Elder Law

Survey Results Reveal Repeated Nursing Home Neglect

By Levin & Perconti

The Gazette, a publication of the Consumer Voice and National Long-Term Ombudsman Resource Center, recently released a newsletter that discussed severe deficiencies in the Kentucky nursing home system.

The article noted that over 200 deficiencies have been found in the state?s nursing home system since the beginning of the year alone. The problems included a wide range of nursing home negligence from lacking certain safeguards to protect against abuse to failing to properly dispose of garbage.

What is especially disheartening is that seven of the nursing homes had seven or more deficiencies. That means that certain homes are continually flaunting the proper standards of care repeatedly, leaving residents open to sever injury, neglect, and abuse. Overall, upwards of 90% of nursing homes in the state were be failing state and federal requirements of care in one capacity or another.

Luckily, the federal Department of Health and Human Services mandates that surveys be taken across at least once every 15 months at nursing home facilities to determine the level of compliance with the law. However, the discouraging results make clear the work that still needs to be done to ensure that these facilities provide the senior residents the care that the law demands.

In Illinois, the situation may be even worse than in Kentucky. While the violations in Kentucky did not reach the level requiring nursing homes to be closed, several Illinois homes were recently slated for closure. Those Illinois nursing homes, including the Evergreen Health Center in Evergreen Park were found to have committed abuses so flagrantly and consistently that the only solution was to ensure that they stopped harming any future residents.

In fact, our Chicago nursing home attorneys at Levin & Perconti are currently fighting for the rights of a victim of Evergreen Park negligence. We have seen the fatal consequences of nursing home abuse and neglect, and understand that the only solution is consistent vigilance and oversight. If you suspect any improper care at a local nursing home, be sure to contact a nursing home lawyer immediately.

Full post as published by Illinois Nursing Home Abuse Blog on July 02, 2010 (boomark / email).