Nursing homes and their employees are entrusted with the care of the home’s residents, meaning they are required to provide safe and adequate housing and medical care to their wards. Federal laws as well as laws in Illinois set forth guidelines that must be met to ensure that our most vulnerable members of society receive the attention they deserve.
Many believe that placing a loved one in a nursing home is enough to guarantee that he or she will be properly cared for and looked after, something that may not have been possible had the loved one remained at home. Yet every year, inspections of Illinois nursing homes continue to show that many provide inadequate or lacking care, placing residents at risk of injuries.
Some of the most disturbing abuse that nursing home lawyers learn about is the sexual abuse of the residents, many of whom are incapacitated and completely at the hands of their abusers. Often, multiple residents of a home fall under the abuse of the same offender, leading many to question why something was not done sooner to prevent these attacks from occurring.
That has been asked by some Colorado residents lately after learning that a 41-year-old male nursing assistant has been accused of sexually abusing three residents, all of whom have been described as “physically helpless” and “at-risk adults.”
The first report of abuse was made in July of this year and sparked an internal investigation that deemed the complaint “unfounded.” After the finding, the 41-year-old male was allowed to continue working at the home as a certified nursing assistant where he continued to provide care for dozens of patients.
After the initial finding and during the time the man had returned to work, a second victim emerged and also claimed that the employee had sexually abused the resident. A third victim has also claimed abuse which has led to the arrest and charging of the 41-year-old employee with three counts of sexual abuse.
If the alleged charges and claims are proved to be true, the residents of that nursing home were placed at risk by the hiring of the defendant but were further placed at risk when the nursing home failed to remove the man following the first allegations of abuse. This allowed the defendant to remain in a position of authority and power over these described helpless victims, who are 59, 73, and 93 years old, and possibility to continue sexually abusing those under his care.
It can be difficult to determine if abuse or neglect has occurred in a nursing home, especially if your family member is unable to communicate or experiences memory loss. For this reason, the Illinois nursing home abuse lawyers at Abels & Annes, P.C. offer a free telephone consultation to those who suspect that abuse or neglect may have harmed their loved one. Call us today at (312) 924-7575 or toll free at (855) 529-2442 and let us help you understand whether your family member has a claim and whether there may be a financial recovery possible for your damages.
Prior Blog Entries:
Nursing Home Patient Dies After Catching Fire, Illinois Nursing Home Abuse Lawyer Blog, published October 4, 2013.
Nursing Home Employee Pleads Guilty to Negligence Charge in Scalding Case, Illinois Nursing Home Abuse Lawyer Blog, published October 1, 2013.
Resources:
Hearing waived for man accused of sex assault on patients at Broomfield nursing home, Broomfield Enterprise, published October 17, 2013.