nursing home

Meadowbrook Manor in Bolingbrook has Deadliest COVID-19 Outbreak in Illinois

May 15, 2020 | The Collins Law Firm, P.C.

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Meadowbrook Manor is a 298-bed nursing home in Bolingbrook, Illinois that participates in Medicare and Medicaid. According to recent IDPH numbers, they are facing a major COVID-19 outbreak with 176 confirmed cases of COVID-19 and 26 deaths, the most deaths in any long-term care facility in Illinois.

Medicare.gov gives the facility two out of five stars (below average) based on staffing and health inspections. Meadowbrook Manor’s staffing levels are lower than average, with residents receiving 59 minutes of licensed registered nursing time per day versus 1 hour and 34 minutes nationally, and 1 hour and 23 minutes of a nursing aide’s time compared to a national average of 2 hours and 18 minutes.

Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) Violations

COVID-19 at City View Multicare Center in Cicero: Nursing Home Struggling with Shocking Coronavirus Outbreak

May 13, 2020 | The Collins Law Firm, P.C.

City View Multicare Center is a for-profit nursing home located in Cicero, Illinois. They participate in the Medicare and Medicaid programs and have 485 beds. Currently, they are one of many nursing homes in Illinois battling a severe outbreak of COVID-19. As of May 11, 2020, 262 residents and staff have tested positive for COVID-19 and 11 people have died at the nursing home.

Medicare.gov gives them one out of five stars (much below average) based on recent health inspections and staffing levels. Regarding staffing, residents at City View Multicare receive 11 minutes of care from a registered nurse per day, compared to a national average of 41 minutes, and 52 minutes of a nursing aide’s time compared to 2 hours and 18 minutes nationally.

A government health inspection in 2019 found 18 health deficiencies; an inspection in 2018 found 18 as well, and 10 deficiencies were found in 2017. In the last 3 years, City View Multicare has had 17 complaints filed by residents or others that resulted in citations. Health inspections in 2019 found that the facility failed to:

Illinois Finally Releases COVID-19 Numbers at Nursing Homes: Search for Your Loved One’s Nursing Home Here

April 20, 2020 | Margaret Collins

virus-4931227_1920-1024x683 The Illinois Department of Public Health has finally released information about the growing numbers of COVID-19 cases and deaths at individual nursing homes in the state. As nursing home neglect and abuse attorneys, we have felt that families with loved ones in a nursing home deserve to know this important health information, and we had been dismayed by the secrecy and lack of transparency in Illinois up until now.

Below is a list of Illinois nursing homes with the worst outbreaks, as reported by the Chicago Tribune. It includes the nursing homes with the highest number of cases/deaths as of April 19. Unfortunately, we expect these numbers to rise in the coming weeks as nursing homes report more cases.

Cook County:

Over Four Hundred Illinois Nursing Homes Report Coronavirus Cases and Deaths as COVID-19 Crisis Grows

April 19, 2020 | The Collins Law Firm, P.C.

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Note: These numbers have been updated as of May 12, 2020.

With elderly residents and close living quarters, nursing homes are extremely vulnerable to coronavirus. As the coronavirus crisis continues to develop in Illinois, numbers are emerging showing that nursing homes account for about 50% of the state’s COVID-19 deaths. That number is not surprising when you consider that 410 nursing homes in the state have been affected by the virus. Dr. Ngozi Ezike, director of the Illinois Department of Public Health, recognized that nursing homes would be vulnerable back in a March 12 statement, during which she prioritized restricting visits to nursing homes as a method of limiting the spread of coronavirus.

Despite Illinois banning the majority of visitors at nursing homes, the latest infection reports are still showing coronavirus on the rise in senior facilities. Daily news reports and infection data highlight the widespread problem of COVID-19 infections in Illinois nursing homes. Recently released data from the Illinois Department of Public Health shows that over 14,882 cases of coronavirus and 2400 deaths are linked to nursing homes in the state and the numbers continue to grow. Hardest hit has been Cook County, which has reported 1350 nursing home-related deaths and multiple nursing homes with serious outbreaks. At least four other Illinois counties–including Will, DuPage, Lake, and Kane– have reported 500 or more confirmed cases of COVID-19 in long-term assisted care facilities.

COVID-19 CLAIMS FAMOUS NFL KICKER IN LOUISIANA NURSING HOME AS STATE SHAMEFULLY MOVES TO KEEP NURSING HOME VIRUS “CLUSTERS” SECRET

April 16, 2020 | Shawn Collins

covid-19-4961257_1920-300x169 As if we needed further proof that COVID-19 does not discriminate in favor of the famous, we learn that one of the National Football League’s record-setting field goal kickers has just died from COVID-19 complications in a New Orleans nursing home. 73-year old Tom Dempsey, who was born without fingers on his right hand and part of his right foot and yet kicked what was in 1970 the longest field goal (63 yards) in NFL history, died April 4 in New Orleans’ Lambeth House retirement home, where he had been a resident since 2012.

The State of Louisiana has become notorious for its initial unwillingness to take COVID-19 as seriously as other states, and now, predictably is paying the price, becoming one of the states with the fastest-growing rates of COVID-19 infections and related deaths. Included among the alarming number of Louisiana deaths are 15 residents of Lambeth House, where Dempsey had been a resident. 50 of its residents have tested positive for the virus, as of the date of Dempsey’s death.

But, rather than try to recover from its early ignorance, and get ahead of the virus through competence and transparency, the State of Louisiana has instead opted for shameful secrecy. Specifically, it has just reversed its previous policy and now will no longer make public the names of the nursing homes identified as having “clusters” of COVID-19. A “cluster” is defined as two or more related COVID-19 cases—information that is extremely valuable not only to public health officials but also to families whose loved ones are in one of the state’s nursing homes. Now, Louisiana will merely publish a list of the homes where there are confirmed infections and deaths. And it will now provide this information only twice a week, instead of daily, as had been its practice.

Coronavirus Hits Hundreds of Long-Term Care Facilities around the US. It’s a Crisis.

April 5, 2020 | The Collins Law Firm, P.C.

coronavirus4923543_1920-1024x659 Over 400 long-term care facilities have been hit with coronavirus, and that number will likely continue to rise. According to a report by NBC News released March 30th, the number of long-term care facilities that have residents infected with coronavirus increased 172% in just one week. Most of these facilities are in New York, New Jersey, Washington, and California, states that make up one-seventh of the national population. But, it’s anticipated that there will be a rapid increase in cases in long-term care facilities throughout the country. Further, the number of cases within each facility continues to rise. For instance, one Maryland facility alone reported 66 cases.

Most concerning, though, is an unwillingness to disclose which facilities have been hit with coronavirus. Even though facilities are releasing data about the number of cases, federal and state officials have not named the facilities. For instance, the Center for Disease Control declined to name the facilities, claiming that the agency does not collect facility names. Additionally, in New York, where the highest number of facilities have been hit, the New York State Department of Health refused to name the 155 affected facilities statewide because of patient confidentiality. Illinois state health officials do not identify facilities with cases for the same reason. The federal government requires long-term care facilities to notify a sick resident’s family of any illness but does not require facilities to provide notification to relatives of other residents. That leaves it up to the facilities themselves whether to communicate with all residents’ families about cases within the facility.

A failure to communicate with the family of potentially affected residents is concerning. Since nursing home and long-term care facility residents tend to be older and suffer from long-term conditions, they are already at a higher risk than the general population. Many facilities also have residents living or interacting in close quarters on a daily basis, compounding the risk to residents. Additionally, coronavirus is already a recognized stressor and a potential cause of anxiety. This failure to disclose which facilities have been affected can add anxiety to the families of residents concerned about their loved ones.

Nursing Homes Facing Critical Shortage of Personal Protective Equipment

April 4, 2020 | The Collins Law Firm, P.C.

coronavirus-4955367_1920-1024x748 With coronavirus cases on the rise, the need for personal protective equipment, such as face masks, is increasing. Unfortunately, the supplies are drying up.

According to a survey by the United States Conference of Mayors, cities need an estimated 28.5 million face masks and 24.4 million other pieces of personal protective equipment. Healthcare specialists across the country have reported dire shortages of respirators, masks, gowns, and other supplies needed to protect both patients and healthcare workers. According to a survey by the Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology, 37% of health care workers assessing and treating COVID-19 reported that they were almost out of face shields, and 26% said they were almost out of hand sanitizer.

Nursing homes are also facing drastic shortages. A survey of nursing homes and assisted living facilities found that personal protective equipment, as well as disinfecting supplies, are scarce. Approximately two-thirds of the facilities reported having little or no ability to purchase personal protective equipment, including face masks, sterile gowns, face shields, hand sanitizer, wipes, and disinfectant sprays. Almost one-third reported having no N95 masks, which provide a higher level of protection than surgical masks. One Washington facility even had to resort to using plastic garbage bags to make gowns. Considering nursing homes are emerging as a focus of heightened concern during the pandemic, their staff need protective equipment to prevent the spread of coronavirus.

7 Ways to Stay Connected to Loved Ones at Nursing Homes During COVID-19

April 3, 2020 | Shawn Collins

senior-on-phone-and-computer-1024x683 COVID-19 has effectively overturned our lives as we knew them. While we are all feeling the effects of this worldwide pandemic, the elderly and those in nursing homes may be feeling the repercussions more intensely than the rest of us. This is because of the extra precautions—like no visitors at nursing homes, even close family—that are being implemented to prevent COVID-19 infections among vulnerable residents. While these measures to protect the health of our loved ones are for the best, they have also left many of those in nursing homes feeling confused, isolated, and lonely.

Why We Need to Make an Effort

Stay-at-home orders are adversely affecting everyone, but the consequences may be much graver for the elderly. Cutting nursing home residents off from their family and friends by not allowing visitors is causing increased stress during an already very stressful time and has left many residents feeling lonely and isolated, not to mention their family members who miss seeing them. This is significant because studies show that people who are lonely and socially isolated are more likely to have heart disease, stroke, depression, and problems with their immune system. Recent research has also found that social isolation, and loneliness boost the chance of premature death at least as much as smoking and obesity. That is why it is absolutely vital to stay as connected as possible to your loved ones while also protecting them from COVID-19. Luckily, we live in an age where there are many tools available to help us stay connected to those who need us most during this tumultuous time.

SEPSIS: The Hidden Epidemic of Deadly Infections in Illinois’ Nursing Homes

September 7, 2018 | Shawn Collins

When you place your loved one in the care of trained staff at a nursing home, the last thing you think about is the possibility that your relative may succumb to a fatal infection. But that is what is happening around the country, as elderly patients in overcrowded nursing homes fall victim to severe infections–called sepsis–as a result of bedsores, according to an investigation by Kaiser Health News and The Chicago Tribune.

A federal report recently revealed that sepsis is the most common reason for transferring patients from a nursing home to a hospital, and death occurs much more often in sepsis cases than in hospitalizations for other reasons. Sadly, as many as 25,000 patients a year are transferred to hospitals suffering from sepsis, according to a report by a private health care data firm. And the statistics in Illinois are similarly bleak: every year about 6,000 nursing home residents are hospitalized for sepsis, and 1 in 5 pass away.

Sepsis is a potentially life-threatening complication of a serious infection in the bloodstream that can develop in bedridden patients. These serious infections are often the result of bedsores–also called pressure sores–that go untreated in nursing homes. Fully 60% of nursing homes in Illinois have been cited for failing to properly treat bedsores. Elderly residents, who may be in fragile health already, can have difficulty recovering from sepsis, and that is why it is so deadly.

As Nursing Home Needs Grow, Elder Abuse and Neglect Follow

May 11, 2018 | John Risvold

By 2050, people age 65 and older will make up 20% of the total U.S. population. The fastest growing group of American’s are those 85 years old and up. According to the last census in 2010, there were 5.8 million age 85 or older. By 2050, it is estimated that there will be 19 million people aged 85 years or older. Moreover, 1 in 8 people age 85 or older resides in a nursing home or long-term care facility. As the need for skilled nursing home care grows, so does the rate of elder abuse and neglect.

As the population ages, more and more Americans are needing long-term medical care. Annually over 8 million people receive support from the following long-term care services:

1. Home health agencies (4,742,500);