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Illinois Nursing Home Abuse & How to Report

March 26, 2020/in Blog/by Yao Dinizulu

Nursing home neglect happens more often than you think. An estimated 5 million adults 65 and older are abused and neglected each year in the U.S. Neglect is an form of elder abuse committed against an older adult in a nursing home that breaches the duty that may harm a resident.

You’re more than likely going to experience a family member or someone you know being in a long-term care facility. Nearly 1.5 million people live in a nursing home in the U.S., according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). When someone else is taking care of your loved one, it’s important to do research on the facility you ultimately choose.

Illinois has one of the highest rates of nursing home abuse in the nation. It’s important to be aware of the signs and symptoms to look out for when suspecting abuse and know how to report a case.

Anyone can commit elder abuse; in fact, in almost 60% of elder abuse and neglect incidents, the perpetrator is a family member and two thirds are adult children or spouses according to the National Council of Aging (NCOA). However, perpetrators are not limited to just family members and may include caretakers or other residents.

What is elder abuse?

Elder abuse or neglect “refers to the mistreatment of a person 60 years of age or older who lives in the community,” according to the Illinois Department of Human Services (IDHS).

IDHS states abuse and neglect includes any of the following:

Abuse – physical, sexual, or emotional mistreatment and/or willful confinement.
Neglect – the failure of a caregiver to provide the older person with the necessities of life, including but not limited to food, clothing, shelter, and medical care.
Financial exploitation – the misuse or withholding of the older person’s resources by another to the disadvantage of the older person and/or the profit of another.

What makes an older adult vulnerable to abuse?

Older adults who are in nursing homes are socially isolated and those who have mental impairments such as dementia or Alzheimer’s disease makes them more susceptible to being abused or neglected. Studies have shown that those with dementia have experienced a form of abuse or neglect.

Most common types of abuse:

According to the Illinois Department of Aging (IDOA) victims often experience more than one form of abuse. 67 percent of victims are female, while 33 percent are male; however, 51% of abusers are females, while 49% of abusers are male.

Based on the 2017 annual report, the most common forms of abuse in Illinois were:

Financial exploitation, (8,604)
Emotional abuse (6,476)
Passive neglect (6,679)
Physical abuse (3,782)
Willful deprivation (2,268)
Confinement (1,381)
Sexual abuse (765)

What to do if you suspect abuse:

If you suspect your loved one is experiencing abuse in their nursing home, talk to the staff immediately. If the problem isn’t resolved, you can talk to one of the following:

Call 911, especially if they are in life threatening danger
Supervisor
Social worker
Director of nursing
Administrator
Doctor

Families should document signs of nursing home abuse and indicate any change in their loved ones behavior, take pictures of the injuries and note if injuries worsen, and write or record any witnesses that has seen the abuse or from the victim themself.

How to report nursing home abuse:

There are several ways you can report nursing home abuse. In case of emergencies, please dial 911. You can also contact:

Long-term care ombudsman
- You can find your local ombudsman here.
Professional medical experts like doctors or nurses
Nursing home administrator

To confidentially report abuse:

A 2019 report by GAO states, “nursing home abuse often goes unreported mainly because residents are afraid of what will happen if they speak out.” Residents fear that staff may treat them worse, or abuse will continue and worsen.

A nursing home report can often remain confidential when complaints are filed with a long-term care ombudsman, unless consent is given otherwise. Confidentiality eases the concern of addressing a problem.

File a Lawsuit

If you suspect your family member or loved one is the victim of nursing home abuse or neglect, it’s important to take legal action right away to protect their rights. In Illinois, the statute of limitations limits the amount of time you have to file a lawsuit which is 2 years from the injury date.

Throughout the litigation process, the attorney’s at Dinizulu Law Group collect evidence to build your case against the nursing home and staff and inform you of the steps we take along the way. Please call our firm today for a free consultation at (312) 384-1920 to learn how you can obtain justice for your loved one.

Nursing Homes Ban Visitors due to Coronavirus

March 12, 2020/in Blog/by Yao Dinizulu

Nursing Homes Ban Visitors due to Coronavirus

CHICAGO, IL – Nursing homes have become islands of isolation amid the shocking morality rate of coronavirus. Nursing homes nationwide have become concerned about outside visitors visiting residents which has led to the barring of all visitors – adult children can talk to their parents through a glass door just as jailhouse visitors due.

As of Wednesday, there are more than 1,311 cases confirmed in the U.S., according to state and local health agencies, governments, and the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Nursing homes are locking down in hopes to protect some of the nation’s most vulnerable residents from being affected by the coronavirus. Thousands of nursing homes and assisted living facilities across the country are taking extra precautions. Many families are debating whether to move their loved ones out of these facilities all together and care for them at home.

On Tuesday, industry leaders recommended curtailing visits, calling this challenge “one of the most significant, if not the most significant” issues the industry has ever faced, according to the American Association of Retired Persons (AARP).

The highly contagious disease puts the elderly and those who suffer from underlying health conditions such as respiratory distress at high risk, alarming businesses, schools, and health agencies. Guidance from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), the American Health Care Association (AHCA), and the Illinois Department of Health (IDPH), and the Illinois Health Care Association is rapidly increasing for these facilities.

Hospital Policies and Procedures for COVID-19

Because of ease of spread in a long-term care setting and the severity of illness that occurs in residents with COVID-19, facilities are discouraging visitation and have the ability to screen visitors before COVID-19 is identified in their community.

Facilities are responsible for sending letters or emails to resident’s family members, advising them to consider postponing

Who is at Higher Risk?

From earlier information gathering from China where COVID-19 originated from, those who are higher risk of getting sick from this illness includes:

Older adults
People who suffer from serious chronic medical conditions, such as:
- Heart disease
- Diabetes
- Lung disease

Depending on how severe the outbreak is in your community, public health officials will make recommendations to the community to reduce the public’s risk of being exposed to COVID-19. These actions can stunt or reduce the impact of spreading the disease.

If you are at a high risk because of your age or serious long-term health problem, it’s crucial to take extra precautions to reduce your risk of getting sick.

How to Prepare for COVID-19 Now

According to the CDC, there are several ways you can make yourself prepared in case of an outbreak in your community.

Have supplies on hand
- Contact your health provider to ask about obtaining extra necessary medications to have on hand in case of an outbreak in your community in the event that you need to stay at home for an extended period of time.
- If you’re unable to get extra medication, consider using mail-orders.
- Ensure that you have extra over-the-medicine and medical supplies such as tissues, thermometers, etc. to treat fevers and other symptoms. Most people will recover at home.
- Have enough household items and groceries to be prepared for staying at home for a period of time.
Take precaution
- Avoid close contact with anyone who is sick.
- Take preventable action:
  - Wash your hands often using soap and water for at least 20 seconds. This is critical, especially after blowing your nose, sneezing or coughing in a public place.
  - If soap and water is unavailable, use hand sanitizer.
  - Avoid touching surfaces in public places – elevator buttons, door handles, handrails, and shaking hands with others.
  - Wash your hands immediately after touching a surface in public.
  - Practice routine cleaning of frequently touched surfaces, such as tables, doorknobs, light switches, handles, desks, and toilets.
  - Avoid large crowds, especially in poorly ventilated spaces. Your risk of exposure can increase substantially in a crowded area, especially those with little to no air-movement, increasing your chance of contracting COVID-19.
  - Avoid all non-essential travel including traveling by plane or embarking on a cruise ships.
- If there is an outbreak of COVID-19 in your community, it’s important to take extra measures to distance yourself from others to reduce your risk of being exposed to this virus.
  - Stay at home as much as possible.
    - Consider ways of food being delivered to your house, through the use of family, or social and commercial networks.

Watch for Symptoms and Emergency Warning Signs

It’s important to pay attention to warning signs of potential COVID-19 symptoms including fever, cough, and shortness of breath. If you feel like you are developing symptoms, call your physician immediately.
If you develop emergency warning signs for COVID-19, please seek medical attention immediately. Adult emergency warning signs include:
- Difficulty breathing or a shortness of breath
- Persistent pain or pressure in the chest
- New confusion
- Bluish-tinted lips or face

It’s important to note that these are not all warning symptoms of COVID-19. Please consult a medical provider for other symptoms that are severe or concerning.

What to Do if You Get Sick

Stay at home and call your healthcare provider.
Call your healthcare provider and let them know the symptoms you are experiencing. This will help them take care of you and keep others from getting infected or exposed.
If you are not sick enough to be hospitalized, you are able to recover from home.
Know when to get emergency help.
Get medical attention immediately if you have any of the warning signs listed.

How to Support Older Adults

Community Support

Communities should prepare for an outbreak of COVID-19 that include older adults and people with disabilities, and the organizations that support them, to ensure their needs are being taken into consideration. Many individuals in the community depend on services and support in their homes or in the community to maintain their independence and health. Long-term care facilities should be vigilant to prevent the introduction or spread of COVID-19.

Family and Caregiver Support

Know what medications your loved one is taking and make sure to have extra on hand. Monitor food and other medical supplies, such as oxygen, dialysis, wound care, etc. and always be sure to have a back-up plan. Stock up on non-perishable food items to minimize your number of trips to the store. If you care for a loved one living in a care facility, monitor the situation, ask about the health of other residents and know the protocol in the event there is an outbreak.

For more information on how to protect your loved one who is in a long-term care facility or assisted living facility, please visit CDC’s website on ways to take more precaution. If your loved one has sustained a serious infectious disease complication resulting from negligent or missed medical treatment provided by a nursing home or due to a low level of staff care, they may be entitled to compensation. Please reach out to Dinizulu Law group now for a free consultation at (312) 384-1920.

How do I report nursing home abuse in Illinois?

December 3, 2019/in Blog/by Yao Dinizulu

CHICAGO, IL – Making the decision to place a loved one in a nursing home facility can be very stressful for the person, as well as the family. You can do all the research for your loved one and where you think may be best suited for their needs. You can even talk to the facility, staff members, and tour the facility to make sure it is their best option.

But even then, the facility may not turn out to be as great as you thought it was. What if you visit your loved one, and notice something may be off? Nursing home abuse is more common than you think, and often is not reported. You may be confused and not know what’s going on, and sometimes your loved one can’t verbalized what they’re experiencing. According to the Nursing Home Abuse Center, these are the steps you should take if you suspect your loved one is being abused:

Evaluate the situation

Before reporting abuse, you should assess why you want to report suspected abuse or neglect. It’s a good idea to write a summary of what has happened so you don’t miss anything when reporting a nursing home facility. Some questions to ask yourself include:

Did my loved one complain about treatment that he or she is receiving in the nursing home? Have other residents voiced similar complaints?
Have I seen signs of abuse and neglect such as bed sores, cuts, or bruises?
Did I personally witness abuse or neglect of my loved one?
Who has inflicted the harm my loved one has suffered?
When did the harm occur?

The more you understand your concerns, the better you will be able to communicate these concerns to authorities. Please assess whether your loved one may be facing immediate harm. If so, you should take steps to immediately remove him or her from the facility.

File a complaint with local Illinois Long-Term Care Ombudsman or Senior Helpline

Once you understand the situation at hand, contact your local Illinois Long-Term Ombudsman Program. This program provides nursing home residents with their own advocates that will help them with any complaints they may have, as well as enhance their overall quality of life. This program is normally free of charge. The Ombudsmen are able to:

Listen to the concerns of the patient and their family members
Inform residents of their rights and possible legal action
Provide information on different nursing home options
Work with the current nursing home staff to make changes
Get law enforcement involved, if necessary.

You can find contact information for your local Ombudsman by visiting the Department of Aging website, or by calling the toll-free number (866) 800-1409 or (888) 206-1327 (TTY).

The Ombudsman may attempt to work directly with the nursing home facility to address the issue raised by your complaint. If that doesn’t resolve the issue, the Ombudsman will assist you in a complaint with the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH).

You can also report suspected abuse or neglect by contacting the Senior HelpLine. The Senior HelpLine is available Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. You can call their toll-free number at (800) 252-8966 or (888) 206-1327 (TTY) or by e-mail at aging.ilsenior@illinois.gov.

File a complaint with IDPH

The next step is to file a complaint with the IDPH. You can download the IDPH Complaint Form and send it to IDPH by fax or mail, or you can use the form to guide you if you’d like to report by phone.

Be prepared to answer the following questions:

Who was the resident that was abused or neglected? Be prepared to give the name and age of your loved one. Please provide the names of staff members or administrators you believe to be involved.
What happened to the nursing home resident? Be prepared to describe specific acts of abuse or neglect that you believe to have occurred. For example, was your loved one assaulted by a staff member? Are staff members administering medications without authorization? Have you found bedsores on your loved one from nursing home staff failing to re-position them?
When did the abuse or neglect occur? Provide specific dates or time periods in which the abuse or neglect occurred.
Where is the facility located? You will need to provide the name of the nursing home and where the facility is located. You can verify this information by visiting the IDPH’s nursing home directory. Please provide the room number and floor number the mistreatment occurred on.
How was the resident harmed or potentially harmed? Keeping a journal to note the harm your loved one has endured is important so you are able to relay this information to IDPH and potentially the authorities. Being able to describe specific instances of harm your loved one has experienced is critical.

You can contact IDPH at:

Phone: (800) 252-4343 or (800) 547-0466 (TTY)
The hotline is open from Monday through Friday 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Fax: (217) 525-8885

Mail: Illinois Department of Public Health
Office of Health Care Regulation
525 W. Jefferson Street, Ground Floor
Springfield, IL 62761-0001

If you would prefer to stay anonymous, you can do so; however, if you would like to receive a written confirmation that your complaint has been received and to be informed of the results of IDPH’s investigation, you must give your name, address, and phone number. IDPH will not reveal your identity as the one who filed the complaint unless:

You give written permission.
Your identity is essential to the investigation.
A court case is filed by IDPH against the nursing home.

It’s important to know the facility cannot retaliate against your loved one which includes harassment, discharge or transferring the resident, simply because you filed a complaint. The IDPH is legally obligated to investigate your complaint. If you report abuse or neglect, IDPH must complete an investigation within seven days. All other investigations must be completed within 30 days.

Keep an eye out

Although you reported abuse or neglect, it’s important to still keep an eye out for your loved one until the issue is resolved. Whenever your visit your loved one, make sure to take a look around and check for anything that may be out of order. It’s also important to make sure your loved one is happy and healthy. If you ever find yourself suspecting abuse occurring in your loved ones facility, report it immediately. Time is crucial, especially in a circumstance like this.

Contact a lawyer

It’s important to contact an experienced and knowledgeable nursing home abuse lawyer to ensure your loved ones rights are fully protected. A lawyer can serve as a liaison between your family, the nursing home, and IDPH during the investigation, or can conduct an independent investigation.

A lawyer will help your assess your options for seeking relief through a lawsuit which can include compensation for any physical, emotional, or financial harm your loved one has endured.

To schedule a free, no obligation consultation, you can contact our office at (312) 384-1920 or (800) 693-1LAW (toll-free). Please visit our website for any additional information including verdicts and settlements.

CMS Adds New Transparency on Nursing Home Abuse

October 23, 2019/in Blog/by Yao Dinizulu

CHICAGO, IL – The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced that it will now be easier for the public to find nursing homes that have violated rules regarding abuse, neglect, or exploitation beginning today, October 23, 2019.

The agency’s Nursing Home Compare website provides detailed information about every Medicare and Medicaid-certified nursing home nationwide. The tool allows you to search by location and/or nursing home names. There is now an icon next to the nursing homes that have been cited reported violations.

Consumers are able to see violations through the inspection reports provided on the website; however, CMS stated that inspection reports are becoming too difficult to access and adding the icon feature will make it easier to find information about abuse citations. The icon warns consumers about the harmful abuse of a resident within the last year, and the potentially harmful abuse of a resident within the last two years. CMS will be updating data information monthly.

In April, CMS announced they were adding improvements to the State Performance Standards System (SPSS) including ending the freeze on the health inspection domain of the Five Star Quality Rating System by resuming traditional methods of calculating health inspection scores by using three cycles of inspections. They will be adding the long-stay hospitalization measure and a measure of long-stay emergency department transfers to the rating system. CMS will also be adjusting the thresholds for staffing ratings. Finally, the threshold for the ‘number of days without a registered nurse onsite’ which will trigger an automatic downgrade to one star will be reduced from seven to four days.

CMS Administrator Seema Verma said, “By holding inspectors accountable for conducting timely and consistent inspections, we’re holding nursing homes accountable for providing safe, high-quality care–helping ensure safe nursing home environments.”

CMS hopes to become more consistent and transparent, requiring hospitals to post their list prices for consumers and force them to post their payer-negotiated rates starting in January 2020. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and Congress are thinking of ways to force drug companies to disclose to consumers the real cost of drugs. The measure, passed in May, was intended for healthcare consumers with price transparency for prescription medications to help lower prescription costs.

According to the Nursing Home Abuse Center, nearly 1-2 million U.S. citizens 65 years or older have been mistreated, exploited, or injured by a caregiver. Only about 20 percent of cases or abuse and neglect are reported. If you’re looking to place a loved one in a nursing home facility, it’s important to do your research before placing them in one. Now that CMC has provided consumers with nursing homes that have been cited for abuse, neglect, and exploitation, it will be much easier to assess facility’s that will be better suited for your loved one.

If you think you or a loved one has experienced abuse, neglect, or been exploited while at the hands of a caregiver, please call one of our experienced nursing home abuse attorney’s right away to schedule a free consultation. Do not wait to hear what the facility is going to do going forward to address this issue. Due to the statue of limitations, we will have to begin working on your case right away. For any additional information, please check out our website.

Phone: (312) 384-1920

Address:
221 N. LaSalle St., Suite 1100
Chicago, IL 60601

Senate Reports More Than 400 Facilities with “Persistent Record of Poor Care”

September 30, 2019/in Blog/by Yao Dinizulu

CHICAGO, IL – Nursing home abuse is extremely under-reported in the United States; however, a list released by the Senate named nearly 400 facilities across the nation that had a record of “persistent poor care.” According to documents and interviews, budget cuts are the contributing factor by reducing available funds to focus on the inspections that are required for nursing homes.

Two Senators released a report in June for the families that are struggling to find the right nursing home for their loved ones. Many people had questions regarding why some homes were not disclosed, while others were publicly identified.

Senator Bob Casey, D-PA, and Senator Pat Toomey, R-PA issued the report stating, “we’ve got to make sure any family member or any potential resident of a nursing home can get this information, not only ahead of time but on an ongoing basis,” according to the Associated Press.

The report comes after the Center of Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) provided a list of nursing homes with ongoing issues and documented problems that were not publicly disclosed. More than 1.3 million Americans live as a nursing home resident in more than 15,700 facilities.

There is a Special Focus Facility Program in which CMS did not disclose the names of roughly 80 smaller nursing homes that are getting special inspection to help solved documented problems. Nursing homes that don’t improve and fix their standard of care could potentially be cut off by Medicaid and Medicare.

Medicare provides a website entitled “Nursing Home Compare” with detailed information regarding all Medicare and Medicaid-certified nursing homes across the country. Nursing homes that are in the Special Focus Facility Program can be identified by a small icon that is a yellow triangle.

CMS Administrator Seema Verma singled out federal budget problems as a factor according to the AP. Verma mentioned, “The number of special focus slots and total number of special focus candidates are based on the availability of federal resources. In 2010, there was room for 167 nursing homes and 835 candidates; now it’s down to 88 slots and 440 candidates.” Federal budget cuts were reduced in 2014.

Federal budget cuts are not the only factors: staffing level and clinical outcomes should be considered.

According to Modern Health Care, recent studies show that nursing home staffing levels are often much lower than what facilities are reporting. Half of the facilities that were analyzed met staffing levels less than 20 percent of the time; moreover, registered nurses in 91 percent of organizations met expectations less than 60 percent of the time. For-profit facilities were more likely to report higher staffing levels compared to not-for-profits.

This is a crucial factor when deciding what facility to place your loved one in. The Consumer Voice mentioned direct caregivers such as an RN, LPN, LVN, or CNA can have up to 5 residents in a day, 10 in the evening, or 15 at night; in addition to licensed nurses including RN, LPN, or LVN, during the day having 15 residents, in the evening 20, and at night 30 residents.

You don’t want to put your loved one in a nursing home where the staff to resident ratio is not sufficient enough care your loved one should be and needs to be given. On average, a RN in a nursing home in the United States has a salary of $61,363 as of August 2019; however, the range typically falls between $57,744 and $64,973 (Salary). It’s important to note many nursing homes are under-staffed, which means staff is overworked and underpaid, often times neglecting your loved one – especially if family is not consistently visiting.

Modern Health reported RNs spent 42 percent less time with residents on weekends, licensed practical nurses spent 17 percent less, and nurse aids spent 9 percent less. Large facilities often have a bigger decreased in staffing levels over the weekends – weekends tend to be busier than the weekdays. Staff that works long hours are more likely to lead to an increase of error while working with residents.

Clinical outcomes that should be evaluated beyond nurse staffing and patient safety, is evaluating nurses’ working conditions. Nurses could over-administer a patient’s medication, or perhaps equipment failure. Although this may seem like a small error, this can interrupt important patient care.

Nursing homes are required to provide residents with quality care. The World Health Organization defined quality of care as a “key component to the right to health, and the route to equity and dignity.” Quality of care includes safe, effective, timely, efficient, equitable, and people-centered care. Many nursing homes fall short of these expectations and requirements, and deficiencies can even go unnoticed.

It’s important to do extensive research on nursing home facilities before placing your loved one in one. Go to visit – check how residents and staff interact, what daily activities are offered, what kind of living accommodation your loved one will be in, and visiting hours.

Abuse in nursing homes and is not limited to physical, emotional, mental, or sexual abuse. It can also include financial exploitation, as well as neglect. It’s important to notify nursing home management and local law enforcement immediately if you suspect your loved one is suffering from neglect or abuse.

Our experienced nursing home abuse lawyers work diligently to seek compensation and justice for your loved one. Please call (312) 384-1920 or visit our website to schedule a free, confidential consultation in our downtown Chicago office, or we can meet wherever is convenient for you.

Contact info:
Dinizulu Law Group, Ltd.
221 N. LaSalle St., Suite 1100
Chicago, IL 60601

What are some signs that might indicate bed bugs and other insects are living in my loved one’s nursing home?

September 25, 2019/in Blog/by Yao Dinizulu

Nursing homes in Illinois and all across the U.S. are required to meet certain state and federal standards that stipulate the type of environment a home is expected to provide its residents with. Not only must the facility be kept clean and tidy, but it should also be sanitary so viruses and diseases have nothing to feed off of and bed bugs and other insects don’t have an environment that is conducive for them to survive in. Unfortunately, there are facilities that aren’t being maintained which results in the home becoming hazardous and unhealthy for the residents who are living there.

Vietnam Vet Dies Days After Being Bit by Ants More Than 100 Times

After Laquna Ross went to visit her father Joel Marrable at the Eagle’s Nest Community Living Center, which is a nursing home for veterans located on the Atlanta VA Medical Center campus, she noticed something rather concerning. Her father, who was an Air Force veteran, had swollen hands and his body had red bumps all over it, says ABC News. Obviously, Ross was alarmed to see her father like this as it wasn’t how he looked the last time she had seen him.

When Ross reported her father’s condition to a staff member, their response was “You know, the ants. When we walked in here, we thought Mr. Marrable was dead. We thought he wasn’t even alive because the ants were all over him.” After hearing this, Ross couldn’t help but wonder what the protocol was inside these types of facilities to manage these situations.

Sadly, Ross’ father died days after he had been bitten up by ants.

While Ross knew her father was going to die as he had been suffering from cancer, perhaps the ant bites “promoted his body to die quicker.” She told the news source that after she had informed the staff about her father, they bathed him and cleaned his room. But that wasn’t enough to get rid of them. The ants returned the next day and that is when the staff decided to move him into a new room which is where he later died.

Ross shared with the news outlet that her father’s room had ants everywhere. They were on the ceiling, the walls, and the beds. After the Atlanta VA Hospital got word of the incident, a spokesperson for the facility released a statement saying they had taken action to address the issue by “stripping all the bedrooms and inspecting them for ants, removing all open food containers, hiring a pest control company to do an inspection, and purchasing plastic containers for the residents’ snacks.”

Although the facility did proceed to take preventive measures to reduce the chances of this happening again, you can’t help but wonder why these measures weren’t taken once the staff saw Marrable crawling with ants. It wasn’t until his daughter notified the staff that something was actually done. It is for this reason that the Chicago, IL nursing home abuse attorneys here at Dinizulu Law Group, Ltd. encourage you to visit your loved one regularly and report any signs of odd behavior, markings on your loved one, or anything out of the ordinary so that is can be properly addressed. If you find that the staff is not handling the issue accordingly, you should then contact our office immediately at 1-312-384-1920.

Signs that Your Loved One’s Nursing Home Might Have Bed Bugs and Other Insects Living Inside of it

As unwholesome as it sounds, insect infestation has proven to be a serious issue for residents living in nursing homes which is why we encourage you to look for the following signs that might indicate there are insects such as bed bugs living in the nursing home your loved one currently resides in.

Signs of Bed Bugs

Bed bugs generally hide during the day which makes them difficult to spot, according to Orkin so be sure to keep your eye out for the tiny, rust-colored stains they tend to leave behind. You will want to look in the following places for these spots:

The mattress tags and shams
The ceiling
Under seat cushions
Behind the headboard
You’ll also want to look for areas that might be potential hiding spots for bed bugs such as lifted wallpaper.

Some other insects aside from bed bugs that tend to lurk in nursing homes include scabies and the only way to tell if your loved one is living in a place that fosters an environment for these bugs to survive in is to remain vigilant during each of your visits. For example, you should inspect your loved one each time you go to seem them to be sure they don’t have any raised bumps, bites, rashes, blisters, pimples, etc. and if you notice anything that could potentially be a bug bite, report it to the staff immediately.

The Chicago, IL nursing home my loved one lives in is unsanitary and dirty. What can I do?

For starters, you might want to notify the staff of the conditions you are witnessing and consider looking for a new home for your relative to live in. You can also contact one of our Chicago, IL nursing home abuse attorneys to learn more about what your family member’s legal rights are when they are forced to live in unhealthy or hazardous conditions.

You can contact Dinizulu Law Group, Ltd. at:

221 North La Salle Drive, Suite 1100
Chicago, IL 60601

Phone: 1-312-384-1920

Website: www.dinizululawgroup.com