Nursing home negligence has been highlighted in a recent case from Quad Cities, Ill., with several nursing home facilities facing serious fines for the care and condition of its residents.

According a report from the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH), this severe nursing home negligence caused severe harm to residents and even one death.

The IDPH nursing home inspections are conducted on an annual basis to investigate complaints of potential nursing home negligence and to check on the state of elder care facilities.

If a nursing home is found to be in violation of basic health and wellness, the IDPH could revoke or suspend the nursing home’s license.

Overview of Nuring Home Negligence in IDPH Report

Some of these nursing homes were issued an “AA” violation, which is given when a condition or occurrence resulted in a resident’s death. An “A” violation can be issued if strong likelihood of serious mental or physical injuries or death is present in the facility.

One of the nursing homes issued an “AA” violation and an “A” violation was Aperion Care. The report stated the nursing home negligence was so severe it resulted in the accidental strangulation death of one of the residents in August 2017.

The nursing home was fined $50,000 for this incident, with the IDPH report stating that the resident was found dead on the floor by hanging.  Ties of the resident’s nightgown on the footboard of the bed were found to have resulted in the accidental hanging.

In another case of nursing home negligence, the IDPH report also indicated that a $25,000 “A” violation fine was issued after a resident managed to escape in October 2017. It is important to note that this elderly resident did not have the cognitive ability for reasonable decision making, and that the resident could have gotten lost or seriously injured.

While a tracking bracelet was placed on him afterward, it did not stop this resident from exiting through an insecure backdoor. The alarm was reportedly not working at the time, and the resident was eventually found wandering around a mile away from the facility in near freezing weather.

The IDPH also pointed out a “B” violation of $2,200 for Generations at Rock Island nursing facility, for allegedly neglecting two residents who sustained pressure injuries. The report also alleges the staff nurses did not adhere to medical instructions when treating the residents’ wounds.

Nursing home negligence is a prominent social problem in the U.S., with as many as five million elderly Americans suffering from some form abuse, neglect or exploitation. Even though this is such a significant problem, approximately 84% of these cases are not reported and many of these victims do not receive the help they need.

Often, these victims are unable to speak up for themselves due to injury or diseases like dementia, which makes this group especially vulnerable to abuse and financial exploitation. Loved ones of elder care facility residents are encouraged to look for any odd signs or unusual behaviors, including signs of bed sores, bruises and other injuries.