Elder Law

Latest Investigation At Illinois Nursing Home

By Levin & Perconti

WIFR News recently discussed the latest nursing home inspections as part of Operation Guardian ? an Illinois program aimed at improving care at nursing home facilities across the state.

Illinois officials conducted the latest surprise investigation at Park Strathmoor in Rockford. While at the facility, the inspectors found several residents with arrest warrants. The nursing home officials had no idea that some of their residents were wanted for crimes. These findings bring to the total number of nursing home residents to found with active arrest warrants to 84 since the Operation began.

As Attorney General Lisa Madigan explained, "people who have criminal histories are not being denied care but... We do not want a situation where elderly, vulnerable individuals are going to be harmed in our nursing homes."

Madigan was spurred to begin the program in part based on the high number of calls her office receives from friends and family of nursing home residents who worry about the care at the facility where their loved one is staying. In fact, many staff members at these Illinois nursing homes have notified state officials about the lacking conditions in which they work.

Our Chicago nursing home attorneys at Levin & Perconti have similarly seen the downright abysmal conditions at many of these care facilities. Many nursing homes involved in our legal cases have provided little to no protection for residents victimized at the hands of other residents. It only takes one instance of a nursing home failing to provide proper oversight of residents for sexual and physical abuse to occur.

While Operation Guardian seeks to root out some potential dangerous residents, the vast majority of potentially harmful nursing home residents will remain hidden. That is why it is imperative for nursing homes to conduct their own screening protocols to keep out particularly dangerous individuals. On top of that, these facilities need to provide careful monitoring of all complaints from one resident against another.

If you suspect improper treatment of any kind at a nursing home near you, please contact our nursing home lawyers and learn what can be done to vindicate the victims and protect all future residents at the facility.

Please Click Here to read more about this latest Illinois nursing home investigation.

Full post as published by Illinois Nursing Home Abuse Blog on August 12, 2010 (boomark / email).