As we’ve learned from our Chicago nursing home abuse attorneys who represent victims of Illinois nursing home neglect, pressure ulcers (also called bedsores or decubitus ulcers) are generally preventable and avoidable.  Prevention requires adequate numbers of skilled staff actively monitoring their patients, especially those at high risk for developing pressure ulcers. Nursing home staff should ensure proper pressure relieving devices are utilized, proper nutrition and hydration is maintained and that residents remain clean.

The most important factor in the development of pressure sores in unrelieved pressure. Friction (often caused by skin against sheets) is another known cause. Wheelchair-bound residents may be trained in proper repositioning techniques.

Illinois nursing home negligence lawyers say bedsores are typically easily treated through proper hydration, hygiene, wound care (including removal of the dead skin) and antibiotics. However, if left unattended, ulcers can become infected quickly and lead to acute sepsis, amputation and even death.

Pressure ulcers are generally classified in four stages. It is important you understand the implication of each stage, so that you may ensure proper treatment is being given. A bedsore can, without proper intervention proceed from State I to Stage IV.

• Stage I: Intact skin with signs of impending ulceration.
• Stage II:  Partial-thickness loss of skin. This lesion may present as an abrasion, blister, or superficial ulceration.
• Stage III:  Full-thickness loss of skin with extension into tissue beneath the skin. This lesion presents as a crater with or without undermining of adjacent tissue.
• Stage IV: Full-thickness loss of skin and subcutaneous tissue and extension into muscle, bone, tendon, or joint capsule. Sinus tracts and severe undermining commonly are present.

A pressure ulcer MUST be kept clean. In many cases, surgical debridement will be necessary. This involves removing the necrotic (dead) tissue. In severe pressure ulcer cases, reconstructive surgery may be necessary.  If a pressure ulcer is not resolved through appropriate treatment it may continue to grow. At a certain point, infection will set in and amputation may be required. If advanced sepsis develops amputation may not be sufficient and a resident will die.

Clearly, the appearance of bed sores and pressure ulcers in Illinois nursing home patients should not be taken lightly. While they may easily be prevented, and properly treated when it’s too late, they can become life-threatening. If you have questions about Illinois nursing home neglect related to bedsores or other injury, contact a Chicago nursing home abuse attorney today.

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Illinois nursing home neglect often results in injury to residents. Common indicators of abuse or neglect are pressure ulcers and bed sores. Illinois nursing home negligence lawyers say bed sores are never an acceptable (or a ‘given’) result of long-term care, as some family members have been led to believe. While elderly and immobile patients are far more susceptible to this painful condition, it is almost always preventable. By understanding the cause and risk factors for bed sores, you can help ensure your loved one is receiving proper care.

Nursing home patients are often afflicted with mental or physical health conditions that limit their ability to stand, walk, or turn themselves in bed. Some are bound to wheelchairs. Any duration of time spent in the same position causes tissue damage from prolonged pressure and/or friction on the skin - resulting in bed sores or pressure ulcers. Bedridden patients who are incontinent run an even higher risk of forming bedsores because extra maintenance is required of the staff to maintain a clean and dry environment. Prevention is key.

“The presence of bedsores or pressure ulcers should be seen as a warning sign, a high-flying red flag that a patient’s comprehensive care plan needs to be evaluated and updated,” says our Chicago nursing home abuse attorney.  “The frequency of pressure ulcers, or decubitus ulcers,  in nursing home patients speaks more to the diminished level of care that exists today, rather than an expected or causal relationship to the aging and frail.”

In other words, bed sores, pressure or decubitus ulcers are NEVER acceptable. If you believe your loved one is the victim of Illinois nursing home neglect or abuse, contact an Illinois nursing home negligence lawyer today.

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Bedsores (or pressure ulcers) are among the most common - and preventable - injuries occurring in nursing homes today, say Illinois nursing home negligence lawyers. While you should always keep a close watch on the health and well-being of a loved one in long-term care, there are some factors which may indicate a high risk for bedsores, and thus warn you to be extra vigilant.

According to Chicago nursing home abuse attorneys who regularly represent victims of Illinois nursing home neglect, the following risk factors make nursing home resident more prone to bedsores:

• Age 60 or older
• Spinal cord paralysis
• Previous stroke
• Nervous system disease
• Poor circulation
• Diabetes
• Confinement to bed
• Altered level of consciousness (drug- or health-related)
• Confusion
• Bladder incontinence
• Bowel incontinence
• Diarrhea
• Anemia
• Dehydration
• Malnutrition
• Obesity
• Emaciation
• Reduced mobility (traction or body cast)

Clearly, some of these symptoms or conditions may indicate a further level of abuse or neglect, in addition to adding a risk factor for bed sores and pressure ulcers.

Upon intake, nursing staff should assign a value of 1 to each risk factor and add up those that exist. The totals then translate to one of the three levels of risk as follows: 0 to 6 indicates low risk, 7 to 13 indicates moderate risk, 14 to 18 indicates high risk.  Illinois nursing home negligence attorneys say you should be familiar with your loved one’s level of risk.

The parts of the body that are susceptible to pressure ulcers include the heels, ankles, knees, buttocks, tailbone, lower spine, shoulder blades, ears, and back of the head.

If your loved one is showing signs of Illinois nursing home neglect or abuse, you should contact a Chicago nursing home abuse attorney immediately.

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Detecting evidence of abuse or neglect can be difficult. Many times, family members will just “know” something is not quite right with a loved one, but they are hesitant to take action. Chicago nursing home abuse attorneys suggest keeping a close watch on the health and behavior of your loved one in a skilled nursing facility, and acting quickly if anything seems out of the ordinary.

While some signs of abuse are obvious, others can be subtle. Here are a few situations you should watch out for:

• Any injuries that require emergency treatment or hospitalization
• Any incident resulting in broken bones (especially a hip fracture)
• Any injury (or death) that occurs during or shortly following an episode of wandering — Wandering may happen outside the facility with the staff being unaware of the patient’s whereabouts.
• Heavy medication or sedation — You should always monitor the drugs being given your loved one and ensure proper dosages are being administered, as indicated by the patient’s physician.
• Rapid weight loss OR weight gain — Either can be an indication of neglect, especially when a patient’s physician or family have not been notified, and no change in treatment has been documented.
• Any injuries caused by another resident
• Frequent illness — Especially when illnesses are not promptly reported to the physician and family

If your loved one has been the victim of any of the previous scenarios, you might want to contact an Illinois nursing home negligence lawyer for a consultation. All residents of Illinois nursing homes have legal rights that protect their safety and well-being. If you have questions about Illinois nursing home neglect, contact a Chicago nursing home abuse attorney today.

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In and around Chicago, nursing home abuse attorneys warn that not all abuse occurring in long-term care facilities is physical. Many times, patients are the victims of verbal and emotional abuse, which can have a tremendous detriment to their quality of life.

Because many Illinois nursing home residents have limited abilities to communicate, identifying signs of abuse requires careful monitoring by loved ones. The signs of verbal and emotional abuse may be subtle, so you must be vigilant in your oversight of your loved one’s care.

According to Illinois nursing home neglect attorneys, verbal or emotional abuse may cause residents to:

• Become emotionally upset or agitated
• Become extremely withdrawn or non-communicative
• Engage in unusual behavior (such as sucking, biting or rocking)
• Display humiliating, insulting, frightening, threatening or ignoring behavior towards family and friends
• Want to remain isolated from other people

Bear in mind that some differences in behavior could be attributed to other factors, such as a change in medication, or the onset of an acute illness or disease. If you’ve noticed a change or deterioration of the mental or physical health of a loved one in nursing home care, you should speak with the Director of Nursing as soon as possible. You may consider contacting a Chicago nursing home abuse attorney for assistance. He or she will be knowledgeable about the rights of elderly patients in our state - fundamentally and legally.

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Illinois nursing home negligence lawyers serve a great purpose in helping protect our aging and elderly citizens from harm in nursing homes. While it’s hard to imagine someone intentionally abusing or neglecting an elderly patient in long-term care, it happens all the time.

If you are concerned about your loved one in a nursing home or skilled nursing facility, there are signs of abuse or neglect that may be apparent. Chicago nursing home abuse attorneys recommend you be watchful for the following potential evidence of Illinois nursing home neglect:

• Weight loss or malnutrition
• Dehydration
• Bruises
• Bed sores
• Other inexplicable injuries

One common sign that may not be immediately noticed is redness on a patient’s heels. Typically, this is indicative of a pressure ulcer. Pressure ulcers can range from a light pinkness of the skin (which should lighten and disappear shortly after pressure is relieved), to a very deep wound, which may extend all the way through the bone and to internal organs. If bed sores go untreated, infections can cause severe illness, pain, and even death.

All people, especially elderly folks who need care, deserve respect, dignity and a safe environment. If you are concerned about Illinois nursing home neglect of a loved one, contact a Chicago nursing home abuse attorney today.

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In the last post, our Illinois nursing home negligence lawyer gave us some insight on nursing home inspections. Inspections play a crucial role in monitoring nursing homes in our state and reviewing the standard of care being given to patients. As we’ve learned in previous posts, citations for violations are often imposed, but rarely collected (or are whittled down to pennies on the dollar).

It’s important for you to understand the process of inspections, say Chicago nursing home abuse attorneys. Knowledge is power in preventing Illinois nursing home neglect.

The Illinois Department of Health details their inspection protocol on their website:

“Illinois, which has approximately 200 surveyors, employs a team concept in inspecting nursing homes. Teams consist of a registered professional nurse (RN), a nutritionist and an environmental health practitioner. On some inspections, the teams may be joined by other professionals, such as life safety code experts. Complaint surveys are conducted by surveyors with expertise is the area involved in the allegations of the complaint.

“Illinois’ licensure surveys are generally conducted on-site over a three- to four-day period during which the state’s inspection teams evaluate all aspects of resident care and nursing home procedures and practices, assessing facility compliance with more than 1,500 specific state and federal standards. Samples of specific areas of care reviewed include resident rights, access to care, activities, assessment and care plans, health care and dietary services, housekeeping, staffing, quality of care and quality assurance.

“The Department’s evaluation may include an inspection of medical records, observation of resident care, inspection of all areas of the nursing home, and interviews of residents, family members, staff or other individuals. The Department also may evaluate the quality of resident care through an analysis of statistical data reported by nursing homes or by a review of reportable event information or other notices filed with IDPH. Reportable events include administrator or director of nursing personnel changes; interruptions of three or more hours of services essential to the health and safety of residents; alleged or suspected crimes investigated at the facility by police; and all fires, disasters, deaths or other risks to resident life or health resulting form accidents or incidents at the facility.

“Inspections in response to complaints are generally shorter in duration than licensure surveys and focus primarily on those areas of resident care alleged to be at fault. If, during the course of a complaint investigation, additional problems are uncovered, a full on-site inspection may be initiated.

“Nursing homes are inspected at least once every six to 15 months. The state average is once every 12 months. Nursing home inspections, whether standard or in response to complaints, are conducted without notice to the facility. Survey schedules are changed annually to make it difficult for facilities to anticipate when inspections will be conducted. Generally, facilities with poor surveys and numerous verified complaints are surveyed more frequently than facilities with deficiency-free surveys.

“Long-term care surveys are typically conducted on weekdays although survey teams can and have conducted inspections at night, on weekends and during holidays.”

Inspection results are posted on the Department on Aging website, however, Chicago nursing home abuse attorneys warn that the state’s website is far from perfect and should be used only as an initial tool for evaluation. Says one Illinois nursing home negligence lawyer, “Information provided on the website is typically less than current, and many things that are provided are submitted by the nursing homes themselves and may be misleading.”

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According to Illinois nursing home negligence lawyers, nursing homes in our state may be licensed, regulated, and inspected/certified by a number of different public and private agencies at both state and federal levels. These agencies include the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH), and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). These agencies have separate (yet sometimes overlapping) jurisdictions.

According to their website, the Illinois Department of Public Health is responsible for ensuring nursing homes comply fully with mandatory state regulations. The Department, under a cooperative agreement with CMS, is also responsible for ensuring that facilities accepting Medicare and Medicaid payment for services rendered to program beneficiaries meet federal regulations and certification rules.

Each year, the Department conducts approximately 1,300 full, on-site licensure inspections of nursing homes and responds to approximately 6,000 complaints. These inspections, called surveys, are conducted to evaluate the fitness and adequacy of the nursing home, its equipment, staff, policies, procedures and finances.

When searching for a nursing home for your loved one, Chicago nursing home abuse attorneys recommend visiting the Department’s website, where you can view the most recent inspection performed at a specific facility and the results of the survey. This information should include the types of violations found and the level of harm (if any) the violation imposed on residents.

Complete survey reports and nursing home plans of correction, edited to ensure patient confidentiality, are available at each nursing home as well as at IDPH.

The most recent federal inspection surveys are posted on the web at www.medicare.gov/NHCompare/home.asp.

If you or someone you love were the victim of Illinois nursing home neglect, abuse or exploitation, contact an Illinois nursing home negligence lawyer immediately.

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In Illinois, nursing home negligence lawyers regularly represent victims of Illinois nursing home abuse or neglect. Who could imagine such a scenario in which our elderly loved ones are intentionally harmed or abused by the staff entrusted to care for them in a nursing home facility? Shamefully, it happens all the time.

If you believe someone you love has been the victim of abuse or neglect in an Illinois nursing home, you should report the incident or occurrence immediately, then contact a Chicago nursing home abuse attorney.

To report suspected abuse or neglect, you should:

• Contact your local Long-Term Care Ombudsmen or
• Contact the Senior HelpLine

Illinois nursing home negligence lawyers may also advise you to file a complaint against the nursing facility where your loved one resides. To do so, contact the Illinois Department of Public Health. The agency operates a Central Complaint Registry to record and investigate complaints involving hospitals, nursing home facilities, and home health agencies and the care (or lack of care) of the patients or residents.

If you need help filing your complaint, or need advice or counsel on Illinois nursing home neglect, contact a Chicago nursing home abuse attorney for a free consultation.

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Financial concerns can overwhelm Illinois nursing home residents. Understanding Medicare benefits can be confusing, to say the least, even to a person of young age and good health. In Illinois, nursing home negligence lawyers can help you understand your rights and coverage under Medicare.

According to Medicare.gov, the following is helpful information you should know about Medicare coverage in relation to nursing home care:

Medicare Benefits

Although Medicare doesn’t pay for most nursing home care, you will still be able to get Medicare-covered benefits when you live in a nursing home. For example, if you have Medicare Part B, you will still be covered for your yearly flu shot and all other Medicare-covered therapy and preventive services.

Hospital Discharge

Many people enter a nursing home after a hospital stay. If you have Medicare and think you are being asked to leave the hospital too soon, you can ask for a review from your Quality Improvement Organization(QIO). Their telephone number is on the copy of An Important Message About Medicare Rights: Admission, Discharge, and Appeals that you got when you were admitted to the hospital.You must ask for the review by noon of the first working day after the hospital gives you a written “Notice of Non-Coverage.” You don’t have to pay for your hospital stay while the QIO reviews your request. It can take up to three working days.

Skilled Nursing Care

If you need Medicare-covered skilled nursing care after a Medicare-covered hospital stay of three days or more, ask the nursing home staff if they provide the skilled care you need, and if the nursing home is Medicare-certified. For more information on Medicare coverage of skilled nursing facility care, look at www.medicare.gov on the web. Select “Search Tools” at the top of the page to look at or print a copy of the booklet “Medicare Coverage of Skilled Nursing Facility Care” (CMS Pub. No. 10153). You can also order a free copy by calling 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227). TTY users should call 1-877-486-2048.

If you have questions about Medicare coverage for nursing home care, or Illinois nursing home neglect, contact a Chicago nursing home abuse attorney today.

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