Chicago Nursing Home Abuse Lawyer Blog

According to a study published in The Journal of the American Medical Association this week, sepsis can cause some elderly persons to develop long-term physical and cognitive issues. The findings are from an analysis of data from 1,194 elderly hospital patients suffering from sepsis and 4,517 elderly hospital patients who did not have the infection. Data from up to eight years after hospitalization was included.

Common Causes of Sepsis:
• Forced bed rest
• Insufficient regular activity
• Failure to reposition patient in bed
• Use of physical restraints
• Unsanitary conditions
• Slip and fall wounds
• Lack of mobility
• Wounds from Chicago nursing home abuse or neglect

Researchers determined that patients with sepsis had a threefold greater chance of developing cognitive issues. They were also more likely to develop at least one new physical limitation after they were hospitalized.

Sepsis is an infection that can take over the body. Antibiotics and life support must be provided as soon as possible or the patient can develop organ failure or even die. While it isn’t uncommon for elderly persons to suffer long-term effects from a hospital stay, developing sepsis can make a patient’s condition grow worse.

Also, the study’s authors say that sepsis in seniors, age 65 and older, and can cause about 20,000 new dementia cases each year.

Unfortunately, with their weakened immune systems, many elderly and sick nursing home patients are susceptible to developing sepsis unless they receive the proper nursing and medical care. Failure to provide that care can be grounds for a Chicago nursing home negligence lawsuit.

Sepsis in elderly individuals can have lasting impact, Chicago Tribune, October 26, 2010

Severe Sepsis Associated With Development of Cognitive, Functional Disability in Older Patients, DocGuide.com, October 26, 2010

Related Web Resources:
The Journal of the American Medical Association

Sepsis, National Institute of Health

Nursing Homes in Illinois

Continue reading " Preventing Chicago Nursing Home Negligence: Sepsis Can Cause Long-Term Cognitive or Physical Problems for the Elderly, Says Study " »

Seeking to protect an incapacitated nursing home resident’s identity, a judge has ruled against allowing defense attorneys to release portions of surveillance tapes that show the patient being subjected to nursing home neglect at the Northwoods Rehabilitation and Extended Care Facility. The nursing home negligence allegations were made against nine aides and nurses that were named in a 175-count indictment last month. They are accused of endangering the welfare of an incompetent or physically disabled person, falsifying business records, and willful violations of health laws. Five other nurses that were also accused of nursing home neglect have reached plea agreements and settled the criminal cases against them.

In March and April last year, investigators set up a hidden camera in the resident’s room. During a six week period, what was captured on tape led to the arrests of the 14 nurses and aides on numerous misdemeanor and felony counts over the failure to properly care for the patient. The nursing staff are accused of failing to treat the resident’s bedsores, failure to administer medications, failing to change the patient’s undergarments for long periods, and not checking whether the resident was suffering from incontinence. The patient is no longer residing at the nursing home.

It was just last year that Northwoods Rehabilitation and Extended Care Facility was under investigation following an alleged incident of sexual abuse involving an elderly patient as the victim. Robert Gunderson, a certified nurse aid who worked at the facility (as well as others in the area), was accused of touching the vaginal and breast areas of a 78-year-old physically helpless patient.

Chicago Nursing Home Negligence
Failing to properly care for an assisted living resident can be grounds for Chicago nursing home neglect. Providing the patient with inadequate nursing care, the wrong type of medical care, and/or failing to take care of the residents’ medical and other needs can cause serious injuries, illness, and/or death.

Judge: Don't release Northwoods tapes, Times Union, October 15, 2010

14 Nurses, Aides Charged In Nursing Home Abuse, North Country Gazette, September 23, 2010

Related Web Resources:
National Center on Elder Abuse

Elder Abuse and Neglect, HelpGuide.org

Continue reading " Nursing Home Negligence Allegations: Nine Nurses Charged in 175-Count Indictment " »

The Chicago Tribune recently published a story reporting that there have been at least 13 nursing home deaths in the last 10 years at Alden Village North, an assisted living facility for babies, children, and young adults. Chicago nursing home neglect is a suspected factor in all of the fatalities.

Among The At Least 13 Deaths:
Brian Marrero, age 2: The toddler died on June 9, 2000 from asphyxiation and because his tracheotomy tube had become dislodged. According to records, Marrero should have been monitored every 2 hours but had not been checked for 3 ½ hours—even though he had a history of pulling out the tube.

Demetri Franklin, 10-months: He died from pulmonary hemorrhage on November 15, 2004. Franklin, who suffered from left vocal cord paralysis and bronchopulmonary disease, was rushed to the hospital after he stopped breathing. His mother, Ashley Seawood has said that the nursing home has never explained to her how her son died.

Kyle Pryor, 24: He died on July 19, 2004 after going into respiratory and cardiac arrested. Pryor suffered from asthma and mental disabilities. His mother, La Vern Pryor, says that she had become concerned about the care he was getting at the Chicago nursing home. She says that when she would visit her son, he would be wet, dirty, and have food crumbs in his wheelchair. Pryor’s death is one of several fatalities that, per the state of Illinois, the assisted living facility has allegedly failed to fully investigate.

The state has already fined Alden over $100,000. Failure to monitor, nursing neglect, and medical neglect are some of the allegations against the assisted living facility.

It is Chicago nursing home neglect to not provide a patient with the nursing care that he/she needs and to fail to act to prevent injury, illness, or death.

Examples of Chicago nursing home neglect:
• Inadequate monitoring
• Failure to supervise
• Failure to bathe patients
• Failure to notify doctors of changes in a patient’s health
• Failure to make sure patient isn’t dehydrated
• Failure to follow patient’s feeding plan
• Failure to give patient his/her scheduled medication
• Improper restraint
• Medical neglect

10 years, 13 deaths, The Chicago Tribune

Trib Details Horrific Conditions at Alden Village North, Chicagoist, October 10, 2010

Related Web Resources:
Alden Village North

Illinois Department of Public Health

Continue reading " Chicago Nursing Home Negligence?: Tribune Reports at Least 13 Deaths in 10 Years at Alden Village North " »

U.S. District Judge William Hart, a Chicago federal judge, has approved an agreement that will allow thousands of mentally ill persons residing in Illinois nursing homes to transfer to community settings. He signed the 24-page order last week.

Now, steps can be taken so that officials will be able to offer approximately 4,300 mentally nursing home residents the chance to move out of assisted living facilities called institutions for mental diseases (IMDs) and into less expensive housing that will be better able to serve their needs.

The judge’s ruling is the final approval to a consent decree reached between a class of mentally ill nursing home patients and state authorities. The patients had filed a lawsuit claiming that federal law was being violated because they were not being placed in housing appropriate for their disabilities.

The chances could also prove beneficial to residents that are not mentally ill. Many mentally ill residents tend to be younger and physically stronger than the older, frailer residents that they reside with. There have been a disturbing number of incidents reported involving younger residents assaulting, molesting, or murdering other patients. Also, there are a significant number of mentally ill residents with felony records living in Illinois nursing homes.

Per the settlement, each IMD resident will be offered an evaluation to determine whether transferring to a less restrictive living environment would be to their benefit. Residents have the option of staying put at their current nursing home. For mentally ill patients that decide to avail of supportive housing, which will include group homes and subsidized apartments, substance-abuse programs, therapy, job and life-skills training, and case management will be offered to them.

If you think that your loved one may be a victim of Chicago nursing home violence, nursing home neglect, or nursing home abuse, contact our Chicago nursing home neglect law firm today.

Pact to decrease number of mentally ill in nursing homes, Chicago Tribune, September 30, 2010

Judge Approves Historic Agreement to Better Serve Individuals With Mental Illness in Illinois, ACLU Illinois/PR Newswire, September 30, 2010

Related Web Resources:
Williams v. Quinn Fact Sheet (PDF)

National Alliance on Mental Illness