CHICAGO, IL – A former employee at the River Crossing of Moline alleges neglect of residents and filthy living conditions at the nursing home located at 7300 34th Avenue. Kimberly Howell wrote in her resignation letter to the administrator that residents were mistreated and common areas were filled with bags of dirty laundry that belonged to residents that were left unattended for weeks.
“You are the director of a long-term care facility that houses the most vulnerable, the elderly, in excess of 100 of them,” she wrote to Administrator Tara Wassell. “I have been working for over 40 years and I have never seen a business of any kind that is more filthy than River Crossing of Moline.”
Howell served as the Human Resources Director and was required to comply with federal and state laws to report her observations. She filed complaints with the Illinois Department of Public Health on February 25 and March 3 reporting unsanitary conditions at the nursing home facility and alleged neglect.
Last year alone, River Crossing of Moline was assessed more than $260,000 in federal fines by Medicare for violations related to neglect and abuse of residents. IDPH fined them an additional $50,000 and cited the facility for 10 licensure violations related to the abuse and neglect of two residents.
Medicare complaints include: failing to report possible suicidal behavior exhibited by an elderly male resident; failing to construct a secure barrier between the COVID-19 positive unit and the non-COVID unit; failure to provide dedicated staff for the COVID-19 unit; failure of staff to follow COVID-19 personal protective equipment protocols; an incident where a male resident was given water through a feeding tube while he was laying down, resulting in him choking and turning red; and a sanitary inspection that reported a filthy kitchen, dirty oven, and refrigerators that had the presence of brown, sticky substances.
How to report nursing home neglect or abuse in Illinois
If you have reason to believe your parent or loved one is the victim of neglect or nursing home abuse, you need to act quickly. By contacting the experienced nursing home abuse lawyers at the Dinizulu Law Group, we will quickly investigate and get your loved one out of harm’s way. According to IDPH, there are more than 19,000 allegations of neglect or abuse in Illinois nursing homes each year. Our team of trusted lawyers is here to help you. Call us now at (312) 384-1920 for a free consultation.
