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Every unwitnessed incident involving injury occurring in an Illinois long-term care facility must be immediately investigated and promptly reported to appropriate state agencies. These quick actions help protect the health and well-being of the victim from further abuse. Unfortunately, not all nursing homes follow these procedures and protocols, which is often detrimental to the resident. Rosenfeld Injury Lawyers LLC represent victims of neglect, abuse or mistreatment who reside in Illinois long-term care (LTC) homes like Colonial Apartments.
Colonial Apartments
This LTC Center is a 16-certified-bed Home providing services to residents of Centralia and Clinton County, Illinois. The Long Term Care Facility is located at:
920 West Fourth
Centralia, Illinois 62801
618-533-1199
Centralia LTC Home Resident Safety Concerns
Families can visit Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH – ltc.dph.illinois.gov) to review a comprehensive list of all safety concerns, health violations, filed complaints, incident inquiries, and opened investigations. The regularly updated data can be used to make a well-informed decision on which LTC facilities in the community provide the highest level of care.
The Clinton County neglect attorneys at Rosenfeld Injury Lawyers LLC have reviewed the deficiencies, safety concerns and health violations at this long-term care (LTC) home that include:
- Failure to Investigate and Report an Incident Involving Potential Abuse
In a summary statement of deficiencies dated 07/12/2013, the state investigator noted the facility failed to “ensure a thorough investigation [was conducted for an individual] who had fractures.” The deficient practice was first noted in the state investigator’s findings after reviewing a resident’s 10/09/2012 Individual Program Plan identifying the 50-year-old individual is a resident functioning at “moderate level of intellectual disability who is able to verbally communicate and is independent in ambulation."
Documents at the facility revealed that “at approximately 3:30 AM on 05/21/2013, the staff heard the resident shuffling around in her room… Saying ‘ouch’.” It was documented that the resident “was sitting on her bottom on her bedroom floor [...and] told staff that her bed was wet and she was getting up to change clothes and fell down.”
Staff members “observed her right ankle to be in an awkward position. One staff sat with the resident, to keep her from trying to get up, while the other called [the individual investigating the incident.] Staff were instructed to call 911 [...and the] resident was sent out to the local hospital for further evaluation." After being admitted to the hospital, the resident was diagnosed with a “fractured broken [in the] right ankle.” The investigator noted that “there is no further documentation regarding the facility’s investigation regarding the fractured right ankle.”
- Failure to Follow Procedures and Protocols to Eliminate the Spread of Infection in the Facility
In a summary statement of deficiencies dated 09/02/2015, a state investigator noted that the facility failed to “ensure that proper infection control measures were utilized during the administration of medications.” The state investigator noted that this failure “affected two individuals.” In one’s incident, the cap of the eye drop bottle was not correctly replaced during the administration of eye drops” which had the potential of spreading infection.
The deficient practice was first noted in the state investigator’s findings after an observation of a medication administration pass on 09/01/2015 when a resident “was administered eye ointment by [a Direct Service Person (DSP) who] removed the cap from the tube of eye ointment and placed the cap of the eye ointment on the countertop. The cap of the eye ointment was in the upright position with the area which would have been returned to the bottle that was directly on the countertop, not placing it on a clean area on its side.”
A follow-up observation was made thirty-five minutes later when a second resident “was administered eyedrops by [the same Direct Person Staff Member who] removed the cap from the bottle of eye drops and placed the cap of the eye drop bottle on the countertop.” Once again, the cap was not properly stored back on the top of the bottle but instead was exposed to a dirty area that could have caused the spread of infection.
Approximately twenty-five minutes later, the Direct Staff Person was interviewed by the investigator and “was asked how [they were] taught to place the medication cap on the eye drops and eye ointment.” The DSP responded “I don’t know, not the way I did it. I should have kept the cap in my hand.” The investigator reviewed the June 2008 Clinical Center National Institutes of Health records that state:
“Remove the cap of the eye drop bottle. Place the dropper cap on its side, and rest it on a clean tissue.”
Centralia Illinois Nursing Home Abuse Lawyers
If your loved one has suffered injury or harm while residing at Colonial Apartments, call the Rosenfeld Injury Lawyers LLC law offices now. Our dedicated Centralia lawyers can work on your behalf to file and resolve claims for compensation against all those who caused your loved one’s harm, injury or premature death.
We encourage you and your family to contact our Clinton County elder abuse law office today by calling (888) 424-5757 to schedule your appointment for a comprehensive case review at no charge. No upfront fees are necessary because our law firm accepts all nursing home abuse claims for compensation through contingency fee agreements.
Sources:
http://www.idph.state.il.us/ltc/docs/SurveyResult/6001937FIK10142016.PDF
http://www.idph.state.il.us/ltc/docs/SurveyResult/6001937FIK09022015.PDF
http://www.idph.state.il.us/ltc/docs/SurveyResult/6001937FIA08272014.PDF
