Family members and residents should have a firm understanding that it is the legal responsibility of the nursing facility to provide the highest level of necessary care. Any shortage of staff, funding or training is not an excuse. Because of that, it is essential that families take appropriate measures and seek legal counsel anytime there is a failure or deficient practice when providing cares and services to their loved one. Rosenfeld Injury Lawyers LLC provide legal representation to Illinois nursing home residents who have suffered neglect, abuse, and mistreatment at long-term care Homes like Thornton Heights Terrace.
Thornton Heights Terrace
This Nursing Center is a 222-certified-bed ‘for profit’ Home providing care to residents of Chicago Heights and Cook County, Illinois. The Medicaid-participating Nursing Facility is located at:
160 West 10th Street
Chicago Heights Il 60411
708-754-2220
The facility provides recovery-oriented residential programs for individuals suffering from severe mental illness. The Home helps patients build skills necessary to maximize their independence and achieve individualized goals.
Chicago Heights Long Term Care Home Resident Safety Concerns
Comprehensive research results can be viewed through the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH – [ltc.dph.illinois.gov]) nursing home database that details every safety concerns, health violations, opened investigations and filed complaints. Many families use this information to determine the level of medical, health and hygiene care that community nursing homes provide their residents.
In the state of Illinois, Medicaid-eligible residents have the same rights of obtaining the identical level of service provided to all other residents in the nursing home. In many incidences, the nursing facility will be quick to claim that they lose money with Medicaid-eligible residents and therefore must offer a lower standard of care that might be more profitable to the nursing home. However, if the Administrator, owner or operators of the facility believe Medicaid rates do not adequately compensate the cost of providing a high level of care, then the home should cancel or drop their Medicaid certification.
Some nursing facilities in the community fail to follow standard operating procedures in providing the resident’s care and violate the national Nursing Home Reform Law. These rules and regulations apply to every nursing facility certified that accept Medicaid and Medicare programs, even if the patient does not participate in either program.
The national law was designed to provide a level of care to every patient to ensure they achieve their highest practical levels of functioning. While some residents have the capacity to gain function and strength, others are simply attempting to maintain their current medical condition. In nearly every situation, the nursing home is required to provide every necessary care and service. Unfortunately, they often fail at many levels.
To ensure the nursing home remains in compliance, the Illinois Department of Public Health monitors the facility and certifies that the nursing home can participate in Medicaid and Medicare programs before issuing a state license. In addition, the agency investigates every consumer complaint and issues warnings and imposes various penalties to force the facility to comply after violating a rule, regulation or protocol.
Most nursing facilities are still allowed to operate even after violating a series of regulations. Often, many violations will go unreported because the resident is afraid of retaliation from caregivers or lack the ability to speak up or defend themselves when neglected, mistreated or abused.
Obtaining an Effective Care Plan
The resident and responsible family members need to attend every Care Plan meeting to discuss how an individual’s Care Plan will be designed to improve the resident’s health. Many facilities treat the development of an effective Plan of Care as a pointless formality and simply revise the plan by changing the dates or performing minimal assessments. However, it is imperative that family member and resident not be intimidated or shy during the meeting or believe that a one-size-fits-all Care Plan will meet the individualized needs of their loved one.
Developing an effective Care Plan is only one part of the goal. It is imperative that family members and residents feel assured that the nursing staff is providing the highest quality of care 24 hours a day and that the staff members are following the orders and directives of the resident’s physician, therapist and pharmacist.
A major vital part of an effective care plan is providing the resident freedom of choice and the ability to feel unbounded by the standard operating procedures inside the facility. Highly successful nursing facilities realize the benefits of honoring any change requested by the resident or family that maximizes the resident’s care. Providing more control to the resident is an effective tool changing the culture of nursing facilities that promote themselves as “resident-centered” homes.
Chicago Heights Illinois Nursing Home Abuse Lawyers
If you believe your loved one has suffered serious injuries or died prematurely while a patient at Thornton Heights Terrace, contact the law offices of Rosenfeld Injury Lawyers LLC today. Our Chicago Heights nursing home attorneys have represented clients in victim cases that involve abuse, neglect and mistreatment. Our law firm working on your behalf can ensure your family receives adequate financial recompense for the injuries, losses and damages your loved one has endured due to the inappropriate actions of caregivers or other residents.
We encourage you and your family to contact our Cook County elder abuse law office today by calling (888) 424-5757 to schedule your appointment for a comprehensive case review at no charge. Our law firm does not require any upfront payment because we accept all nursing home neglect and abuse cases through contingency fee agreements.
Sources:
https://ltc.dph.illinois.gov/webapp/LTCApp/listing.jsp?facilityid=6009385
