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Many families face the unpleasant decision to place a loved one in a nursing home to ensure their health and safety is maintained. Unfortunately, many nursing facilities failed to take appropriate measures to guarantee the safety of every resident. These failures tend to jeopardize the health and well-being of the resident and often place them in immediate jeopardy. Sadly, the Kewanee elder abuse attorneys at Rosenfeld Injury Lawyers have handled many cases where nursing home victims have been hurt or killed through resident-to-resident abuse.
Royal Oaks Care Center – Kewanee
Royal Oaks Care Center – Kewanee is a 200-certified bed for profit Medicaid/Medicare-approved nursing facility providing services to residents of Kewanee and Henry County, Illinois. The facility is located at:
605 East Church St.
Kewanee, IL 61443
(309) 852-3389
As a part of the Peterson Health Care System, Royal Oaks Care Center – Kewanee provides skilled nursing care along with memory care, Alzheimer’s care and the Peterson Pathways Rehabilitation Program.
Kewanee Nursing Home Resident Safety Concerns
Many families use the Medicare star rating summary system to determine the level of care every nursing facility provides in their community. This continually updated information is maintained by the state of Illinois and the federal government nursing home regulatory agency to reflect the historical data on opened investigations, filed complaints, safety concerns and health violations. The results can be found on numerous online sites including Medicare.gov.
Currently, Royal Oaks Care Center – Kewanee maintains an overall two out of five available star rating in the Medicare star rating summary system. This includes four out of five stars for quality measures, three out of five stars for staffing issues and two out of five stars for health inspections. Our Kewanee Illinois nursing home neglect attorneys have found numerous deficiencies and safety concerns involving this facility that include:
- Failure to Ensure Residents Remain Free of Accident Hazards and Risks by Failing to Provide a Safe Environment
In a summary statement of deficiencies dated 01/27/2016, a notation was made during an annual licensure and certification survey by a state investigator concerning the facility's failure to "provide supervision as required by the resident’s Care Plan during a facility outing.” The deficient practice by the nursing staff at Royal Oaks Care Center – Kewanee affected one resident at the facility who was diagnosed with depression, suicidal ideation, bipolar disorder, anxiety, ethyl alcohol abuse and ethyl alcohol dependency.”
The state investigator reviewed the resident’s 10/29/2015 Care Plan documents numerous interventions including “implement increasingly restrictive interventions in an effort to help the resident break the addictive cycle [...and] provide supervision while in the community, restrict independent pass privileges, implementation of money guidance [...and] monitor resident during outings and check resident in at the door to monitor for contraband.”
A review of the facility’s 01/22/2016 Resident Sign-Out Sheet documents that the resident signed out of the facility between 2:07 PM and 3:30 PM where the transportation driver at the facility was “listed as the Responsible Party Name.” The facility SBAR (Situation, Background, Assessment, Request) Communication Form documented on 01/22/2016 at 5:50 PM that “the local police department was contacted for assistance” as the resident “was found with alcoholic beverages and was becoming more belligerent.”
The SBAR (Situation, Background, Assessment, Request) Communication Form noted that the resident “was physically aggressive to the police officer. As a result of [the resident’s] increased aggression, emergency medical technicians (EMTs) were contacted [...and] the resident was then transported… to the local hospital for evaluation and treatment.”
- Failure to Provide Every Resident an Environment Free of Unauthorized Physical Restraint
In a summary statement of deficiencies dated 09/17/2015, the state investigator noted the facility’s failure “to document medical symptoms justifying the use of restraints for [a resident at the facility] reviewed for restraints.” The state investigator noted that the actions of the nursing staff at Royal Oaks Care Center – Kewanee failed to follow the facility’s 08/18/2011 Physical Restraint/Enabler Policy that reads in part:
“To allow residents to be free of physical restraints which are not required to treat the resident’s medical symptoms or as a therapeutic intervention. Physical restraint shall not be used for the purpose of discipline or convenience.”
The state surveyor noted during an initial tour of the facility at 9:15 AM on 09/14/2015 with a member of Social Services observed a resident with “bilateral full padded side rails [on their bed] to prevent falls.” It was noted at 11:30 AM on 09/15/2015 that the resident “was able to grab the left side rail with their right hand, however, [the resident] was unable to reposition or move [their] body at all.”
The surveyor noted that the “facility side rail assessment dated 08/01/2015 documents the benefits of side rails: “reduced potential to fall.” By law, the facility must provide documented support as to why and how the restraints must be in place to protect the safety and health concerns of the resident.
Kewanee Illinois Nursing Home Abuse Lawyers
If you believe your loved one has been injured by abuse, neglect, mistreatment or assault while residing in any nursing home in Illinois, including Royal Oaks Care Center – Kewanee, Rosenfeld Injury Lawyers can help. Our Kewanee nursing home abuse attorneys can represent your family to assist you in obtaining the financial compensation you deserve.
Contact our Henry County elder abuse law firm at (888) 424-5757 today to schedule a no-obligation free consultation. No upfront fees are required because we accept all nursing home abuse/negligence cases on contingency.
http://www.petersenhealthcare.net/royal-oaks
http://www.idph.state.il.us/ltc/docs/SurveyResult/6005029FA01272016.PDF
