South Bend Nursing Home Abuse & Neglect Attorneys

South Bend, IN Nursing Home Ratings GraphOut of a population of more than 101,000 residents, South Bend, Indiana is home to almost 13,000 senior citizens with nearly twice that number living in surrounding communities. Many of these elderly residents reside in nursing facilities in and around the South Bend area.

Medicare regularly collects data on every nursing facility in South Bend, Indiana based on information gathered through inspections, surveys and investigations. Currently, the national database shows that inspectors identified serious violations and deficiencies at sixteen (46%) of the thirty-five South Bend nursing facilities that led to resident harm. If your loved one was mistreated, abused, injured or died unexpectedly from neglect while residing in a nursing home in Indiana, let our team of dedicated lawyers protect your rights. Contact the South Bend nursing home abuse & neglect attorneys at Nursing Home Law Center (800-926-7565) today to schedule a free case consultation to discuss filing a claim for compensation to recover your damages.

Unfortunately, the truth about nursing facilities is often cold and sobering. This is because many residents are mistreated by caregivers and other individuals living in the facility. Abuse, mistreatment and neglect are not new problems to aging citizens who often have no other option than to move into an assisted-living center, nursing home or rehabilitation facility.

Statistically, a high number of nursing facilities fail their inspections multiple times every year by not meeting acceptable levels of standards for providing safety and health care to meet the needs of their residents. For decades, Medicare has served as a partner with state governments in an effort to accurately inspect and assess nursing facilities and investigate all file complaints. However, the task is monumental as isolated cases of abuse, sexual assault, mistreatment and neglect can easily fall through the cracks.

South Bend Nursing Home Safety Concerns

The experience nursing home abuse & neglect at Nursing Home Law Center LLC understand the complexities of stopping the harm caused by negligent caregivers and aggressive residents at nursing facilities all throughout Indiana. These problems occur in both for-profit and not-for-profit nursing homes in major cities like Indianapolis and smaller cities including South Bend, Evansville, Fort Wayne and Carmel.

To circumvent the problem, our skilled team of advocate attorneys publish the most current publicly available information of nursing homes statewide gathered from national websites including Medicare.gov. This information can be used to compare different nursing facilities in the South Bend community before placing a loved one in a home who requires the best care available.

Comparing South Bend Area Nursing Facilities

Family members are often unaware that they can receive the safety and health reports for every facility they are considering to place a loved one who requires nursing home care. The list below provides detailed information on nursing facilities throughout the South Bend community that maintain a one to two star rating out of five possible stars as posted on www.Medicare.gov. Typically, these facilities face serious problems with staffing, health investigations and the quality of care they provide their residents.

Overall Rating of 35 Nursing Homes
    Rating: 5 out of 5 (9) Much above average
    Rating: 4 out of 5 (5) Above average
    Rating: 3 out of 5 (5) Average
    Rating: 2 out of 5 (11) Below average
    Rating: 1 out of 5 (5) Much below average
August 2018

Golden Living Center – Fountainview
609 W. Tanglewood Ln.
Mishawaka, IN 46545
(574) 277-2500

A “For-Profit” 130-certified bed Medicaid/Medicare-participating facility

Overall Rating – 1 out of 5 possible stars

1 star rating

Primary Concerns –

Failure to Provide an Environment Free of Verbal Abuse by Employees

In a summary statement of deficiencies dated 09/11/2015, complaint investigation was opened against the facility for its failure “to ensure [the resident] was free from abuse from a staff member.” This complaint investigation is in response to a 09/09/2015 incident where two employees were observed talking to a resident in the resident’s room.

One employee was later identified as the facility’s Administrator who was observed speaking “in an elevated and disrespectful tone directed at the resident, and included but was not limited to the following statements: No, you don’t. No, you don’t. I know it is hard, I went through divorce myself. You are acting like a child, you cannot act like that or you will have to go right back. [The resident’s] voice was not heard during the exchange, the resident’s door stood fully open throughout the observation” and the Administrator was observed leaving the resident’s room with the other employee.

Golden Living Center – Mishawaka
811 E. 12TH St.
Mishawaka, IN 46544
(574) 259-1917

A government owned and operated 87-certified bed Medicaid/Medicare-participating facility

Overall Rating – 1 out of 5 possible stars

1 star rating

Primary Concerns –

Failure to Provide Adequate Supervision for Preventing Accidents That Resulted in a Resident Sustaining Burns

In a summary statement of deficiencies dated 06/03/2015, complaint investigation was opened against the facility for its failure “to provide adequate supervision to prevent an accident that resulted in a resident sustaining blistering burns to her breast and abdomen that required ongoing treatment and assessment for healing and prevention of infection.” This complaint investigation was opened in part from the facility’s failure to provide adequate supervision and assistance to a resident who required feeding assistance. In addition, it was noted that the facility failed to give the resident their complete attention to minimize the potential of harm. The deficient practice might be considered negligence.

Trailpoint Village
1950 Ridgedale Road
South Bend, IN 46614
(574) 291-6722

A “For Profit” 183-certified bed Medicaid/Medicare-participating facility

Overall Rating – 1 out of 5 possible stars

1 star rating

Primary Concerns –

Failure to Implement a System to Determine a Resident’s Code Status That Was Needed When the Resident Went “Full Code”

In a summary statement of deficiencies dated 02/24/2015, a state investigator made a notation of the facility’s failure “to have a system in place to determine code status and failed to perform Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation on a resident who was a full code.” In addition, “The facility also failed to ensure advanced directive/code status was clearly documented for [4 out of 23 residents at the facility out of 99 residents].” As a result, “This deficient practice resulted in an Immediate Jeopardy” which began “when staff failed to ensure the code status of a resident was correctly documented and to perform Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation.”

Creekside Village
1420 E. Douglas Rd.
Mishawaka, IN 46545
(574) 307-7200

A “For-Profit” 100-certified bed Medicaid/Medicare-participating facility

Overall Rating – 2 out of 5 possible stars

2 stars rating

Primary Concerns –

Failure to Follow Protocols When Transferring a Patient Which Resulted in a Fall with Serious Injuries

In a summary statement of deficiencies dated 08/28/2015, complaint investigation was opened against the facility for its failure “to ensure the plan of care was followed during a transfer using a Hoyer lift that resulted in a fall with femur fracture of [a resident at the facility].” The complaint investigation involved in interview with the Director of Nursing at the facility who indicated “there should be two persons with a Hoyer lift transfer regardless of the situation.” This defective practice might be considered negligence of the facility and individuals in charge of providing care, training and supervision.

Elkhart Rehabilitation Center
2600 Morehouse Ave.
Elkhart, IN 46517
(574) 295-8800

A “For-Profit” 58-certified bed Medicaid/Medicare-participating facility

Overall Rating – 2 out of 5 possible stars

2 stars rating

Primary Concerns –

Failure to Follow Protocols When Transferring a Patient That Resulted in a Fracture Requiring Surgery Following a Falling Accident

In a summary statement of deficiencies dated 04/17/2015, a state investigator made a notation of the facility’s failure “to transfer a dependent resident with the required lift which resulted in a distal humerus fracture that required surgery.” This notation is made due to an investigation of a transfer Hoyer lift incident that was used for a resident who is unable to bear weight.

As a result of the incident, the CNA involved in the accident “was dismissed because during the investigation, [the CNA] indicated that she used the sit to stand lift for [the resident] because it was easier for [the CNA] to transfer her instead of the ordered Hoyer lift.” This defective practice might be considered a negligent action.

Golden Living Center – Elkhart
1001 W. Hively Ave.
Elkhart, IN 46517
(574) 294-7641

A government owned and operated 175-certified bed Medicaid/Medicare-participating facility

Overall Rating – 2 out of 5 possible stars

2 stars rating

Primary Concerns –

Failure to Perform Accurate Skin Assessments That Led to a Degradation of Existing Bedsores

In a summary statement of deficiencies dated 05/29/2015, complaint investigation was opened against the facility for its failure “to ensure the accuracy of skin assessments for two Minimum Data Sets (MDS) assessments for [a resident at the facility].” The complaint investigation was opened due to the MDS (minimum data sets) Coordinator’s failure to follow protocol by not coding the resident “as having a pressure ulcer on 3/2/15 or the 3/8/15 Minimum Data Set assessments.

She indicated she could not find the wound sheets at the time and was told by the nurse that the pressure ulcer was healed. She further indicated she did not go to [the resident] and conduct a skin assessment during the seven day period.” This deficient practice might be considered negligence because it violates regulated state and federal policies including the Pressure Ulcer Steps for Assessment where the Coordinator is to perform a head to toe assessment and “conduct a full body skin assessment focusing on bony prominences and pressure-bearing areas (sacrum, buttocks, heels, ankles, etc.).”

The Milton Home
206 E. Marion St.
South Bend, IN 46601
(574) 233-0165

A “For Profit” 34-certified bed Medicaid/Medicare-participating facility

Overall Rating – 2 out of 5 possible stars

2 stars rating

Primary Concerns –

Failure to Protect Residents at the Facility from Abuse, Physical Punishment or Mistreatment

In a summary statement of deficiencies dated 08/26/2015, a state investigator made a notation of the facility’s failure “to ensure that a resident was free from verbal, physical, and mental abuse when staff gave a shower against the resident’s desire, sprayed the resident with cold and hot water, and spoke to the resident in a demeaning/intimidating manner causing the resident mental anguish.”

This deficient practice “have the potential to affect [every resident in the facility] at risk for being verbally, physically and mentally abuse. The deficiency resulted in an Immediate Jeopardy. The Immediate Jeopardy began on 8/12/14 when the staff gave a resident a shower against her desire.”

West Bend Nursing and Rehabilitation
4600 W. Washington Ave.
South Bend, IN 46619
(574) 282-1294

A government owned and operated 157-certified bed Medicaid/Medicare-participating facility

Overall Rating – 2 out of 5 possible stars

2 stars rating

Primary Concerns –

Failure to Timely Notify a Resident’s Guardian of a Change in Their Condition  as Required by Law

In a summary statement of deficiencies dated 09/23/2015, complaint investigation was opened against the facility for its failure “to notify a resident’s guardian timely of a change in condition and the need to transfer the resident to an acute care facility [which occurred on 9/14/2015]. This deficient practice affected [1 resident at the facility].” An interview was conducted on 9/23/15, with the Director of Nursing where an indication was made “that [the resident’s] wife had not been notified of [the resident’s] ER visit until [the following day 09/15/2015] when she was notified of his elopement [wandering away or leaving the premises without authorization or supervision].”

Woodland Manor
343 South Nappanee St.
Elkhart, IN 46514
(574) 295-0096

A “For Profit” 80-certified bed Medicaid/Medicare-participating facility

Overall Rating – 2 out of 5 possible stars

2 stars rating

Primary Concerns –

Failed to Provide Protection of Residents against Abuse from Facility Employees

In a summary statement of deficiencies dated 05/19/2015, a state investigator made a notation of the facility’s failure “to ensure three of five allegations of abuse were thoroughly investigated and one of six allegations of abuse was reported timely to the State agency. In addition the facility failed to ensure and follow their policy and procedure to protect residents from further abuse while an investigation was in process for one of six allegations.”

This deficient practice involves five residents at the facility. The notation of the failure was made because the incident involved a resident indicating “a staff nurse had called him an idiot and had yelled at him. He indicated the Dementia Coordinator had assisted him with completing a written grievance form. He indicated the only response to the grievance form had been when the facility had attempted to issue him an involuntary discharge form. He indicated [the Dementia Coordinator] still worked second shift in the facility continue to antagonize him and upset him.

Nursing Home Violations Continue to Rise

In recent years, the number of violations in nursing homes has exceeded the horrible statistics maintained decades ago. This is because the rapidly growing number of aging citizens throughout the United States has placed an overwhelming burden on the networks of nursing facilities nationwide. Unfortunately, these large corporations that operate the vast majority of nursing facilities are typically money driven, where profits are placed in front of the resident’s safety, health and well-being.

Sadly, millions of elderly individuals are victimized by elder abuse, neglect, mistreatment, financial exploitation and violent assault in care facilities and nursing homes nationwide. Statistics maintained by the National Center on Elder Abuse (NCEA) indicate that only 20 percent of all cases involving physical abuse against elderly residents in nursing facilities are ever reported to the authorities. Many personal injury claims filed by nursing home abuse victims involve:

  • Physical assault by caregivers at the facility
  • Verbal abuse by employees in the nursing home
  • Resident to resident assaults
  • Financial exploitation through money mismanagement or items stolen from the resident
  • Sexual abuse by employees or other residents in the facility
  • Gross negligence

It is crucial that every friend and family member look for any warning signs of abuse, neglect, unusual behavior change, emotional withdrawal and sudden changes in the resident’s finances and accounts. In addition, it is imperative to stay in communication with your elderly parent or grandparent in a nursing facility to give them support and allow them opportunities to discuss any complaint, grievance or criticism they have about their nursing home.

If you believe your loved one has been victimized by mistreatment, sexual assault, physical abuse or neglect while residing at any facility in South Bend, Nursing Home Law Center LLC can take immediate legal steps to stop the harm now. Our team of dedicated South Bend, Indiana nursing home abuse attorneys can provide various legal options on how to seek financial compensation for your damages.

We encourage you to make contact with our law offices today by calling (800) 926-7565 to schedule your free, no obligation full case review to discuss your case for financial recompense. We handle all personal injury cases and nursing home abuse claims for compensation on a contingency fee arrangement. This means all of your legal services are provided without an upfront fee.

For additional information on Indiana laws and information on nursing homes look here.

Nursing Home Abuse & Neglect Resources

If you are looking for information on a specific facility or an attorney, please see links below to respective locality pages.

Client Reviews

★★★★★
Jonathan did a great job helping my family navigate through a lengthy lawsuit involving my grandmother's death in a nursing home. Through every step of the case, Jonathan kept my family informed of the progression of the case. Although our case eventually settled at a mediation, I really was impressed at how well prepared Jonathan was to take the case to trial. Lisa
★★★★★
After I read Jonathan’s Nursing Home Blog, I decided to hire him to look into my wife’s treatment at a local nursing home. Jonathan did a great job explaining the process and the laws that apply to nursing homes. I immediately felt at ease and was glad to have him on my side. Though the lawsuit process was at times frustrating, Jonathan reassured me, particularly at my deposition. I really felt like Jonathan cared about my wife’s best interests, and I think that came across to the lawyers for the nursing home. Eric