Bed bug infestation causing huge problems for residents at Md. senior living center

A senior center in Prince George's County is being treated for a bed bug infestation. Twenty apartments at the Vistas at Lake Largo are undergoing a six-week chemical cleaning process.

One of the senior residents contacted FOX 5 saying his life has been turned upside down.

Robert Daniels made it clear to us he keeps a tidy home. But now, most of his stuff has been placed in bags. His furniture has been moved into the middle of the room and his carpeting has been ripped up. He has to sleep in a little corner in his apartment.

He remembers when he knew he had a problem.

"You wake up in the middle of the night or in the morning and there would be bed bugs going away with fat bellies from sucking on your blood," Daniels said.

So how did something like this happen? Building management at the senior citizens center said a lot of the residents gather in a community room or go to each other's apartments and believe that the bed bugs possibly get on to their clothing and then get taken back to their apartments.

"We are doing the maximum amount that you could do," said Anne Beard, who manages the senior center.

She said 20 of the 110 apartments are being treated for bed bugs. It is costing her company thousands of dollars, but for now, there is little she can do to improve the living conditions for the seniors.

"In order to get this done, we need to keep [Daniels'] apartment kind of in this state until we are done with all the treatments," said Beard.

We asked Beard how they expected him to live like this for six weeks.

"Well, we are going to put his apartment back as best as we can," she said. "We're going to put his bed back."

Daniels wants his property replaced. He has asked about a hotel or another apartment while his home is treated. He said residents are not even getting a rent discount.

For now, this is his nightly regiment.

"This is a bug repellent and I wipe part of my body down with this stuff at night to keep from getting bit by bed bugs," he said.

He has also decided to just to move out and live with his daughter. He hopes he can salvage some of his infested property.