drink alcohol and kept open containers of urine in the room. 

The report says Nichols told Gibbs the new living situation was “going badly” and he later told others he felt unsafe.

After a hospitalization, Nichols needed to be in a different room or with a different roommate. Other residents were not asked if they were willing to room with him. Instead, Nichols returned to the hospital for several weeks.