Alden Estates of Orland Park

Negligence in nursing care homes is a common occurrence. Staff members sometimes fail to meet all the resident's needs, which can result in severe injuries or even death.

Most nursing home residents are happy with their decision to move into a nursing home. However, there are some problems with the nursing home system that need to be addressed, including negligence by nursing home staff.

Are you the victim of nursing home abuse while residing at Alden Estates of Orland Park? The personal injury attorneys at Rosenfeld Injury Lawyers, LLC are legal advocates for injured victims and surviving family members seeking justice in the compensation they deserve.

Contact our nursing home abuse attorneys at (888) 424-5757 (toll-free phone number) or use the contact form to schedule a free consultation. All confidential or sensitive information you share with our legal team remains private through an attorney-client relationship.

Orland Park Alden Estates

This Orland Park facility is a 200-certified bed Medicare and Medicaid-approved for-profit nursing home (not a continuing care retirement community) providing care and services to Cook County residents. Alden Estates of Orland Park is located at:

16450 South 97th Avenue
Orland Park, IL 60462
(708) 403-6500
Website: https://www.aldenestatesoforlandpark.com/

Alden Estates of Orland Park provides care, services, and indulgent amenities, including:

• Breathing retraining
• Cardiac rehabilitation
• Certified post-acute nursing care
• Diabetes management
• Dialysis care
• Emotional support
• Hospice care
• Increase tolerance for exercise
• IV therapy
• Luxurious accommodations
• Medical equipment
• Medication management
• Memory care
• Nutrition counseling
• Occupational therapy
• Ostomy care
• Physical therapy
• Post-stroke management
• Psychological consultations
• Respite care
• Speech-language therapy
• Tube feeding
• Wound care
• Assistance with activities of daily living

Alden Estates of Orland Park Nursing Home Resident Safety Concerns

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) regularly updates their nursing home rating database, documenting all nationwide surveys, investigations, and inspections on all long-term care facilities.

The Medicare information reveals all long-term and short-term care ratings on violations, penalties, fines, deficiencies, lack of safety and assistance, and nursing care concerns at the nursing home. Many families use this information to identify nearby nursing homes in the local community, including Alden Orland Park, and the treatment they provide their residents.

According to the Medicare and Medicaid services program, Alden Estates of Orland Park maintains a four out of five stars overall rating compared to other facilities throughout the United States. This overall rating includes:

• Three out of five stars for health inspections
• Two out of five stars for staffing issue
• Five out of five stars for quality measures

The Cook County personal injury attorneys at Rosenfeld Injury Lawyers, LLC have reviewed numerous documents, inspections, investigations, and surveys concerning Orland Park Alden Estates and have found serious concerns, including:

Failure to Provide and Implement an Infection Protection and Control Program – Deficiency #F880

In a summary statement of deficiencies dated August 6, 2021, the state inspectors determined that Alden Estates of Orland Park Rehab Center failed to "mitigate the risk of cross-contamination during perineal/catheter care, positioning of catheter bag/tubing and storage, labeling, and dating of personal care equipment and shared rooms."

Failure to Ensure that Residents are Free from Significant Medication Errors – Deficiency #F0760

In a summary statement of deficiencies dated January 10, 2022, the state inspectors determined that Alden Estates of Orland Park Rehab Center failed to "ensure medications were available."

Investigators interviewed an Alden Orland Park nursing home resident who said she had been receiving medication therapy since November 2021 but admitted there were times she did not receive the drug as ordered and would miss doses for days.

Failure to Provide Every Resident an Environment Free of Accident Hazards and Provide Adequate Supervision to Prevent Avoidable Accidents – Deficiency #F689

In a summary statement of deficiencies dated September 20, 2019, the state inspectors determined that Alden Estates of Orland Park failed to "have fall prevention equipment for three residents reviewed for falls."

The investigators reviewed an Alden Orland Park nursing home resident's fall investigation that documented that the resident "attempted to stand up, the wheelchair moved, and the wheelchair slid out from behind the resident." The nursing staff transferred the nursing home resident to the emergency room for swelling on the right upper forehead (scalp).

The investigation to determine the predisposing factor that led to the accident hazards was an unlocked wheelchair. The Alden Orland Park nursing home form indicated that staff education would teach healthcare professionals to lock all wheelchairs when bringing residents into the dining room.

Failed to Remove an Unsecured Oxygen Tank During a Resident's Hospital Stay

In a separate summary statement of deficiencies dated October 18, 2018, the state inspectors determined that Alden Orland Park failed to "provide a safe environment for one resident by having an unsecured oxygen tank stored on the floor inside the resident's room."

State investigators observed the nursing home resident in his room sitting up in a wheelchair. The Alden Orland Park resident stated, "his roommate was sent out to the hospital last night. " there was an unsecured sitting on the floor oxygen tank beside the empty bed.

Failed to Prevent Accident Hazards Involving a Tracheostomy Tube

In a separate summary statement of deficiencies dated November 19, 2019, the state inspectors determined that Alden Estates of Orland Park failed to "implement effective interventions to prevent a resident from dislodging a tracheostomy tube."

A review of the Alden Estates Nursing Home resident's Progress Notes revealed that they had attempted to remove hand mittens applied bilaterally and successfully pulled their tracheostomy tube out seven times before breaking the cuff line of the tracheostomy.

Failure to Provide Appropriate Pressure Ulcer Care Prevent New Ulcers from Developing – Deficiency #F686

In a summary statement of deficiencies dated February 24, 2020, the state inspectors determined that Alden
Estates of Orland Park failed to "reposition and offload pressure and identify areas of pressure before becoming a Stage II or greater [bedsore] for residents identified at risk for developing pressure injuries."

Three Alden Estates Nursing Home residents were affected by the nursing staff's deficiency.

Appropriate Pressure Ulcer Care in Nursing Homes Save Lives

As the population of nursing home residents continues to grow, so does the incidence of pressure ulcers. Pressure ulcers are a common and costly complication among nursing home residents, and they can lead to significant morbidity and mortality.

While many factors contribute to the development of pressure ulcers, one of the most important is the lack of appropriate pressure sore care.

Pressure wound care is preventing, identifying, and treating pressure ulcers. It includes proper nutrition, hydration, skincare, and position changes. Nursing home facilities need to implement policies and procedures related to pressure wound care to prevent new ulcers from developing.

Contributing factors that lead to emergency room visits for life-threatening pressure sores include:

• Failing to readjust a mobility-challenge resident at least once every 90 minutes: Some disabled, elderly, and paralyzed residents require help to readjust their body weight to eliminate restricted blood flow to the skin that could lead to developing a pressure wound.
• Not providing proper nutrition and hydration: Malnutrition and dehydration can leave residents susceptible to developing bedsores.
• Allowing residents to remain in the same position for too long increases the likelihood of developing pressure ulcers, especially if the resident is not mobile.
• Not conducting regular skin checks: Staff should regularly check residents for redness, inflammation, and other bedsore signs.
• Not changing bedding often enough: Bed sheets and blankets can trap moisture against the skin, leading to skin breakdown and bedsores.
• Failing to provide cushioning: Pressure ulcers can develop when there is constant pressure on one body area. Cushioning can help distribute weight more evenly.
• Not using special mattresses or support surfaces: Some residents may need a specific mattress or surface to avoid developing pressure ulcers.
• Putting excessive pressure on bony areas: Staff should take care not to put extreme pressure on bony areas, as this can also lead to bedsores.
• Ignoring early warning signs: If staff notice any early warning signs of bedsores, they should take action immediately to prevent the wound from worsening.
• Not providing enough staff: If not enough staff members are available to properly care for all the residents, some may be neglected and at risk of developing bedsores.
• Not providing training on preventing and treating bedsores: Staff unfamiliar with them may be more likely to cause them.
• Failing to keep accurate records: Documentation of care is essential to track any changes in a resident's condition and ensure they are adequately cared for in the nursing home.
• Failing to report bedsores: If staff members notice any bedsores on a resident, they should report it immediately so that appropriate treatment can be started.
• Neglecting overall resident care: All aspects of resident care should be considered when trying to prevent pressure ulcers from developing, including nutrition, hydration, mobility, and skin checks.

A progressing pressure sore creates a real-life crisis that requires immediate appropriate care by a competent wound care specialist. Any failure to provide proper treatment and quality care could be considered nursing home negligence or medical malpractice.

Was your beloved family member diagnosed with the facility-acquired pressure sore? If so, call our law offices to discuss your legal options.

Therapeutic Diets Are Nutritious & Easily Digestible

As a registered or licensed dietitian, it is important to follow doctors' orders to ensure therapeutic diets provide the proper nutrients in an easily digestible way. Even more so, it is crucial to understand how a therapeutic diet can impact a patient's overall health and well-being.

In nursing home facilities, patients are often on restricted diets due to various illnesses or health conditions. Nurses and dietitians can help improve the patient's overall health by providing therapeutic diets explicitly tailored to each patient.

By ensuring that therapeutic diets are easily digestible, nurses and dietitians can help reduce the occurrence of pressure ulcers in nursing home patients. Pressure ulcers, also known as bedsores, can be extremely dangerous and often lead to infection and even death.

Following Appropriate Catheter Care Can Prevent Urinary Tract Infections

Urinary tract infections are the second most common type in the United States and account for an estimated $1.6 billion in annual healthcare costs. Injured victims are especially susceptible to these kinds of infections, as they often require the use of a catheter.

• Substandard perineal care: Incontinent patients require appropriate care and assistance throughout the day. The certified nursing aide should be routinely changing bed linens and assisting the patient in cleaning themselves. Often, this does not occur as it should, leading to bacteria build-up and UTIs.
• Failure to monitor vital signs: One of the most important ways to prevent UTIs is by tracking a patient's vitals, including their temperature and blood pressure. Nursing staff often fail to do this, which can lead to UTI development.
• Not providing enough fluids: Patients need to drink plenty of fluids to help flush bacteria out of their urinary tract. When nursing home staff do not give enough fluids, it can lead to a UTI.
• Allowing patients to remain in wet diapers for extended periods will enable bacteria to grow and flourish, leading to a UTI.
• Not providing proper catheter care: Catheters must be cleaned and maintained to avoid infection. When nursing home staff do not do this, it can lead to a UTI.
• Not providing bedsore prevention measures: One danger of being bedridden is developing bedsores. Nursing home staff often fail to take proper preventive measures, which can lead to a UTI.
• Poor nutrition: Malnutrition can weaken the immune system, making it more difficult for the body to fight infection. Nursing home staff often do not provide proper nutrition, leading to UTIs.
• Not properly administering antibiotics: If antibiotics are not administered correctly, they can cause a UTI rather than prevent one. Nursing home staff often do not administer antibiotics correctly, resulting in UTIs.
• Allowing patients to walk around unsupervised: When patients are allowed to walk around unsupervised, they may not correctly clean themselves and can quickly spread bacteria around their urinary tract, leading to a UTI.
• Using unclean equipment: Equipment such as catheters and speculums can quickly spread bacteria if they are not cleaned properly between each use. Nursing home staff often do not clean equipment properly, leading to UTIs.
• Overcrowding: Bacteria thrive in environments with limited space, such as hospitals and nursing home facilities. Too many patients in one area and limited resources create an ideal environment for bacteria to grow and spread.
• Not providing timely access to medical care: Some patients may experience symptoms of a UTI but never receive timely medical care due to negligence on behalf of the nursing home staff, which can result in the infection progressing until it becomes untreatable.
• Staff neglect: Sometimes, nursing home staff simply do not have the time or resources to properly attend to their patient's needs, including preventing UTIs, which could lead to an increased chance of developing a UTI.
• Poor hygiene practices: All staff must practice good hygiene habits to avoid spreading bacteria unnecessarily. Unfortunately, this is not always the case, and hygiene mistakes can quickly lead to UTIs.

How Nursing Home Abuse and Neglect Can Cause Major Injury and Long-Term Emotional Trauma

Nursing home abuse and neglect can have major consequences for residents. Unfortunately, many instances of abuse and neglect go unreported.

Physical Injuries Caused by Abuse and Neglect

Physical injuries are a typical result of nursing home abuse, where residents suffer bruises, welts, broken bones, and sometimes death. In some cases, the abuser may use excessive force or violence that can cause significant physical damage.

Nursing Home Sexual Assault

Sexual abuse in nursing home facilities can take many different forms and involve staff members pressuring or coercing residents into sexual activity, or it can involve residents assaulting other residents. In some cases, staff members may take advantage of their positions of authority to sexually exploit residents. Whatever form that abuse takes, it is always a violation of the resident's rights.

Several things can put residents at risk of sexual abuse in nursing facilities. For example, residents dependent on others for care may be more vulnerable to abuse because they cannot defend themselves.

Residents with dementia or Alzheimer's disease may also be at risk since they may not be able to remember or report the abuse. Additionally, physically or mentally challenged residents may be more likely to be abused than those who are not.

Nursing Home Emotional Abuse

Emotional abuse in nursing homes can include:

• Verbal abuse, such as shouting, swearing or ridiculing the resident
• Emotional neglect, such as not providing enough attention or ignoring the resident altogether
• Social isolation, such as preventing the resident from interacting with other residents or staff

These types of abuse can have a devastating impact on residents. They can cause physical and psychological harm, lead to a decline in health, and even result in death.

Psychosocial Abuse

Nursing home residents can often become isolated or withdrawn due to the psychosocial abuse they experience from nursing home staff and other residents. This abuse can include verbal attacks, ridicule, intimidation, and humiliation.

The abusive behavior can cause residents to feel frightened, anxious, and alone. The abuse can lead to them withdrawing from social activities, interacting with staff less, and even refusing food and drink, which can severely impact their health and well-being.

Financial Exploitation

Residents are often subjected to the theft of their money or possessions by staff, visitors, family members, and other patients. Financial abuse can be very challenging for residents, especially if they are already struggling with health issues.

Nursing home residents can become victims of financial exploitation in many ways, including:

• Coerced or tricked into signing documents or contracts that they do not understand.
• Given false information about their financial situation or the services they are receiving.
• Pressured into making unnecessary or inappropriate financial decisions
• Having their money or assets stolen by staff or other residents
• Overcharged for services or goods
• Taken advantage of by family members or other trusted individuals

The Dark Side of Nursing Homes: How Negligence Causes Devastation for Residents

When you entrust your loved one to a nursing home, you expect they will receive the best care. Unfortunately, nursing home negligence is all too common, often leading to devastating consequences for residents.

In some cases, nursing home staff members may simply be overworked and underpaid, leading them to make mistakes. In other cases, there may be systemic problems within the facility, such as inadequate staffing or proper training.

Regardless of the cause, nursing home negligence can have a serious—and even fatal—impact on residents.

The following are some examples of how nursing home negligence can cause devastation for residents:

• Providing substandard care: Failing to meet all the resident's needs and not following the complete care plan could cause dehydration, malnutrition, and bedsores, leading to a decreased quality of life for the resident and could even result in death.
• Not providing the necessary medication or treatments can also cause health problems for residents. For example, incorrect dosages of medication or skipping treatments can lead to severe medical conditions.
• Not responding to call lights for help promptly can result in severe injuries for residents, such as falls or burns.
• Not providing a safe environment for residents can also lead to injuries. This failure includes having proper safety equipment available and ensuring that staff is adequately trained.
• Failing to keep track of residents' whereabouts can also lead to dangerous situations, such as residents wandering off or being left unattended.
• Not cleaning or sanitizing correctly can lead to the spread of infection and illness among residents.
• Not providing adequate nutrition can lead to weight loss, malnutrition, and other health problems.
• Allowing hazardous materials or equipment to be accessible to residents can lead to injuries or even death.
• Not providing proper assistance with activities of daily living can leave residents feeling frustrated and helpless, leading to depression and anxiety disorders.
• Ignoring a resident's emotional needs can also have negative consequences, such as social isolation and a decrease in overall well-being.

Most Falls In a Long-Term Care Center Are Due to a Lack of Supervision

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that falls are the leading cause of injury for people over 65. And of those falls, 20% result in a severe injury, such as a hip fracture or head injury.

Contributing factors to why falls occur so frequently in nursing home settings include:

• Falls often occur due to a lack of supervision by caregivers: While it is impossible to eliminate all risks, there are steps that long-term care facilities can take to reduce the incidence of falls, including more frequent checks on residents and providing assistance with activities of daily living.
• Lack of supervision: Many nursing home residents require one-on-one supervision to ensure they don't slip and fall. When the staff fails to provide this necessary supervision, residents are at a higher risk for falls.
• Inadequate staffing: When there are not enough nurses or aides on duty, residents may not receive the help they need to get up or walk around, which can lead to falls.
• Poorly lit hallways and rooms: Dimly lit areas are a common accident risk, especially for seniors with vision problems. Falls can happen when someone trips over an object in the dark or misses a step.
• Use of restraints: Restraints can cause severe falls by preventing residents from getting up and moving around safely.
• Unsteady gait: Many seniors suffer from unsteady gait, which can make them more likely to fall.
• Failure to report falls: Nursing home staff must report any falls that occur in the home so that doctors can determine if further medical attention is necessary. When this doesn't happen, residents may not receive the essential care and could fall again.
• Inappropriate footwear: Nursing home staff should be sure that all residents wear appropriate shoes or slippers that won't cause them to slip and fall. Often, elderly people are given inappropriate footwear like socks or sandals, which can lead to accidents.
• Imbalanced diet: A poor diet can lead to dehydration, constipation, and other health problems that increase the risk of falling.
• Medication side effects: Some medications can cause dizziness or lightheadedness, leading to falls.
• Smoking and alcohol use: Both smoking and alcohol can increase the risk of falls by making people more likely to stumble or lose their balance.
• Poorly maintained walkways and floors: If nursing home staff don't regularly clean up spills and sweep the floor, residents can easily slip and fall.
• Carpeted floors: Many nursing homes still have carpeted floors, even though these surfaces are known to be dangerous for seniors who may lose their balance quickly.

Falls Prevention Program

In addition, long-term care facilities should have a fall prevention program that includes a comprehensive assessment of each resident's risk factors and individualized interventions to reduce those risks.

Some common interventions include:

• Exercise programs to improve strength and balance
• Assistance with activities of daily living
• Medication management
• Use of assistive devices, such as canes or walkers
• Modifications to the resident's environment, such as installing handrails or removing throw rugs
• Proper lighting
• Caregiver training on falls prevention

If a long-term care facility does not have a fall prevention program in place, or if they are not taking proper precautions to prevent falls, they may be held liable for any injuries that occur.

Hire Personal Injury Lawyers to Receive Financial Compensation from All Responsible Parties

Do you suspect your loved one was abused or neglected while residing at Alden Estates of Orland Park or another Illinois long-term care facility? The nursing home abuse attorneys at Rosenfeld Injury Lawyers can help.

Talk to our Chicago, IL law firm at (888) 424-5757 (toll-free phone number) or use the contact form to schedule a free consultation. All confidential or sensitive information you share with our legal team remains private through an attorney-client relationship.

Our Orland Park personal injury attorneys accept all nursing home abuse cases and wrongful death lawsuits on a contingency fee agreement. This arrangement ensures you will pay no upfront fees until your legal team obtains financial recovery through a negotiated settlement or jury award.

Resources:

• Alden Estates of Orland Park | Medicare
• Long-Term Care Facility Rules | CDC