Elder Law

Illinois Leads Nation with Most Unsafe Black Nursing Homes

By Levin & Perconti

The Reporter analyzed data from the U.S. Government Accountability Office which listed 580 of the nation?s most unsafe facilities among roughly 16,000 nursing homes in the U.S. 53 of these homes had predominately black residents. Of these 53 facilities, 12 of them were from Illinois which makes us the leading state in the nation. The Chicago Reporter found that of Illinois? 51 majority-black nursing homes, 24 percent appeared on the federal list for having the worst safety records. This is in contrast to the 5 percent of the state?s white nursing homes that appeared on this least. The Reporter found that the disparities also occurred at a national level. While black nursing homes represent just 5 percent of the state?s nursing homes in the nation, they represent 10 percent of homes on the government?s list of unsafe homes. No other racial or ethnic group was overrepresented in that way. It becomes even worse in Chicago where nearly one in four black nursing homes were listed as being among the most safe unsafe in the nation. They are all located on the south side of the city. The seven homes are: Alden Wentworth Rehab and Health Care Center, All Faith Pavilion, Avenue Care Center, Belhaven Nursing and Rehab Center, Rainbow Beach Care Center, Renaissance Park South, and South Shore Nursing and Rehab Center. To learn more about the disparities in nursing homes, click the link.

Full post as published by Illinois Nursing Home Abuse Blog on December 10, 2009 (boomark / email).