Without proper supervision and ongoing monitoring, many Illinois nursing home residents suffer serious injuries from falls that could have been prevented had the nursing staff taken appropriate measures. Unfortunately, the health and well-being of many residents are compromised due to overcrowded conditions at the facility, understaffing or a lack of sufficient training of the nursing staff. Sadly, the Ottawa elder abuse attorneys at Rosenfeld Injury Lawyers LLC have represented many residents who have suffered life-threatening changes to their medical health due to a preventable fall.
LaSalle County Nursing Home
LaSalle County Nursing Home is a 91-certified-bed government county-owned and operated nursing facility providing services to residents of Ottawa and LaSalle County, Illinois. The Medicaid/Medicare-approved Center is located at:
1380 N. 27th Road
Ottawa, IL 61350
(815) 433-0476
Ottawa Nursing Home Resident Safety Concerns
The state of Illinois and the federal government provide valuable information on every nursing home through their updated star rating summary database. The data can be found on numerous websites including Medicare.gov.
Currently, LaSalle County nursing home maintains and overall four out of five available star rating in the Medicare star rating summary system compared to all other facilities in the United States. The rating includes four out of five stars for staffing issues and health inspections and two out of five stars for quality measures. Our Ottawa Illinois nursing home neglect attorneys have found numerous safety concerns and deficiencies involving this facility that include:
- Failure to Provide Every Resident an Environment Free of Accident Hazards and Provide Adequate Supervision to Avoid Injury
In a summary statement of deficiencies dated 05/26/2016, a state surveyor made a notation during an annual licensure and certification survey concerning the facility’s failure to “ensure fall interventions were implemented to prevent further falls for [a resident] reviewed for falls.”
The investigator reviewed the June 2015 through May 2016 Monthly Fall Log that revealed a resident “fell on the following dates: 07/11/2015, 09/30/2015, and 12/20/2015.” The state surveyor noted the resident’s 07/11/2015 Fall Investigation documented the root cause of the resident’s fall that day as “due to stocking feet, slipped in urine and slipped to the floor beside [their] bed.” The surveyor also noted that “the same report also documents the following new fall prevention intervention was initiated as resident will have nonskid footwear on when in bed.”
A review of the resident’s 09/30/2015 Fall Investigation noted the root cause of the resident’s fall on that date as follows: “slipped and slid on the floor beside [their] bed. The same report documents no new fall intervention was implemented and staff education were administered to reiterate the fall intervention that ‘[the resident] will have nonskid footwear on when in bed’.”
A review of the resident’s 12/20/2015 Fall Investigation involving their fall on that date also states that the resident “slipped and slid to the floor beside [their] bed.” Like the previous Fall Investigation, there were “no new fall interventions implemented, and disciplinary action was administered to facility staff to reiterate that ‘[the resident] will have nonskid footwear on when in bed’.” The investigator interviewed the facility’s Restorative Nurse on the afternoon of 05/24/2015 who stated that the resident’s “fall interventions were not being followed and [the resident] should have been wearing nonskid stocks at the time of [their] falls on 09/30/2015 and 12/20/2015.”
- Failure to Provide Residents Proper Incontinence Care
In a summary statement of deficiencies dated 06/12/2015, the state investigator noted the facility’s failure “to provide complete incontinence care for two residents… reviewed for incontinence care.”
An observation was made of two Certified Nursing Assistants (CNA) on the morning of 06/10/2015 who were “providing incontinence care for [a resident who] had a and odor of feces and was incontinent of feces.” At that time, both the Certified Nursing Assistant’s turn the resident “from side to side to remove the feces soiled brief […and] white feces from [the resident’s] rectal area buttocks with the soiled brief.” However, it was noted that the two CNA’s “did not wash [the resident’s] rectal area buttocks […and instead covered the resident] up with a sheet and blanket, placed the foot pedal, elevated [the resident] feet and placed the call light on [the resident’s chest before they exited the room.”
The state investigator interviewed one of the certified nursing assistants that morning who stated: “I did wash [the resident’s] bottom because I would have had to go down the hall to get towels and washcloths.” An interview was conducted with the facility’s Director of Nurses on the afternoon of 06/11/2015 who stated “if they [the resident’s] were incontinent in an adult brief, the staff should wash the perineal area. It’s not clean if you just white with a clean area of the (adult incontinence brief).”
Ottawa Illinois Nursing Home Abuse Lawyers
If your loved one has fallen and suffered injuries while resident at any Illinois nursing facility including LaSalle County Nursing Home, Rosenfeld Injury Lawyers LLC can provide you legal assistance. Our Ottawa nursing home abuse attorneys to ensure your family successfully resolves your financial compensation case.
Call our LaSalle County elder abuse law firm at (888) 424-5757 today to schedule a free, no-obligation case consultation to discuss the merits of your claim. We accept all nursing home abuse/neglect cases on contingency to avoid the need of any payment of an upfront fee.
http://www.idph.state.il.us/ltc/docs/SurveyResult/6005250FI05262016.PDF
http://www.idph.state.il.us/ltc/docs/SurveyResult/6005250FIK06122015.PDF
