Personal Injury Law

Disabled children subject to neglect at Chicago nursing home facility

By Kris Briggs

The Chicago Tribune recently reported that a case of Chicago nursing home neglect and abuse has been allowed to worsen at a facility charged with the care of disabled children -- despite the knowledge of state regulators regarding the conditions.

A 4-year-old boy died in the facility when he had problems breathing and no one responded to the alarm. Less than a month later, nearly the same thing happened to a 4-year-old girl. State regulators found the alarms had not been properly set and had been turned so low they could not be heard.

Such lax care standards have repeatedly put fragile children at risk in the Aiden Village North facility. Our Chicago child injury lawyers were appalled by the report and encourage anyone with a loved one at the home, or with knowledge of its conditions, to contact a law firm experienced in dealing with nursing home neglect and abuse cases.

The Tribune found records dating back decades that detail the same problems. Even as the owners of the homes changed, the dangerous conditions persisted: Illnesses ignored, life-support alarms unanswered, and residents left without proper care. Instead of cracking down, regulators have allowed the problems to worsen.

Which brings us to a primary consideration when choosing a nursing home. Sure you can check a home's ratings. And you can review past inspections. But relying upon a bureaucratic system of the state or federal government's is no sure way to ensure the safety of a loved one. It is incumbent upon each one of us to police the system and do what is necessary to protect the most vulnerable among us when neglect or abuse is occurring unabated.

The Tribune reports the state's oversight is so week -- and relies upon self reporting -- that it cannot gauge the care being received by residents in 300 facilities for those with developmental disabilities.

In 2008 alone, five children died at Aiden within three months and yet thorough investigations were not conducted.

Full post as published by Illinois Injury Law Blog on October 29, 2010 (boomark / email).