Aperion Care Chicago Heights

Nursing homes are supposed to be a place of rest and healing for those unable to care for themselves. When families choose a nursing home or a short-term rehabilitation center for their loved ones, they expect the highest possible quality of care and services.

However, it is often not the case for the residents in designated Special Focus Facilities (SFF). These nursing homes have been cited for providing inadequate care, which can lead to negative consequences for residents and their families.

In particular, residents of these nursing homes can experience a decline in their health and well-being, an increased risk of major injury, and an environment full of accident hazards. They may also be less likely to receive the necessary medical care and social support, which can be extremely difficult for residents and their families, who often travel long distances to visit loved ones.

Has your loved one been abused or neglected while residing in Aperion Care facilities? The personal injury attorneys at Rosenfeld Injury Lawyers, LLC are legal advocates for injured victims harmed in nursing homes and behavioral health care centers, including Aperion Care Chicago Heights.

Contact our nursing home abuse lawyers 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.

Aperion Care Chicago Heights SFF

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has designated Aperion Care of Chicago Heights as a Special Focus Facility (SFF), meaning it is not rated due to a history of serious quality concerns. Due to the designation, the facility is subjected to escalating penalties, frequent inspections, and potential termination from CMS.

This nursing facility is a 200-certified-bed for-profit Medicare/Medicaid-participating Center(not a continuing care retirement community) providing nursing services to Chicago Heights and Cook County, Illinois residents. Aperion Care Chicago Heights is located at:

490 West 16th Pl.
Chicago Heights, IL 60411
(708) 481-4444

Website: https://aperioncare.com/locations/chicago-heights/

Along with providing skilled nursing care, the nursing home also offers:

• Pain management
• Specialized rehabilitative services
• Speech, occupational and physical therapies
• Diabetes management
• Medication management
• Substance abuse programs
• Symptoms/behavior management

Chicago Heights Nursing Home Resident

The federal government routinely updates its nursing facility database systems to reflect every safety concern, professional standards, health violations, filed complaints, and opened investigations in the nursing home area. The most recent inspection reports can be found on numerous websites, including Medicare.gov.

However, the Centers for Medicaid and Medicare Services will not rank Aperion Care Chicago Heights based on other nursing facilities nationwide due to its failure to follow currently accepted professional principles of nursing home care.

After a comprehensive assessment, the Cook County nursing home neglect attorneys at Rosenfeld Injury Lawyers. LLC have found severe deficiencies, accident hazards, and safety concerns at this facility that include:

Failure to Protect Each Resident from All Types of Abuse Such as Physical, Mental, Sexual Abuse, Physical Punishment, and Neglect by Anybody – Deficiency #F0600

In a summary statement of deficiencies dated January 27, 2022, the State investigators determined that Aperion Care Chicago Heights "failed to prevent abuse by not following the plan of care for one resident [who had] an incident with another resident causing them to sustain a fall requiring emergency transfer to the local hospital."

The injured nursing home victim was diagnosed with a "right arm fracture and needed nine sutures to the right side of the forehead."

The State investigators determined that the facility failed to prevent one resident from showing signs of physical and verbal aggression from attacking the other patient.

Failure to Respond Appropriately to All Allege Violations – Deficiency #F0610

In a summary statement of deficiencies dated January 27, 2022, the State investigators determined that Aperion Care Chicago Heights failed to "follow their abuse policy by not noticing and investigating skin injuries of a resident and the resident moving to another room after a resident was involved in an altercation."

The failure by the nursing home to timely report suspected abuse and respond appropriately led to a delay in the facility recognizing and investigating an allegation of resident-to-resident abuse.

One resident was observed sitting in a room on the bed closest to the door not assigned to him. There was no name on the door. The resident was observed with a linear dark red mark on the nose and under the left eye. The right pant leg had been pulled over the knee, revealing abrasions on the lower leg.

The Aperion Care Chicago Heights resident stated they had been in an altercation but would not identify who had been involved in the fight. The administrator called the local police to file a police report concerning an allegation of abuse. The nursing home resident stated that he had been hit by a resident who no longer resided at the facility.

The state investigator stated that the nursing home failed to notify any other residents in the nursing home that day and didn't provide the necessary care. The Director of Nursing was unaware that the resident's doctor or health professionals had conducted a full body assessment on the injured patient.

Failure to Ensure the Nursing Home Areas Free from Accident Hazards and Provides Adequate Supervision to Prevent Accidents – Deficiency #F0689

In a summary statement of deficiencies dated January 27, 2022, the State investigators determined that Aperion Care Chicago Heights failed to "provide adequate supervision for a resident who was assessed a known to have wandering behavior."

The resident's care plan and a comprehensive assessment revealed a diagnosis of dementia with behavioral disturbances, paranoia, delusional disorders, and other conditions.

The resident's current care plan indicated that he displaced poor boundaries and requires a team of counseling professionals to help him assert healthy limits.

On one occasion, the nursing home resident wandered into another resident's room without invitation. An altercation ensued after the wandering resident entered the other resident's bathroom, resulting in the wandering resident falling to the floor and sustaining a laceration.

The nursing home sent the injured resident for emergency services to the local hospital. Upon return, the resident's paperwork documented a "diagnosis of right humerus supracondylar fracture," requiring a soft cast on the right arm.

Did Not Stop Physically Aggressive Resident from Harming Others

In a separate summary statement of deficiencies dated May 6, 2022, the State investigators determined that Aperion Care Chicago Heights "failed to protect residents who are being abused by physically aggressive residents and immediately intervene in situations before residents became physically aggressive toward their peers." The deficiency affected ten residents at the nursing home.

In one incident, a nursing home resident was "physically assaulted by another resident and sustained a partial dislocation of the C1-C2 of the neck with head abrasions." The aggressive resident punched another resident in the nose several times, causing a nosebleed and some facial swelling."

Resident Leaves the Facility Unnoticed Until Police Find Them Four Hours Later

In a separate summary statement of deficiencies dated May 6, 2022, Aperion Care Chicago Heights "failed to follow their security, supervision, and safety policy for one resident."

The State investigators determined that the failure resulted in nursing home staff not consistently and regularly doing their rounds, allowing the aggressive resident to leave the facility and go unnoticed for between 3 and 4 hours.

The nursing home was unaware that the resident was gone until the hospital called the facility to inform them that he was picked up by the police and taken to the hospital for evaluation. The facility staff realized that the resident "had left the building without permission/supervision."

The nursing home staff must keep the resident's medical records private and report suspected abuse or neglect to the proper authorities within the time required by law. It is also essential that the facility can provide medically related social services to those suffering in these situations.

These are all situations that present immediate jeopardy to resident health and safety. A facility should be able to keep residents safe and prevent accidents in the nursing home area, where they should receive appropriate treatment from a qualified health team.

When Behavioral Health Needs Require Appropriate Treatment and Supervision to Avoid Wandering

When it comes to the safety of nursing home residents, the staff must be diligent in monitoring any behavior that could lead to a severe injury. For residents with wandering behavior, it means keeping a close eye on them when they leave the premises or walk into areas uninvited. Wandering behavior can be caused by anything from dementia symptoms to side effects of specific drugs.

It's not difficult to understand why wandering can be dangerous for nursing home residents. To begin with, they can easily become lost if unfamiliar with their surroundings. They might also fall or trip on an object, leading to severe injuries. If they wander into a dangerous area, such as a street or construction site, they could be hurt or even killed.

That's why the nursing staff must monitor residents with wandering behavior. By doing so, they can prevent accidents and injuries from happening. It means a safer environment for everyone in the nursing home. Neglecting these important steps can cause a severe accident.

Failing to Provide Sufficient Staff Members Can Lead to Resident to Resident Abuse

Nursing home residents are at a higher risk for unruly and violent behavior towards one another as they age and their physical and cognitive abilities decline. Residents can become injured or worse without an appropriate number of health professionals on staff to respond to these situations.

A National Institute of Justice study found that nursing facilities with fewer staff members per resident were more likely to experience resident-to-resident altercations. The study also showed that most of these alterations resulted in resident injuries, including bruises, lacerations, and fractures. In some cases, residents even died from their injuries.

Therefore, nursing facilities must have adequate staff members to respond quickly and effectively to any situation. The nursing home should also provide medically related social services to residents who have suffered from abuse, such as physical punishment or neglect.

Why The Facility Must Provide Necessary Behavioral Healthcare to Prevent Abuse

Nursing homes are meant to provide residents with a safe and comfortable environment. However, it can be far from true when nursing home abuse or neglect occurs.

Nursing home neglect can take many forms, including abuse, which can be physical punishment, sexual, or emotional. To prevent these situations, nursing facilities must provide necessary behavioral health care to their residents.

Many nursing facilities do not provide the behavioral healthcare services their residents require to prevent abuse. It can be due to various factors, including a lack of funding or staffing shortages. As a result, abuse and physical punishment often go undetected and unchallenged.

Nursing homes must provide the highest possible quality healthcare that meets all residents' needs to protect them from abuse. This care can include therapy sessions, medication management, and social support.

By providing this care, nursing facilities can help residents maintain their mental health and well-being, which will help to keep them safe from abuse.

Why Nursing Facilities Must Implement Policies to Prevent Urinary Tract Infections

Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are a common and potentially severe complication for nursing home residents. Each year, urinary tract infections account for more than two million hospitalizations and nearly $1 billion in health care costs, that includes antibiotic drugs. Urinary tract infections can cause sepsis, a potentially life-threatening condition, and are the leading cause of death from healthcare-associated infections.