Personal care home denies admission to Lycoming County man with AIDS

Associated Press WILLIAMSPORT, PA. -

A man who said he was refused admission to a personal care home because its staff was uncomfortable caring for someone with AIDS has settled a complaint against the facility, his attorneys said Thursday.

The 56-year-old man, also legally blind, ended his discrimination complaint after the Loving Heart Personal Care Home offered him a room, said Ronda Goldfein, executive director of the AIDS Law Project of Pennsylvania.

"His number one priority was just getting a place to live," Goldfein said. "I think that the folks at Loving Heart understand why what they did was wrong."

Loving Heart has also agreed to conduct HIV training for its staff, she said.

The home's attorney, Bill Munday, did not immediately return a phone message seeking comment.

The home has previously denied that it discriminated against the man, who was not identified by name in the complaint he filed in April with the Department of Housing and Urban Development.

Goldfein said the Lycoming County man had been living at home, but sought to move to a personal care home after his health deteriorated.