Nursing Home Negligence Allegations: Nine Nurses Charged in 175-Count Indictment
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
Contact our Chicago nursing home abuse law firm to request your free case evaluation.
