The lawsuit was brought against the individuals by creditors, not victims of nursing home neglect. However, the precedent is important news for families whose loved ones have been victims of nursing home neglect.

In many nursing home lawsuits, a judgement for the victim or the victim’s family is only the beginning. Collecting on that judgement can be just as difficult.

The layers of secrecy that surround many nursing home ownership companies would do justice to any John Le Carre or other spy movie plot.

The nursing home license may be owned by one company, while the building is leased from another company, and the employees hired and paid by a third. All three of the companies may be subsidiaries of yet another.

Liability is another issue. Attempts to require nursing homes to carry liability insurance have been repeatedly blunted by the powerful insurance company lobby.  Some nursing homes carry no liability insurance whatsoever.

When a nursing home without liability insurance loses a nursing home neglect lawsuit, the nursing home will sometimes simply cease to exist. The administrators and other executives simply wash their hands of the home, keeping all of their profits.

Holding individuals accountable for nursing home abuse and nursing home neglect that takes place under their watch is the best way to ensure quality nursing home care.

If you have a loved one in a nursing home in Chicago or anywhere else, you should verify that the nursing home carries liability insurance. Understandably, this can be difficult to do.

If you have a loved one who has been the victim of nursing home neglect in an Illinois nursing home, contact our Chicago nursing home lawyers for a free and confidential evaluation of your case.

Wish to file an Illinois nursing home complaint?

File an Illinois nursing home complaint here

The people haven’t been limited to adults. In Florida, a Justice Department investigation revealed that hundreds of young children have been unnecessarily placed in nursing homes.

The Department  of Education has proposed a series of Rehabilitation Research and Training Centers. The goal of the program and training centers is simple: to enable people with disabilities to move out of nursing home care and into a community setting.

Put bluntly in the proposal:

It is estimated that there are 51.5 million adults with disabilities in the United States (Brault, 2012). This number is expected to increase by at least 20 percent in the next 25 to 30 years, primarily as a result of the aging of the baby boom generation and the associated increased risk of disability (IOM, 2007).

From a pragmatic standpoint, a logjam is quickly approaching. Nursing homes currently packed with people with disabilities will not be able to manage the increase of residents who will need services.

When nursing homes compete for residents, the residents benefit. When residents who need services have to struggle to find an available nursing home room, residents suffer and nursing home neglect is often the result.

Bed sores, nursing home falls, and medication errors are three of the most common types of nursing home neglect.

If you have a loved one who has been the victim of nursing home neglect in an Illinois nursing home, contact the Law Offices of Barry G. Doyle. At my law firm, our Chicago nursing home lawyers have the experience and expertise to manage all aspects of your nursing home neglect lawsuit.

Wish to file an Illinois nursing home complaint?

File an Illinois nursing home complaint here

The victim was admitted to the Belmont Lodge Healthcare Center to rehabilitate after she suffered two broken ankles in a nursing home fall.

She was admitted to the nursing home with a catheter and no urinary tract infection. In just four days under the care of the nursing home, she was transferred back to the hospital where she died of complications from a serious infection. It was also noted that her medication had been increased beyond the amount prescribed by her physician.

The lawyer for the family told reporters from the local newspaper that the woman’s medical records for her time at the facility had been altered after her death.

This deadly combination of poor care and medication errors is more common than anyone would believe. Communication levels in poorly run nursing homes can result in days of little or no care for some residents.

Sadly, many nursing home neglect lawsuits involve the wrongful death of the victim. The lives of nursing home residents are very fragile, and the injuries that result from nursing home neglect are severe.

If you have a loved one who has become severely injured in an Illinois nursing home, contact the Law Offices of Barry G. Doyle. You can speak to me or one of my colleagues for no fee and no obligation.

My law firm operates on a contingency basis. That means that we never charge a fee unless we win a recovery for you. Even if we can’t take your case, we can give you the peace of mind that comes from knowing that you did everything in your power to discover the truth.

Wish to file an Illinois nursing home complaint?

File an Illinois nursing home complaint here

As a nursing home lawyer, I’m always on the lookout for news about nursing homes. I like to know how some succeed and some fail. How some people can live for years in relative good health, while others can succumb to nursing home neglect in just a few days.

Most newspaper articles on nursing homes follow a fairly standard outline. They begin with a personal story that reflects very poorly on nursing home care. Then, they transition to a nursing home official or lobbyist who defends the nursing home practices. Finally, the article reflects again on the high cost of nursing home care without really exploring any alternatives.

This particular article begins by recounting the  sad end of a local man who lived two years in a nursing home after being diagnosed with dementia. The cost was close to $50,000 a year. The man’s daughter-in-law complained of the lack of staffing and non-responsiveness of the nursing home physician. “Here we were draining his bank account so he could sit around at a [nursing] home in poopy diapers,” she told the newspaper.

In response, nursing home industry officials point out that the cost of sharing a nursing home room is comparable to the cost of an exceptionally nice hotel:

“Look at what you’re getting,” said John Alfano, the president and CEO of LeadingAge Ohio, an industry group that represents nonprofit long-term care centers. “Most nursing-home residents need help with four or more activities of daily living: feeding, bathing, toileting and transferring. That’s a lot of help.”

That may be true, but it’s a comparison of apples and oranges. First, a person doesn’t have to share a hotel room, but more importantly is the fact that a person chooses to stay in a hotel. A nursing home is an absolute necessity for almost all nursing home residents. Imagine if we had to buy the air we breathe, and I said “Well, the cost of a day of air is really no more than a really nice hotel room.”

The fact of the matter is that the vast majority of long term nursing home residents are paid through Medicaid. In order to qualify for Medicaid, a person must, essentially, spend every penny and sell every asset they own paying the highest rate that the nursing home asks. When they run out of money, Medicaid will begin to pay a much lower rate for the same care.

For-profit nursing homes always claim to be scraping by, but the fact is that they make a great deal of profit. Many nursing homes do this by cutting staff and other corners. This creates an environment where nursing home neglect and nursing home abuse occurs. The only way to improve care is to make nursing homes responsible for the nursing home neglect that happens in their homes.

If you have a loved one in an Illinois nursing home, and you feel they have been the victim of nursing home neglect, contact the Law Offices of Barry G. Doyle. You can speak to me or one of my fellow Chicago nursing home lawyers for no cost and no obligation. At my law offices we never charge a fee unless we win a recovery for you.

Wish to file an Illinois nursing home complaint?

File an Illinois nursing home complaint here

In many cases, the efforts worked as confused drivers exercised extreme caution during the initial rollout. After becoming more familiar with the conventions of the new architecture however, some drivers begin slaloming through the intersections like Olympic skiers.

I couldn’t help but think of the roundabouts while reading about the new flooring technology. According to the study published in the American Journal of the American Medical Directors Association, the new flooring can create a significant reduction in the number of fractures that occur when a nursing home resident falls on them.

The flooring is called “Dual-stiffness flooring” (DSF). DSF is essentially a floor with a core of stiff foam. The floor is designed to feel and act as a normal floor except when a resident falls. Then the soft interior will cushion the fall and prevent injuries.

During the length of the study, 85 residents fell on regular flooring. 82 fell on the DSF. There were two fractures on the regular flooring, but there were no fractures reported on the DSF. Two fractures out of 85 falls is a normal result according to the study’s authors. That’s 2.4%.

So the DSF resulted in a reduction of fractures by 2.4%.

Obviously, a 2.4% reduction in fractures is a huge reduction. Thousands of elderly people are injured in falls every year. 82 falls is simply too few to determine whether or not this is an accurate number.

I have a different concern. If the nursing home staff are aware that they are now walking on special “super flooring” are they going to be as safe and as cautious with the residents in their care as they would be otherwise? Or will we see an effect similar to the roundabout traffic circles?

Perhaps these floors should only be installed under the cover of darkness.

If you have a loved one who has been injured in a nursing home fall in an Illinois nursing home,contact our Chicago nursing home lawyers for a free and confidential evaluation of your case.

Wish to file an Illinois nursing home complaint?

File an Illinois nursing home complaint here

As a Chicago nursing home lawyer, I’ve been in more nursing homes then I can remember while meeting with family members, nursing home residents, administrators, nurses, and nurse aides.

There are many differences between them. Some nursing homes cost thousands each month. Some cost less. Some house hundreds of seniors, and others are lived in by only a few dozen. Some are quite beautiful inside, and some bear more resemblance to a hospital.

In my years working for clients in nursing homes, I’ve learned this: Every nursing home resident would rather be in their own home.

Enter the Certified Aging-In-Place Specialist (CAPS).

The CAPS is a new designation by the National Association of Home Builders. General contractors earn CAPS certifications by taking courses designed to promote awareness of the issues the the elderly face in their own homes. They are taught techniques and strategies that can be used to mitigate these issues.

Some of the ideas are relatively inexpensive. For example, non-slip tape on uncarpeted steps, removing throw rugs, and installing LED lighting in bedrooms and bathrooms are all low cost ideas that can make a huge difference.

Other ideas can be more costly. Increasing the width of hallways and doorways, installing wheelchair accessible sinks, toilets and tub seats, and elevated dishwashers are some examples.

A new online directory of CAPS certified contractors is available online. A listing of Chicago area CAPS specialists can be found here.

Unfortunately, there will always be a need for nursing homes. For some, mental illness and physical maladies will make nursing home residency a necessity. In a nursing home, residents are entitled to compassionate round-the-clock care that is specific to their needs.

If you have  a loved one in an Illinois nursing home, and you feel they have been the victims of nursing home neglect, contact my law offices for a free and confidential evaluation of your case.

Wish to file an Illinois nursing home complaint?

File an Illinois nursing home complaint here

Mechanical lifts are extremely dangerous devices when untrained or inadequate staff attempt to use them. Nursing facilities are also home to hundreds of prescription drugs.

If you look carefully, though, I think the evidence shows that the most dangerous items are the bacteria carried on a pair of dirty hands.

Nursing home residents, many without the ability to access soap and water can be forgiven for failing to maintain proper hygiene. Nursing homes staff who have been trained in the proper procedure for maintaining a clean living and working nursing home must be held accountable.

An investigation conducted by the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) as part of the Medicaid program showed drastic failure to maintain proper hygiene habits at the Rolling Hills Manor nursing home in Zion, Illinois.

At one point during investigation, a wound care nurse and a certified nurse aide both failed to wash her hands before beginning to change the dressing on a resident’s bed sores. The Rolling Hills Manor staff also changed the resident’s dirty diaper. Again, they failed to wash their hands at any time. A bed sore is an open wound that forms on nursing home residents who have been the victims of nursing home neglect. These wounds are prone to infection and often prove fatal.

According to the Center for Disease Control, between one and three million serious infections occur in long term care facilities every year. The most common infections are scabies, the flu, clostridium difficile, and Staph infections. The exact number of deaths caused by these infections is unknown, but may be as high as 380,000 annually. Infections are the number one reason that nursing home residents are transferred into hospital care.

If you have a loved one who has developed a serious infection, and you think that nursing home neglect played a role, you can speak to me or one of my colleagues for no fee and no obligation. At the Law Offices of Barry G. Doyle, we never charge a fee unless we win a recovery for you.

Wish to file an Illinois nursing home complaint?

File an Illinois nursing home complaint here

The resident admitted to the facility was totally dependent upon the staff for all daily living activities. All food intake was through a gastrostomy feeding tube. Some residents of nursing homes are able to feed and clothe themselves. Many residents are able to communicate their needs in some way.

It can be exceptionally dangerous for a nursing home resident when they completely lose their independence. Not all staff members may be informed about the change when it happens, and nursing home neglect can be a result. Nursing home neglect in these circumstances is not acceptable, but it can be understandable.

This was clearly not one of those occasions. This resident never been able to do any of those things while a resident of the facility. That being the case, the amount of nursing home neglect necessary to allow the resident to lose over 12% of her body weight is staggering.

Dehydration and malnutrition are such serious elements of nursing home neglect for two reasons. The first is obviously because they cause immediate physical jeopardy. In addition to that, dehydration and malnutrition weaken the residents.

Nursing home residents who are suffering from dehydration and malnutrition are weakened by the condition, making them extremely vulnerable to the most dangerous nursing home injuries: bed sores, infections, and nursing home falls.

Eventually, the resident at Midwest Rehab and Respiratory nursing home was admitted to the emergency room for extreme dehydration.

If you have a loved one who has been injured in an Illinois nursing home, and you think they are the victims of dehydration and malnutrition, contact our Chicago nursing home lawyers for a free and confidential evaluation of your case.

Wish to file an Illinois nursing home complaint?

File an Illinois nursing home complaint here

This is not the first “granny cam” law to pass in the United States. Other states have passed versions of laws with similar goals. What makes the passage of this particular law different is the fact that it passed unanimously in a state that traditionally supports business interests.

When the state of Maryland attempted to pass similar legislation, the nursing home industry strenuously fought the passage of the bill. Dr. Charles Roadman of the American Health Care Association told ABC news that

“Placing a camera in a room is often the action of someone looking to sue,.. Moving a patient to a safe location or taking other immediate steps is the reaction of someone who cares. Cameras can also have the effect of unduly disrupting a positive, trusting relationship between a patient and caregivers and can interfere with their therapeutic relationship as well.”

I would strongly disagree. I have never heard of a single instance where a family placed a camera (hidden or otherwise) in a nursing home room without first trying many different tactics to have their concerns properly heard and satisfied.

Everyone with a family in a nursing home wants to believe that their parent, spouse, or child is getting quality care from people who care. Placing a camera in a nursing home room is universally an act of desperation from a family with no other options.

Video surveillance is often the only way that nursing home residents with dementia or other debilitating injuries can ever find justice. Before you place a camera in a nursing home room, contact a legal representative to be sure that you know your rights.

At my law offices, our Chicago nursing home lawyers have the experience and expertise to navigate all aspects of your nursing home abuse or nursing home neglect lawsuit. You can speak to me or one of my colleagues for no fee and no obligation.

Wish to file an Illinois nursing home complaint?

File an Illinois nursing home complaint here

Researchers found that people with Alzheimer’s Disease who engage in regular, strenuous exercise can avoid nursing home care significantly longer than their counterparts.

Many people may be surprised to know that Alzheimer’s disease attacks the physical body as well as the mental. The symptoms develop in much the same way. Loss of coordination, stiffness in joints and muscle weakness and spasticity are all early symptoms. As the disease develops, even swallowing can become impossible.

In many cases, these early symptoms can lead, both directly and indirectly, towards an indefinite nursing home stay.

The study examined 2000 people in the early stages of Alzheimer’s disease. The patients were divided into three groups. The first group was given one-on-one physical therapy in their home. The second group was taken to a facility twice a week for exercise sessions, and the third group was given the standard treatment.

A year later, physical declines were recorded in all three categories, but the people who were given athletic training and therapy had a significantly better outcome.

This is why it’s so important that nursing home care be catered to the abilities of the residents, especially when the resident is an Alzheimer’s patient. It’s easy for nursing home staff members to begin to overlook residents who are no longer able to walk or perform any other personal tasks.

This behavior leads to several of the most common kinds of nursing home neglect including nursing home falls, bed sores, and dehydration and malnutrition.

If you have a loved one with Alzheimer’s disease in an Illinois nursing home, and you feel they are the victims of nursing home neglect, contact our Chicago nursing home lawyers for a free and confidential evaluation of your case.

Wish to file an Illinois nursing home complaint?

File an Illinois nursing home complaint here