Elder Law

Nursing Home Deficient in Several Categories

By Levin & Perconti

A State?s Department of Health and Human Services found a nursing home to be defiant in seven categories following an alleged sexual assault. A report showed that the home did not do enough to protect a 33-year-old disabled woman from sexual assault. The report showed that the nursing home failed to monitor the whereabouts of residents, have sufficient nursing, notify family members immediately of any change in the resident?s condition that warrants emergency medical intervention and assure patients are assessed by a nurse rather than a qualified medication assistant. The nursing home negligence report also provides details about an incident in which a 65-year-old resident was allegedly found in bed with a woman who had profound mental retardation and cerebral palsy that makes her unable to speak or walk. The man had his shirt off and pants down and he was covered in bed from the woman?s menstrual cycle. The report showed that the nursing home was aware of the patient?s propensity for violent and sexual behavior. He was charged with a class D felony sexual battery. It is imperative that nursing homes closely monitor patients who pose a danger in order to avoid nursing home negligence. The nursing home had enacted an alarm on the man?s door but failed to ensure that it would sound. Many times sexual abuse occurs at the hands of other residents. To read more about the sexual abuse, please click the link.

Full post as published by Illinois Nursing Home Abuse Blog on September 21, 2009 (boomark / email).