Following widespread flooding that reportedly prompted Governor Pat Quinn to declare at least 38 Illinois counties a disaster area in April, a number of Lisle nursing home residents were evacuated by emergency personnel. According to reports, more than 50 residents of the Snow Valley Nursing and Rehabilitation Center were removed from the flooded long-term care facility using boats over the course of several hours. Patients in wheelchairs and beds were purportedly evacuated by rescue crews from both Lisle and surrounding towns. Nursing Home Administrator Stephen Brumer said facility residents were taken by ambulance to other nursing homes in the region following the evacuation. Brumer added that the relatives of each patient were notified of their loved one’s location and health status after the rescue was completed.
Unfortunately, similar scenes recently unfolded in a number of other Illinois communities. As a result of heavy rains, residents at a River Forest nursing home were also forced to evacuate amid widespread area flooding. In addition, a roof allegedly collapsed at a skilled nursing facility in Carlysle. Although no injuries were reported, at least eight patients were purportedly displaced by the collapse.
All nursing homes that are certified to receive federal Medicaid and Medicare funds must have a written emergency management plan in place and provide workers with emergency preparedness training. Regrettably, a recent survey of skilled nursing facilities across the country allegedly found that most are not sufficiently equipped to handle a natural or other disaster and many failed to include all necessary tasks on an emergency checklist. Natural disasters like the flooding that recently occurred across Illinois can potentially affect both the physical and mental health of nursing home residents and workers.
Most nursing homes and other long-term care facilities operating in the State of Illinois receive federal Medicare and Medicaid funds. This means they are certified facilities. As a result, caregivers and administrators who work at Illinois certified nursing homes are required to adhere to both state and federal laws and regulations. Despite that most skilled nursing facilities in Illinois provide valuable patient care, those that fail to provide adequate services may fall through the cracks. If you believe a friend or family member was hurt or died as a result of the conditions he or she was subjected to while in the care of an Illinois skilled nursing facility, you should contact a skilled lawyer to discuss your concerns.
If your elderly or disabled loved one was the victim of nursing home abuse or neglect in Illinois, please give the hardworking attorneys at Abels & Annes, P.C. a call at (312) 924-7575. Our caring Chicago nursing home abuse and neglect lawyers are available 24 hours per day, seven days per week to help you protect the rights of your senior friends and relatives. For a free consultation with a knowledgeable advocate, contact Abels & Annes, P.C. through the law firm’s website.
More Blogs:
CMS to Publish Additional Data Regarding Nursing Home Deficiencies in Illinois and Elsewhere, Illinois Nursing Home Abuse Lawyer Blog, April 18, 2013
U.S. Senate Considering Bill That May Keep Elderly Out of Nursing Homes in Illinois, Nationwide, Illinois Nursing Home Abuse Lawyer Blog, April 15, 2013
Additional Resources:
Dramatic rescue at Lisle nursing home, by Justin Kmitch, dailyherald.com
Rising water forces River Forest nursing home evacuation, by Evelyn Holmes, abclocal.go.com
Nursing Home Roof Collapses, fox2now.com