Signs of Nursing Home Victim Abuse and Neglect That Will Alert Investigation Under the Illinois Nursing Home Act

The Illinois Nursing Home Care Act forbids the abuse of a nursing home resident. Boris Parad provides victims' relatives with a list of tell-tale signs there may be abuse.

Skokie, IL January 8 2004-Because many nursing home residents have limited abilities to communicate, identifying potential abuse requires careful monitoring. Boris Parad advises clients to look for the signs of nursing home abuse in their frequent visits to the nursing home or assisted living facility. Some of the more common types of physical abuse and neglect include:
    Assault
    Battery
    Sexual Assault
    Sexual Battery
    Rape
    Unreasonable physical restraint
    Prolonged or continual deprivation of food or water
    Use of a physical or chemical restraint or psychotropic medication for any purpose not consistent with that authorized by the physician
    Not giving needed medication
    Unexplained injuries
    Caretaker cannot adequately explain condition
    Open wounds, cuts, bruises or welts
    Reports of being slapped or mistreated
    Slapping, pushing, shaking, beating
    Forcing an older person to stay in a room
Nursing home abuse or negligence is demonstrated by:
    Injuries requiring emergency treatment or hospitalization
    Any incident involving broken bones, such hip, arm or knee fractures
    Any injury or death occurring during or shortly after an episode of wandering (including outside the facility) when the staff is not aware that the resident is missing for some period of time
    Heavy medication or sedation
    Rapid weight loss or weight gain without physician or family notification and a change in treatment being provided
    Unexplained or unexpected death of the resident
    One nursing home resident injures another resident
    Resident is frequently ill, and the illnesses are not promptly reported to the physician and family

Deviations from standards of care, or any act of negligence resulting in injury to a nursing home resident, amount to patient neglect in violation of the Nursing Home Care Act. The Department of Health conducts investigations and its records show the citations of the homes for violating the administrative code requirement that all necessary precautions should be made to assure safety of residents at all times. Under the Nursing Home Care Act, the victim may recover compensatory damages and attorneys fees on proof of the homes negligence, and common law punitive damages on proof of the homes willful and wanton, or grossly negligent, or intentional misconduct.

Boris Parad represents victims in nursing home injury cases on a contingency fee (a percentage of recovery) basis rather than on an hourly basis. He states, The law protects our aged and infirm relatives and friends suffering in nursing homes as a result of the staffs abuse and neglect. Boris Parad has litigated cases in both federal and state courts in Illinois, Colorado, Michigan and argued cases in the Illinois appellate courts. His background and the firms services are described at www.ParadFirm.com or he can be reached directly at e-mail protected from spam bots.
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