The Illinois Department of Public Health has issued a report that found the LaSalle County Nursing home allowed a resident to sexually abuse 10 other residents.
Chicago nursing home neglect and abuse lawyers at Abels & Annes fight for the rights of residents abused in Illinois nursing homes.
The report found the home failed to prevent the male resident from abusing 10 female residents and propositioning others, including some who couldn’t speak or suffered from dementia, ABC7 News reported.
“When I would leave for a short time he would wait until I was gone for moments and put his hands on, or target the dementia women,” one activities aide testified in the report. “Sometimes he would pull back when I’d return or tell me to get out.”
It is disheartening to those who deal with nursing home abuse that in this case staff members apparently were aware of the behavior. Nursing homes have a duty to provide a secure environment free of abuse.
The ongoing debate among Illinois lawmakers over the state budget has come with increased scrutiny of proposed cuts to health and human services programing, including resources for the elderly that opponents contend could force even more of our seniors into nursing home care.
Additional reductions in state and federal aid will further stress a system in which neglect and abuse is already a distressingly common occurrence.
And the aging Baby Boomer population will further stress available resources.
Still, with the average monthly cost of a private nursing home stay hovering around $6,000 nationwide — and with more than half of the country’s nursing homes operated by for-profit companies — these facilities have an obligation to provide an environment for seniors that is free of neglect and abuse.
Illinois lawmakers have outlined the rights of nursing home residents in the Nursing Home Care Act.
In this instance, the alleged abuse began in December and lasted until June 5, when the male resident was moved to an inpatient psychiatric unit, according the report.
“Due to Administrative staff’s failures to implement policies and procedures for abuse, failure to recognize abuse, and failure to effectively manage facility resources, sexual abuse occurred for 10 residents,” the report said.
No criminal charges have been filed and administrative fines or sanctions have not been announced.
If you are faced with the tough decision of admitting a loved one into a nursing home or elder care facility, the Illinois nursing home neglect and abuse lawyers at Abels & Annes want you to know there are resources available to help you with your decision.
Click here for advice on finding an Illinois nursing home through the Illinois Department of Public Health.
And click here for reports of Illinois nursing homes with recent violations.
The Chicago nursing home neglect and abuse attorneys at Abels & Annes offer free and confidential appointments to discuss your rights. Call (866) 99-ABELS. There is no fee unless you win.