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Many nursing facilities in Illinois are overcrowded, understaffed, or fail to adequately train their Registered Nurses, Licensed Practical Nurses, and Certified Nursing Assistants. As a result, the health and well-being of many nursing home patients are compromised. In some nursing centers, the patient must wait for an extensive amount of time for any member of the nursing staff to answer a call light when the resident requires assistance with toileting. Rosenfeld Injury Lawyers represent Illinois nursing home residents who have suffered needlessly while residing at skilled nursing homes like Lutheran Care Center due to negligent caregiving.
Lutheran Care Center
This Center is a ‘not for profit’ Medicaid/Medicare-accepted Nursing Home providing cares and services to residents of Altamont and Effingham County, Illinois. The 96-certified-bed facility is located at:
702 West Cumberland
Altamont, IL 62411
(618) 483-6136
In addition to providing around-the-clock skilled nursing care, Lutheran Care Center also offers outpatient therapy, physical, occupational and speech therapies, personalized care plans and dementia/Alzheimer’s care.
Altamont Nursing Home Resident Safety Concerns
Families visit Medicare.gov to obtain a historical list of all opened investigations, safety concerns, filed complaints and health violations of every facility in the US. The information can be used to determine the level of health and hygiene care every community nursing home provides its residents.
Currently, Lutheran Care Center maintains an overall three out of five available star rating in the Medicare rating analysis system compared to all other facilities nationwide. This includes four out of five stars for staffing concerns, three out of five stars for health inspections and one out of five stars for quality measures. The Effingham County nursing home neglect attorneys at Rosenfeld Injury Lawyers have found numerous safety concerns and deficiencies at this nursing facility that include:
- Failure to Provide Cares and Services to Eliminate the Potential Spread of Infection for Residents with Indwelling Catheters
In a summary statement of deficiencies dated 07/28/2016, a notation was made by the state surveyors while performing an annual licensure and certification survey in regards to the facility’s failure to “provide catheter care with proper technique to prevent cross-contamination and prevent the spread of infection.”
The deficient practice was first noted in the state investigator’s findings of one resident with an indwelling catheter was initiated after an observation was made of a Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) providing cares to the resident at 10:30 AM on 07/26/2016. The CNA “washed hands, donned gloves and put a trash bag, perineal wash, washcloths and towels on [the resident’s] bed without a barrier.”
The state investigator observed the CNA providing peri-care and “was asked if she had cleansed around the catheter tubing.” After the question was posed, the CNA removed “alcohol wipe side of her pocket” and cleanse the catheter bag tubing.
An interview was conducted with the facility’s Director of Nurses two days later who stated that “she would expect the Certified Nursing Aides to cleanse the urinary catheter from the urinary meatus with a moistened towelette.
- Failure to Ensure a Resident’s Dignity and Respect of Individuality Is Maintained
In a summary statement of deficiencies dated 07/28/2016, a state investigator noted when performing an annual licensure and certification survey that the facility failed to “answer call lights timely to ensure residents were toileted and assisted with activities, and a failure to ensure residents were assisted with tray set up and fed in a dignified manner.”
The deficient practice was first noted in the state investigator’s findings after an observation of a resident was made near noon on 07/25/2016 who stated that “she has to wait a long time for the call light to be answered and there been times that she has ‘messed’ herself because she is had loose stools.” The resident also stated that “she needs to be repositioned at times because her left hip hurts from a fracture she had in February.”
During the interview with the investigator, the resident stated that “it takes a long time for staff to get here to reposition her. As a part of the investigation, the state surveyor reviewed the resident’s 04/26/2016 MDS (Minimum Data Set) that revealed that the resident “requires extensive assist with transfers and extensive assist of two, a walker and gait belt for ambulation.”
The investigator also reviewed the facility’s Monthly Resident Council Meeting Minutes for the month of November 2015 and January, February and March 2016. The minutes revealed that “answering call lights timely” appears to be an ongoing issue.
Altamont Illinois Nursing Home Abuse Lawyers
If you suspect your loved one has been injured or mistreated while residing at Lutheran Care Center, contact Rosenfeld Injury Lawyers. Our experienced, reputable Altamont attorneys provide victims of nursing home abuse, neglect or mistreatment the legal representation they need against all those who caused them harm. Our law firm can provide your family numerous legal options on how to proceed to obtain the financial compensation you deserve.
We urge you to contact our Effingham County elder abuse law office today at 888 424-5757 to schedule your free, no obligation comprehensive case evaluation. We provide immediate legal representation without any upfront payment or fee. Our legal services are paid only after we have successfully resolved your case in a court of law or through a negotiated out-of-court settlement.
Sources:
http://www.altamontlcc.org/skilledcare.html
http://bit.do/RILnursing-Lutheran-Care-Center
http://www.idph.state.il.us/ltc/docs/SurveyResult/6005599FI07282016.PDF
http://www.idph.state.il.us/ltc/docs/SurveyResult/6005599FIK09242015.PDF
http://www.idph.state.il.us/ltc/docs/SurveyResult/6005599FIK08142014.PDF
