Another Example of Washoe County Not Caring About Seniors

This comment was being shared all over Facebook yesterday. Call Washoe County and ask them what the heck is going on.

Well, it’s making the rounds again—another shining example of how the Washoe County Human Services Agency defines “care.”

Washoe County Human Services Agency runs the Sparks Senior Center, or they pretend to, because the services they offer are sort of lacking, and apparently when there is a medical emergency the seniors are left to fend for themselves per this Facebook post above.

So let’s talk about the Sparks Senior Center—because who doesn’t love a good trip down memory lane?

Remember those security cameras that were supposed to keep seniors safe in the parking lot? The ones that didn’t work… for years?

It took an Act of Congress to get the county to finally admit the cameras didn’t work. And in true government efficiency fashion, the solution wasn’t to fix them—it was to take them down.

Problem solved! Can’t have broken security if you don’t have security at all.

Because protecting seniors? Apparently optional.

But don’t worry—over at the Nevada Cares Campus, things seem to function just fine. So the county can provide security and services… just depends on where you fall on the priority list.

Now let’s talk food—because this is where it really gets good. Remember this is when a few years back the ‘senior savior’ City Councilmember Donald Abbott urged seniors to ‘get there early if they wanted soup’ because the county’s food service provider would run out. Funny Abbott didn’t think to asking them to make more? Commissioner Mike Clark did and now there is soup.

Through programs like Meals on Wheels and senior lunches, our seniors are treated to what can only be described as… portion control. Tiny portions. No seconds. Don’t get greedy now.

Meanwhile, in other county systems? Plenty of structure, plenty of food, and apparently no need to ration like it’s the Great Depression.

So let’s recap:

Medical Emergencies Seniors are left to ask others for help
Seniors get less.
Less security.
Less food.
Less attention.

But hey—at least they get consistency.

And then there’s leadership.

After all of this, Ryan Gustafson moves up the ladder to assistant county manager.

Because in Washoe County, the career path seems pretty clear:
Oversee problems → don’t fix them → get promoted.

It would almost be funny if it weren’t so predictable.

And before anyone tries the usual spin—this isn’t about choosing one vulnerable group over another. It’s about the county somehow managing to deliver different levels of care depending on who’s standing in line.

If Washoe County can get it right somewhere, it can get it right everywhere.

The real question is:
Why don’t they?