Chicago, IL—Nursing homes are relied on for assistance and supervision of aging individuals. People move into nursing homes generally because their physical/mental state interferes with their ability to care for themselves. While many of the individuals who relocate to a nursing home aren’t suffering from any serious medical conditions, there are plenty who are.
Dementia and diabetes are two of many conditions nursing home residents enter into facilities with that require specific care to be rendered, all of which should be outlined in a resident’s care plan.
What is a care plan?
A care plan is something that is created when an individual arrives at a nursing home. Staff members will collect basic information about them, including their health condition(s), and develop a plan that may include any of the following1:
- The type of personal or health care services they need.
- The type of equipment or supplies they need and how often they will need to be supplied. Residents who are diabetic will need to have access to blood-sugar machines, insulin, etc.
- The type of diet they are required to follow. This is especially important for diabetic residents as the wrong foods could cause their blood sugar levels to spike to dangerous levels.
- How the care plan with help them reach their goals.
- The types of staff members who should be rendering care/performing services.
Anytime a staff member is assigned to tend to a resident, they should have a firm understanding of the conditions they suffer from as well as the type of care their care plan calls for. Those who are uninformed could make a mistake such as giving a resident the wrong types of foods or too much or too little insulin.
How often should care plans be revisited?
Once a care plan is completed, which is usually within the first 14 days of an individual being admitted, a health assessment should then be completed at least every 90 days, according to the U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. If a person’s medical status changes, then a health assessment may be needed before reaching 90 days.
In addition, staffers should also be completing regular assessments of a resident’s condition to determine if their “health status changed” or “changes to [their] care plan are needed.”
What can I do if my loved one’s care plan is being ignored?
Nursing homes have high turn-around rates and are often understaffed. It is for this reason and many others that a resident’s care plan is overlooked or ignored. Despite the challenges nursing home staffers might be facing, they cannot ignore the needs of their residents. And if they do, there could be civil and criminal consequences for them to pay.
If you would like to find out what these are, contact Dinizulu Law Group, Ltd. to speak with an experienced Chicago nursing home abuse attorney.
Illinois Nursing Home Fined After a Resident’s Needs Were Overlooked and Ultimately Led to Him Passing Away
A nursing home in Illinois was fined $25,000 and issued 10 citations for licensure violations after a 62-year-old resident choked to death. The male resident suffered from “anxiety, schizophrenia, and dementia,” and was susceptible to choking. Because of this, the home placed him on a diet that consisted of “regular, thin liquids and cut up meat.”
A dietician later noticed that the male resident would “shove food into his mouth” and they placed him on a feeding plan “that required him to eat meals at a feeder table while under the supervision of nursing staff.” A few months later, dietary notes were added to his care plan that stated he should eat bread that is “quartered and moistened on both sides with butter, gravy, or jelly at every meal.”
Multiple Choking Incidents Recorded
The male resident experienced several choking incidents after the dietary notes were added and several months later, a licensed practical nurse (LPN) noticed the resident was choking and “had turned grayish in color.” The police and emergency medical personnel were called to render CPR, and the man, unfortunately, passed away.
Apparently, the CNA who delivered the food to the resident was unaware the resident had special instructions for how his food should be served. Therefore he/she left the tray with the resident and the bread he was served whole and had not been moistened. Sadly, the resident choked to death.
Dinizulu Law Group, Ltd. is Here to Help if Your Loved One’s Care Plan is Being Ignored
If your loved one’s needs are being ignored, this could be identified as a form of neglect. If you would like to find out what your legal options are or how you should address the issue, the Chicago, IL nursing home neglect lawyers at Dinizulu Law Group, Ltd. are ready to help.
Because ignoring a care plan could have detrimental effects on a resident, it is important to address the issue as soon as possible. The Chicago, IL nursing home abuse lawyers at Dinizulu Law Group, Ltd. understand how frustrating and confusing this time may be for you and we are here to help you in any way possible.
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
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