Kreisman Law Offices Professional CorporationThe Illinois Nursing Home Care Act was created to protect the rights of nursing home residents and combat Illinios nursing home abuse. In order to ensure a high standard of care for patients with Alzheimer’s disease or dementia, the Act requires that each individual providing care to a patient with dementia undergoes proper “training in the care and treatment of such residents”.
Alzheimer’s disease is a brain disorder that affects over 5 million people throughout the U.S. This tragic disease destroys brain cells and affects the memory, behavior, and thinking processes of those with the disease. The nature of the symptoms, which can range from verbal outbursts, violent tendencies, or hallucinations, health care professionals must be patient and understanding when caring for patients with Alzheimer’s.
However, too often we hear about nursing home residents with Alzheimer’s who receive substandard care and come to harm because of a lack of understanding regarding their disease. Take for example the case of 87 year-old Melanie, a nursing home resident suffering from the Alzheimer’s disease. One day she became increasingly aggressive and the employees called for nursing assistance to assess the situation. But no one answered the repeated calls for assistance over the next several hours.
When Melanie’s Alzheimer’s made her so aggressive that the employees were unable to calm her down or control her a nursing home employee finally resorted to calling the local police. They reported that Melanie was extremely aggressive and threatening. The police arrived at the nursing home and subdued Melanie by handcuffing her. None of this would have been necessary had the nursing staff stepped in and diffused Melanie’s outburst. Instead the police had to step in and bring this 87 year-old woman to the hospital to receive treatment.
Nursing Home Abuse And Alzheimer’s Residents: Protection Under the Illinois Nursing Home Care Act
