Peer-to-peer assaults occurring in Illinois long-term care centers often involves patients functioning with cognitive impairments or maladaptive behaviors. Unfortunately, not all facilities provide ongoing supervision or fail to properly train the nursing staff and caregivers to ensure that every resident is provided an environment free of abuse, neglect or hazards.
Rosenfeld Injury Lawyers LLC represent Illinois nursing home residents who have suffered mistreatment and abuse at the hands of caregivers or other residents while living in long-term care (LTC) facilities like Elisabeth Ludeman Developmental Center.
Elisabeth Ludeman Developmental Center
This Nursing Center is a ‘for profit’ LTC Home providing services to residents of Park Forest and Cook County, Illinois. The 510-certified-bed Long-Term Care Home is located at:
114 N. Orchard Dr.
Park Forest, IL 60466
(708) 283-3000
Park Forest LTC Home Resident Safety Concerns
To be fully informed on the level of care nursing homes provide, families routinely research the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH – ltc.dph.illinois.gov) database system for a complete list of health violations, opened investigations, safety concerns, incident inquiries, dangerous hazards, and filed complaints. This data provides valuable content to assist in making a well-informed decision of where to place a loved one who requires the highest level of medical care and hygiene assistance.
The Cook County abuse and neglect attorneys at Rosenfeld Injury Lawyers LLC have viewed numerous violations, deficiencies and safety concerns at this long-term care facility that include:
- Failure to Provide Every Resident an Environment Free of Accidents, Hazards, Abuse or Neglect In a summary statement of deficiencies dated 10/13/2016, a complaint investigation against the facility was opened for its failure to “thoroughly investigate one incident of peer-to-peer aggression involving one client… who required ten staples to close a head wound.”The deficient practice was first noted in the state investigator’s findings after reviewing the facility’s 09/30/2016 Incident/Injury Reports documented by a facility Direct Service Person (DSP). The report revealed that “at 4:55 AM, a 15-minute check was being done on [the resident’s] roommate.” During that room check, the DSP observed the aggressive resident swinging “a broken picture frame with a nail in it at [the resident’s] head and face.” The DSP “documented that the supervisor was made aware of this peer to peer aggression at 6:00 AM, one hour after [the resident] sustained an injury.”The DSP “did not document the time nursing personnel were notified of [the resident’s] injury. However, the Injury Report revealed that [the nurse] examine [the resident] at 5:25 AM (30 minutes after [the resident] sustained an injury).”
An investigation by the facility of [the resident’s] “injury was completed by [the Acting Internal Security Investigator] on 10/07/2016.” At that time, the investigator “documented the following “on 09/30/2016 at approximately 4:55 PM, [the resident] sustained an injury.” The DSP witnessed the attack and “immediately applied pressure to the affected area and assisted [the resident] from the area […and] notify the unit coverage supervisor nursing personnel.”
The facility’s Medical Officer of the Day order the resident “to be transferred to the local hospital via ambulance for further treatment [who was] treated at the hospital and received ten staples to close the wound.”
The investigator noted that the facility “did not thoroughly investigate the peer to peer aggression between [both resident’s].” In addition, the investigation failed to “address when [the abusive roommate] was last observed to be sleeping even though 15-minute checks were being made at the time.
As a part of the investigation, a review of the aggressive resident’s Psychological and Behavioral Assessment was conducted. The documents revealed that “the assessment notes that [the aggressive resident] was admitted to the facility on 11/02/2015 from the hospital […and] had been hospitalized due to physically aggressive behaviors toward others.” The document revealed that the aggressive resident “had hit a peer with a fire extinguisher and a TV. The peer was reported to have been critically injured.”
The document also revealed that the aggressive resident “has a target of maladaptive behaviors [involving] Property Destruction and Physical Aggression. Property Destruction includes taking down or breaking pictures on walls and decorative objects in the home or designated area he is in. Physical aggression includes utilizing objects such as a chair, picture, glass, plate, etc., in order to harm others.” It was noted that “the facility’s investigation does not identify where [the aggressive resident] obtained the picture frame that he hit [the victim] with causing a four-inch laceration.
Park Forest Illinois Nursing Home Abuse Lawyers
If your loved one has suffered injury or harm while residing as a patient at Elisabeth Ludeman Developmental Center, contact the Rosenfeld Injury Lawyers LLC law firm now. Our seasoned Park Forest attorneys provide legal representation to LTC home residents who have been mistreated or abused. Our legal team has years of experience in successfully resolving claims for compensation against caregivers and residents who harm care home patients.
We encourage you to contact our Cook County abuse law office today by calling (888) 424-5757 to schedule your appointment for a comprehensive case review at no charge. You are not required to make any upfront payment or retainer to receive immediate legal services. Our fees are paid only after we have successfully resolved your case by negotiating an out of court settlement on your behalf or win your case at trial.
Sources:
http://www.idph.state.il.us/ltc/docs/SurveyResult/6002802FA10132016.PDF
http://www.idph.state.il.us/ltc/docs/SurveyResult/6002802FID08302016.PDF
http://www.idph.state.il.us/ltc/docs/SurveyResult/6002802FAK08222016.PDF
