The Illinois Department of Public Health has moved towards the final steps in closing an Illinois nursing home following several deaths of its residents in recent years. According to the governor’s senior health policy adviser, Michael Gelder, the decision was in part preemptive and was simply because “we don’t want another tragedy to occur.”
The State of Illinois advised Alden Village North Nursing Home that it intends to revoke its nursing home license and close the facility located at 7464 N. Sheridan Road in Chicago. As of October 2010, the Illinois nursing home housed around 90 adults and children with severe developmental disabilities. Illinois state officials reported that since January 2008 there have been at least eight serious violations of nursing home abuse and negligence at Alden Village North.
In addition, at least thirteen disabled children and young adults have died at Alden Village North since 2000. The state did take action in response to the high numbers of deaths at this nursing home, issuing it citations not only for its neglect, but also for its failure to investigate some of the cases and adequately rule out that there was not nursing home neglect.
The State of Illinois was not the only entity investigating Alden Village North; The Chicago Tribune also conducted its own series of investigations in late 2010. The Chicago newspaper’s investigation revealed similar details to those cited in the state’s reasons for closing the nursing home facility, namely a ten-year period of negligent care which led to the wrongful death of several residents.
Currently around 90 adults and children reside at Alden Village North, all of which will need to be relocated when the nursing home facility shuts down, many of which are in a fragile state of health. The Illinois Department of Human Services has stated that it will assist the Alden residents in the relocation process. In addition, the state has placed a monitoring team at Alden in order to safeguard its residents from any further nursing home abuse or negligence.
The closure of Alden Village North Nursing Home can be seen as one of several attempts being made by Illinois officials to improve the quality of nursing home care in Illinois. In related news, Illinois also has further legislation pending in Springfield which would safeguard the care and treatment of disabled individuals who reside in any Illinois nursing home, not just those residing at Alden Village North.
Kreisman Law Offices has been handling Illinois elder abuse and nursing home cases for more than 35 years in and around Chicago, Cook County, and surrounding areas, including Chicago Heights, St. Charles, Calumet City, and Niles.
Resources:
Sam Roe. “Illinois moves to close troubled nursing home – State official: ‘We don’t want another tragedy to occur’.” The Chicago Tribune. March 3, 2011.
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