Elder Law

Levin & Perconti Files Nursing Home Negligence on Behalf of Resident against Alden Northmoor

By Levin & Perconti

Attorneys Steven Levin and Margaret Battersby of Levin & Perconti filed a nursing home negligence lawsuit in the Circuit Court of Cook County against Alden Northmoor Rehabilitation and Care Center in Chicago, Illinois. The complaint was filed on behalf of 77-year-old Mary Clifton of Chicago, Illinois for the injuries she sustained at Alden Northmoor. While she was a resident, nursing home staff failed to properly monitor the victim and she swallowed a surgical glove on two separate occasions. After swallowing the gloves, Mary had to undergo two small bowel resections, enduring pain and suffering. The surgeries took a toll on her physical condition and she is now immobile. The nursing home negligence resulted in her inability to retain nutrients. The victim was admitted to Alden Northmoor with a diagnosis of dementia. When she was admitted in October of 2007, nursing home staff noted her to be at risk for wandering and odd behaviors due to her dementia. On April 29, 2008 Mary was allowed to swallow a surgical glove at Alden Northmoor due to poor supervision. She was transferred to a local hospital where she underwent a small bowel resection. Upon her return, the nursing staff still failed to develop a care plan to address the victim?s propensity for putting foreign objects into her mouth. Three months later, she again swallowed a surgical glove and had to undergo a second small bowel resection surgery to remove the foreign object. It was at this time that her family removed her from Alden Northmoor. As a result of her injuries, Mary has experienced decreased mobility and is at risk for further digestive problems including a decreased ability to digest nutrients and dehydration.

?After her first surgery, Alden Northmoor should have created a specific care plan to address her odd behaviors, such as wandering and putting foreign object into her mouth,? said Steve Levin. ?Despite the known risk that Mary had put foreign objects in her mouth on another occasion, the nursing home failed to address this behavior or properly monitor Mary and as a result, she had to undergo a second surgery. These surgeries took a serious toll on Mary?s overall condition and now she is immobile and faces an increased risk of future medical complications with her digestive system.?

Full post as published by Illinois Nursing Home Abuse Blog on August 08, 2009 (boomark / email).