A Chicago care center is being blamed for the death of a 92-year-old resident in 2017 from a staph infection after she suffered a severe bed sore. There were other incidents of neglect at this facility, according to a media report.
Family members of the victim claim that there was human waste on the floor of the center, the victim was on a mattress without linens and was naked twice when they visited. The victim told her family that she slept on the floor once after a fall, which led to suspicions that no one picked her up. One family member also claimed that staff members even stole clothing from residents.
Family members wrote letters to managers of the facility about the deplorable conditions. One year after her death, the family could not get access to the resident’s medical charts. The resident’s death from a bedsore did not surprise a former employee of the facility. She claimed that she witnessed times when residents were not turned in their beds and did not have baths or showers. She blamed staffing shortages for these deficiencies. That employee also said that the facility did not update health records to hide problems with care.
The former employee filed complaints with the Illinois Department of Professional Regulations, which submitted them to the state’s Department of Health. An IDPH spokesperson said that the facility was cited for having insufficient nursing staff in Dec. and has been investigated for three complaints since then.
A family who suffers the loss of a loved one in a nursing home death may be entitled to compensation and damages. An attorney can help pursue these claims or assure that residents are treated with respect and professionalism.
