Elder Law

Nursing Home Inspected after 11 deaths in 2008

By Levin & Perconti

State health inspectors will increase their oversight and an independent review of the home for the disabled will be conducted in the wake of 11 deaths since January. The nursing home has been fined more than $37,000 by state inspectors including a fine that is tied to the death that was allegedly caused by nursing home negligence. The most recent incident was reported after a 26-year-old patient was found unresponsive in his room and later died. His mother claims that the nursing home employees failed to take her son to the nursing home?s infirmary for observation after a brief hospitalization triggered by a seizure. Although the state used to only investigate deaths not attributable to natural causes, they are changing their policy to investigate all deaths reported to them by the nursing home. The state?s governor stated there will be an independent review to determine whether the nursing home patients receive appropriate care and treatment. A federal investigation created by Congress to monitor health care serves for the disabled has said that the number of deaths at the nursing home over the past 14 months appears unusually high. One of the problems includes the nursing home?s staff?s failure to assess residents? needs upon their return from a hospital. To read the full story, click here.

Full post as published by Illinois Nursing Home Abuse Blog on November 29, 2008 (boomark / email).