Madison County Lawsuit Claims Neglect Led to Death of Alton Nursing Home Resident

A lawsuit recently filed in Madison County Circuit Court claims an Alton nursing home resident died as a result of the poor quality of care she allegedly received at the facility. In the case, the estate of an elderly woman claims Eldercare of Alton allowed the woman to develop a severe infection that ultimately led to her death. The senior citizen was reportedly a patient at the facility for less than one month in 2011. The woman allegedly died at Saint Anthony’s Health Center in Alton more than three weeks after she was taken by ambulance from the skilled nursing facility.

In the complaint, the woman’s family claims she suffered septic shock, bedsores, dehydration, and other injuries while in the care of the nursing home. The lawsuit also claims an excessive amount of a blood thinning medication was administered to the woman while she resided at the long-term care facility. In addition, the woman’s family accuses her physician of failing to provide the senior citizen with appropriate health care and refusing to speak with her family regarding her condition.

An investigation report issued by the Illinois Department of Public Health states the Alton nursing home failed to sufficiently assess and monitor the elderly woman’s care. The report also claims the skilled nursing facility failed to adequately prevent mistreatment of individuals in its care as required by state law. According to the report, neglect on the part of the long-term care facility resulted in a number of serious health conditions for the woman including septic shock, heart attack, low blood pressure, low blood sugar, a serious urinary tract infection, and brain dysfunction. Additionally, the report accuses the nursing home of providing the elderly woman with an incorrect dose of more than one prescription medication.

All Illinois nursing homes must be licensed by the state. In addition, skilled nursing facilities that receive federal Medicaid and Medicare insurance program payments are considered certified facilities. A certified nursing home is subject to both state and federal laws and regulations. Despite that the Illinois Nursing Home Care Act does not require long-term care facilities operating in the state to become certified, most nursing homes in Illinois are in fact certified.

Federal law requires certified nursing homes to ensure that all patients maintain the same level of health they enjoyed when they entered the facility. If a resident’s condition deteriorates, the skilled nursing facility must work to restore the resident to his or her original condition. A common sign of neglect in Illinois nursing homes is the presence of bedsores on a patient’s body. Bedsores, or pressure ulcers, are normally caused by remaining in the same position for too long. If provided with proper care, no nursing home patient should suffer from bedsores.

If your loved one was the victim of neglect or abuse while residing in a nursing home in Illinois, you should give the hardworking lawyers at Abels & Annes, P.C. a call at (312) 924-7575. Our dedicated Chicago nursing home abuse and neglect attorneys are available 24 hours per day, seven days per week to help you protect the rights of your elderly and disabled friends and family members. For a free consultation with an experienced advocate, please contact Abels & Annes, P.C. through the law firm’s website.

Note: Abels & Annes, P.C. does not represent the victim’s family in the above mentioned lawsuit.

More Blogs:

Additional Community Partnership Programs Designed to Improve Elder Care in Illinois and Nationwide Announced, Illinois Nursing Home Abuse Lawyer Blog, February 10, 2013
Report Claims It’s Tough to Determine Whether Community-Based Long-Term Care is Superior to Entering a Nursing Home in Illinois and Throughout the Nation, Illinois Nursing Home Abuse Lawyer Blog, February 7, 2013
Additional Resources:

Nursing home sued over woman’s death, by Sanford J. Schmidt, The Telegraph