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Alden Poplar Creek

When you notice an aging relative struggling to care for their self and their home, it may be time to get help. Most senior citizens will put off asking for this help— or even be in denial— but in their later years living independently becomes dangerous for many older people. For some, living with family is an option, but few family members have the space or expertise to accommodate a declining loved one.

That’s where assisted living facilities come in. These homes offer 24-hour care to aging adults who can no longer live independently or who require constant medical attention. Many feature comfortable, homelike atmospheres and enriching activities. Most importantly, they are staffed by trained professionals who know how to give the kind of assistance residents need.

All of these benefits, however, depend on the quality of those staff members. If they are not trained properly or appropriately vetted, nursing home caregivers may not follow best practices when caring for residents. Additionally, if staffing numbers are low and existing staff are overworked and spread too thin, it becomes impossible for them to meet every need of every resident and standards of care begin to slip. In all these cases the risk for elder abuse and neglect rises, and residents may suffer real harm.

Pick the Best Assisted Living Facility

If you are concerned about a loved one residing in assisted living, there are things you can do to protect them from abuse and neglect.

Begin by picking a highly rated facility with a negligible history of complaints. You can find ratings and formal complaints on websites such as medicare.gov. You may also look at online reviews where residents and their families have posted about their experiences at the nursing homes in your area.

When a few facilities have piqued your interest, schedule tours with them. Note the type of environment they maintain and ask probing questions. Of course, tours are designed to make a residence look its best, so stop by on a separate day to see how your favorite facilities compare when they aren’t expecting guests.

We know the pressure of picking a great assisted living home for your loved one. That’s why the nursing home abuse and neglect attorneys at Levin & Perconti hope to make this decision easier for families by sharing Medicare ratings and reports on our site for specific Illinois nursing homes, like Alden Poplar Creek. We hope with this information you’ll be able to prevent the types of elder abuse cases that have crossed our desks, such as those involving:

About Alden Poplar Creek

1545 Barrington Road
Hoffman Estates, IL 60169
(847) 884-0011

Alden Poplar Creek describes itself as a rehabilitation and health care facility that offers short-term rehabilitation, transitional care, and post-acute services. The facility has 217 beds.

Medicare gives Alden Poplar Creek a perfect overall rating of Much Above Average. This rating includes a staffing rating of Below Average, a Much Above Average quality measures rating, and an Above Average health inspection rating.

The health inspection rating will tell you the most important details of the care and treatment of residents. Alden Poplar Creek’s Above Average health inspection rating comes from recent inspections that noted such infractions as

9/13/18 Failure to provide and implement an infection prevention and control program. The facility was found to have failed to contain and date respiratory equipment and sanitize medication trays and respiratory equipment after resident use, affecting four residents. A nurse was reported to have used the same medication tray for two residents without sanitizing it in between. Another nurse was seen putting a nebulizer away without cleaning the air chamber or face mask. Finally, a resident’s nebulizer machine was observed with parts laying out uncontained overnight. Each of these incidents goes against the facility’s infection prevention policies.

9/13/18 Failure to keep residents’ personal and medical records private and confidential. It was reported that the facility failed to properly destroy resident medication labels of four residents. A nurse had an open waste receptacle with no lid on a medication cart and the medication labels of our residents were visible, violating resident privacy.

9/13/18 Failure to implement gradual dose reductions and non-pharmacological interventions, unless contraindicated, prior to initiating or instead of continuing psychotropic medication; and PRN orders for psychotropic medications are only used when the medication is necessary and PRN use is limited. Staff failed to ensure as-needed orders for drugs were limited to 14 days of use for three residents. Medicine not taken during the 14 days should have been disposed of and a new order requested if resident still required the medication. Staff failed to follow this policy for the three mentioned residents.

Protect Your Loved One in Assisted Living

After you select the best facility possible and your family member has moved in, you may wonder if they are receiving appropriate care. You can give yourself peace of mind and help keep them safe by doing regular welfare checks.

Visit or communicate with your relative as frequently as possible so they can express any dissatisfaction and you can observe for yourself how they are doing. When you visit, pay attention to how staff interact with residents, how clean the facility is, and if your loved one displays any signs of neglect or abuse. You should educate yourself on signs of neglect and abuse. Here’s a few to start with:

  • Untreated severe bedsores
  • Unexplained injuries like bruises, burns, or scars
  • Evidence of poor circulation like sunken cheeks or eyes
  • Weight loss or malnourishment not due directly to an illness
  • Frequent trips to the emergency room or doctor
  • Wrong type or the wrong amount of medication administered
  • Poor hygiene or unwashed clothes or hair
  • Instances of wandering or elopement
  • Frequently misplaced or lost personal items
  • A lack of basic necessities, including utilities, water, and food
  • A dirty room or bathroom
  • Frequent trouble sleeping
  • Unusual violent or withdrawn behavior
  • Sudden depression or confusion
  • Signs of trauma like rocking back and forth

If you ever have reason to doubt the care your family member is receiving, take action immediately. Document your observations and experiences, and take your findings to the facility management. They should take your concerns seriously and be glad to answer any questions and take prompt corrective action as necessary. However, if they react defensively or fail to prevent further incidents of harm, it may be time to take legal action.

Seeking Legal Counsel

When a vulnerable loved one suffers personal injury, it can be difficult to know where to turn. The attorneys at Levin & Perconti have all the answers. It’s our mission to fight for the rights of Illinois elder abuse victims and their families. If you need help prosecuting an Illinois assisted living facility and seeking justice for a relative, complete our online contact form or call Levin & Perconti at 888-424-5757 to get started today.

Disclaimer: The above health inspection findings are taken from public records kept and published by Medicare and the state of Illinois and are not complete. Levin & Perconti cannot confirm that this page’s content includes the latest information available. Any corrections or additions made to these public records after publication of this page will not be found here. For the most up-to-date information, visit www.il.gov or medicare.gov. This page is a legal advertisement and informational resource for visitors and is not endorsed by the named facility or any government agency. Levin & Perconti does not have any affiliation with the named facility.

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