Elder Law

Nursing Home Faces Abuse Allegations

By Levin & Perconti

A nursing home investigation is being launched against a home that is alleged to have committed elder neglect. The investigation began after a daughter found her 86-year-old father slumped in his wheelchair. The elderly man was then taken to the hospital where officials reported that he was wearing three soiled diapers and they believed he had not been washed for days. Additionally, DCFS has received seven allegations of elder abuse or neglect since the month of December at this nursing home. These investigations can take up to 60 days to determine if there was elderly neglect. Another family member found her father bruised with feces running down his legs. There were reports about bad rashes from some of the patients. It is imperative that nursing homes constantly monitor patients to ensure that they are clean and safe. Abuse allegations such as these oftentimes occur when nursing homes are understaffed. Keeping patients clean and happy should be a top priority of all nursing home agendas.

The nursing home in question has only been granted one star by the Center for Medicare comparison ratings. This specific nursing home had 21 deficiencies. This is compared to the state average of nine. The nursing home compare website is a useful tool that will aide those in choosing a nursing home avoid those homes that may commit elderly neglect. The website gives home a star rating, with five being the best and one being the lowest. This was an important step that the government took to decreasing nursing home abuse.

To read more about this specific allegation of nursing home abuse, please click the link.

Full post as published by Illinois Nursing Home Abuse Blog on February 17, 2010 (boomark / email).