Senior citizens, the disabled, infirm and rehabilitating are often subjected to neglect and abuse in nursing facilities, which can leave family members shaken at the thought that their loved one is being mistreated. In some incidents, the injury is the result of a lack of supervision or untrained nursing staff at the facility. Other times, the patient becomes the victim of resident-to-resident sexual assault or abuse.
If your loved one was victimized by abuse while residing in a Jersey County nursing facility, contact the Illinois Nursing Home Law Center attorneys for immediate legal intervention. Our team of lawyers has successfully resolved cases just like yours. Let us begin working on your case now to ensure your family is adequately compensated for your damages.
This Medicare/Medicaid-participating nursing center is a "for profit" home providing services to residents of Jerseyville and Jersey County, Illinois. The 98-certified bed long-term care (LTC) home is located at:
410 Fletcher
Jerseyville, Illinois, 62052
(618) 498-6427
In addition to providing around-the-clock skilled nursing care, Willow Rose Rehab and Health Care Center provides other services that include:
Federal agencies and the State of Illinois have a legal responsibility to monitor every nursing facility. If serious violations are identified, the government can impose monetary fines or deny payments through Medicare if the resident was harmed or could have been harmed by the deficiency.
Within the last three years, state and federal nursing home regulatory agencies imposed a monetary fine of $55,848 against Willow Rose Rehabilitation on April 11, 2017, due to substandard care. Also, Medicare denied payment for services rendered on April 11, 2017.
The nursing home also received fifteen formally filed complaints that all resulted in citations. Additional information concerning penalties and fines can be reviewed on the Illinois Department of Public Health Nursing Home Reporting Website about this nursing facility.
Our attorneys review data on every long-term and intermediate care facility in Illinois. Families can obtain the same publically-available information by visiting numerous state and federal government databases including the IL Department of Public Health website and Medicare.gov. This data is a valuable tool to use when choosing the best location to place a loved one who needs the highest level of services and care in a safe environment.
According to Medicare, this facility maintains an overall rating of one out of five stars, including one out of five stars concerning health inspections, two out of five stars for staffing issues and three out of five stars for quality measures. The Jersey County neglect attorneys at Nursing Home Law Center have found serious deficiencies and safety concerns at Willow Rose Rehabilitation and Health Nursing Center that include:
In a summary statement of deficiencies dated September 25, 2018, the state surveyors noted that the facility failed to protect “residents from misappropriation of medication.” The deficient practice by the nursing staff involved three residents “reviewed for abuse, neglect, and exploitation.”
One incident involved a resident whose Brief Interview for Mental Status shows that they maintained normal cognition and required “one-person physical assist for personal hygiene.” Another resident “was unable to complete the interview. This MDS (Minimum Data Set) Assessment “also documents that he has a one-person physical assist for personal hygiene.” A third person’s MDS documents that he or she is severely and cognitively impaired and “is a one-person physical assist for eating and personal hygiene.”
The survey team interviewed the facility Administrator who said that they sent an initial Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) Incident or Abuse Notification letter to the IDPH. The document indicated that a former Registered Nurse (RN) “admitted diverting [three residents’] controlled medications. In that letter, [the Administrator] notified the State police, Medical Doctor, family, and the Illinois Department of Public Health, and terminated [the RN] that day.”
The Administrator said “that “in my experience, it seems like it is the Night Nurse is to try to get away with this.” The investigators reviewed the facility’s policy titled: Abuse Prevention revised on November 20, 2016, that reads in part:
“This facility affirms the right of residents to be free from abuse, neglect, misappropriation of resident property, and exploitation. The facility, therefore, prohibits mistreatment, exploitation, neglect or abuse of its residents, in part.”
In a summary statement of deficiencies dated September 25, 2018, the state investigators documented that the facility had failed to “identify, assess, evaluate, monitor and treat pressure sores. The deficient practice by the nursing staff involved three of seven residents “reviewed for pressure ulcers.” In one case, two resident’s “pressure ulcers worsened.”
The surveyors interviewed a resident at the facility whose wound progress had deteriorated significantly. The resident stated that “I have not been here long, I have blood clots in both legs, wound on the left heel and cellulite.”
The next day, the resident “was observed lying in bed” and said “they did not change my dressings yesterday, I think they got too busy. The last time that they ‘straight caught me’ was around 7:30 PM last night. I was not having any pain, but I know when I have water though.”
The investigative team observed the resident receiving wound care by a Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN). The LPN “removed the Ace wrap from [the resident’s] right foot and removed the undated [and with] no initials ensanguine gauze, then cleansed the wound with normal saline and applied saintly to the wound bed and then applied calcium alginate dressing over the entire wound, lapping over the margins on the healthy skin.”
Observation of the resident’s “pressure ulcer to the right heel was untraceable with slough and necrosis [dead tissue] observed.” The LPN “after completing the dressing, did not timely change her gloves or wash her hands during [the resident’s] right heel dressing change.” The LPN “then removed the Ace wrap from [the resident’s] left foot and removed the saturated bloody gauze that had no initials or date. Bloody drainage was observed on the bed sheet below the wound.”
At that time, the LPN stated “I do not see any date or initials, but it was marked on the Treatment Administration Record that the dressing was changed on the eighth,” which was eleven days earlier. After the LPN “remove the gauze from the left heel, a foul odor was noted.” The LPN said, “yes, I do smell an odor.” The LPN “treated the wound and then covered the entire wound and surrounding margins with calcium alginate dressing and then wrapped the entire heel in a partial foot [dressing] with gauze.”
The resident’s “left heel had a foul odor untraceable pressure ulcer with slough and necrosis [dead tissue] observed.” The LPN said that the resident “was not currently taking any antibiotics.”
In a separate summary statement of deficiency dated August 17, 2017, the state investigators noted that “the facility failed to assess, document and obtain treatments [for the resident’s medical necessities].”
The surveyor’s findings included observation of a CNA performing incontinence care in a resident’s room just before noon on April 14, 2017. The Director of Nursing and two Certified Nursing Aides were present at the time. One CNA said that “I heard in the report this morning [that the resident] has a red area on her bottom.” The surveyor questioned the CNA “where the area was or what it looked like.” The CNA stated “I just know it is a red area. I have not seen it.”
A few minutes later, the CNA rolled the resident “over onto her right side.” The resident “had a red area on her sacrum approximately the size of the half-dollar with a small open area on the lower left area of the reddened area.” The resident “also had a red area approximately the size of the half-dollar with small open slits in the middle of it on her left gluteal fold.”
The CNA then rolled the resident “over onto her left side.” The resident “had a red opened area approximately the size of the half-dollar with a small open slit on her right gluteal fold.”
The Director of Nursing stated at the time that “there should be a treatment in place for these.” The Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) said “I just heard [the resident’s] bottom was red this morning from [another LPN]. I have not seen it. I am unsure if there is a treatment in place.”
The surveyors reviewed the resident’s Nurse’s Notes documents that the “doctor was notified of the red areas on the buttocks [and the staff was] awaiting a response. No other documentation regarding the pressure areas is noted.”
In a summary statement of deficiencies dated August 17, 2017, the state investigators noted that “the facility failed to provide complete incontinent care for two of five residents reviewed for incontinent care.” In one incident, the investigators reviewed a resident’s MDS (Minimum Data Set) Assessment that shows a part of the resident “requires the extensive assist of one staff member for toileting and is frequently incontinent.”
The surveyors observed a Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) performing incontinence care for a resident just before noon on August 14, 2017. The resident’s “adult brief was visibly saturated with urine.” The CNA “failed to cleanse [the resident’s] rectal area.”
As a part of the investigation, the surveyors interviewed the Director of Nursing who said that “both buttocks and the rectal area should be washed during care.”
Another resident’s MDS (Minimum Data Set) Assessment show that the resident “requires the extensive assist of one staff member for toileting and was always incontinent.” The surveyors observed another Certified Nursing Assistant performing “incontinent care for this resident.” The resident’s “incontinent brief was saturated with urine.” During the care, the CNA cleansed the resident’s “rectal area toward the vagina and failed to cleanse [the resident’s] left buttock.”
The Director of Nursing stated that “it is not okay to a wash from the rectal area to the vagina.” The investigators reviewed the facility’s policy titled: Perineal Cleansing dated September 21, 2010, that reads in part:
“Wash anal area thoroughly with each stroke beginning at the base of the labia and extending up over the buttocks.”
In a summary statement of deficiencies dated September 25, 2018, a state surveyor documented that the facility had failed to “develop and implement an intervention to prevent accidents in the facility.” The nursing home also “failed to provide proper transfer for four residents reviewed for accidents and hazards.”
In one incident, surveyors observed two Certified Nursing Aide (CNAs) who “were initiating a mechanical lift transfer for [a resident].” Both CNAs attach the resident’s sling and four straps to the mechanical lift and “began to lift the resident from the wheelchair.”
At that time, the resident “was suspended above the wheelchair and was being moved to the bed.” One CNA “held the resident’s toes while suspended in the air between the bed and did not have control of the sling.” The resident “has numerous skin tears visible to her legs.”
The investigative team reviewed the facility’s policy titled: Mechanical Lift dated October 30, 2008, that reads in part:
“The mechanical lift may be used to lift and move a resident with limited ability during transfer while providing safety and security for residents and nursing personnel.”
“It may be necessary to support the resident’s head. The guide strap may be used to guide the resident in a proper position while the resident is being lowered.”
Did you identify any symptom of abuse, mistreatment or neglect with your loved one while they resided at Willow Rose Rehabilitation and Health Nursing Center? If so, it is crucial to contact the Illinois nursing home abuse attorneys at Nursing Home Law Center at (800) 926-7565 immediately for legal intervention. Our network of attorneys fights aggressively on behalf of Jersey County victims of mistreatment living in long-term facilities including nursing homes in Jerseyville. Contact us now to schedule a free case review to discuss how to obtain justice and resolve a financial compensation claim.
Our knowledgeable attorneys can offer legal assistance on your behalf to ensure your case for financial compensation is resolved against every party that caused your loved one harm. Our network of attorneys accepts all nursing home abuse lawsuits, personal injury claims, medical malpractice cases, and wrongful death suits through a contingency fee arrangement. This agreement postpones the need to pay for our legal services until after our legal team has resolved your claim for compensation through a jury trial award or negotiated settlement out of court.
Our network of attorneys offers every client a “No Win/No-Fee” Guarantee, meaning if we are unable to resolve your case successfully, you owe us nothing. Let our attorneys begin working on your behalf today to ensure your family receives adequate compensation from those who caused your harm. All information you share with our law offices will remain confidential.
Attorney Jonathan Rosenfeld
Licensed in Illinois
Chicago Nursing Home Injury Attorney Nursing Home Law Center LLC Home