CHICAGO, IL – Mayfield Care Center, a nursing home in Chicago, is facing allegations of nursing home neglect. Due to a staff shortage, residents have been left neglected and been living in poor living conditions.
According to CBS, Stan McKinney and his sister Geraldine believe Mayfield Care Center contributed to the death of their mother, Dorothy. This isn’t the first time Mayfield Care Center has been put into question. Stan McKinney recalled the times he would visit his mother and stated, “It was just the smell of death. It was gross neglect. I’ve gone when she was just on a mattress. There was no linen.”
Geraldine McKinney witnessed on multiple different occasions her mother being nude walking around on the floor she resided on. The McKinney’s wrote letters to Mayfield’s managers detailing what they witnessed and the neglect their mother was receiving. Dorothy McKinney passed away in 2017 from a staph infection after being neglected and suffering from severe bed sores.
Staff shortage has caused employees to be responsible for 40 residents, sometimes up to 70 leading to residents receiving improper care and neglect.
Mayfield Care Center has been sued nearly 50 times with most cases ending in settlements. According to the Illinois Department of Professional Regulations, Mayfield has been cited for insufficient nursing staff and has been investigated for several complaints but cited for none.
Studies conducted by the National Council on Aging estimate every 1 in 10 Americans over the age of 60 have experienced some form of elder abuse. There is 1-2 million cases of elder abuse per year; only 1 in 14 cases of abuse are reported to authorities.
Elder abuse includes physical abuse, emotional abuse, sexual abuse, exploitation, neglect and abandonment. The National Council of Aging (2018) suggested the most common warning signs of elder abuse, (but are not limited to):
- Physical abuse: bruises, broken bones, abrasions, burns
- Emotional abuse: unusual depression, strained relationships, withdrawal from normal activity, sudden change in alertness
- Financial abuse and exploitation: sudden changes in financial situation
- Neglect: bedsores, weight loss, poor hygiene, unattended medical needs
- Verbal abuse: threats, use of power to control individuals
If you suspect a loved one is suffering from elder abuse in a nursing home or other long-term care facility, please contact Dinizulu Law Group immediately. We take allegations very seriously, and will work diligently until your case is resolved and your loved one is out of harm’s way. Please call us at (312) 384-1920 or visit our website for more information.
