Heritage Health Beardstown
It is estimated that at least 1 in 3 nursing home or assisted living residents will experience some type of abuse during their residency. Elder abuse can come in many forms, including verbal, physical, emotional, sexual, and others. The most common form of abuse, however, is neglect. While neglect is a more passive form of abuse, it is nonetheless dangerous for vulnerable residents who are not able to meet their own needs and rely on others to do so.
Most neglect is not on purpose. It usually stems from poor staffing practices at nursing home facilities. When there are not enough qualified caregivers to adequately meet the needs of each elderly resident, important details of care can easily be overlooked.
Residents may not receive the help they need with grooming and hygiene, feeding, mobility, going to the bathroom, medical care, or other daily necessities. Signs of decline may go unnoticed, putting them at risk of serious illness or death. At the very least they may find themselves feeling uncomfortable and disrespected when they cannot enjoy favorite activities and personal preferences.
Residents may also find themselves the victims of accidents and mistakes. Overworked staff are more likely to administer the wrong medicine, forget to communicate with a resident’s doctor, or misplace personal belongings. Untrained staff may find themselves performing tasks they are unqualified to do, such as moving a resident or giving medical care. It is easy for a mistake or failure to follow correct protocol to quickly become dangerous or even fatal to frail senior residents.
At Levin & Perconti, we’ve learned over the years that most poorly rated nursing homes lack enough qualified staff and therefore put their residents at risk for these types of neglect. That’s why it’s so important for families and individuals to research the nursing homes they are considering before an elderly loved one moves in.
To help you do this, Levin & Perconti shares the Medicare ratings of assisted living facilities throughout Illinois and neighboring states so you can learn more about the facilities in your area and pick one that puts staffing and the health and wellbeing of its residents at the top of their priorities.
About Heritage Health Beardstown
8306 St Lukes Drive
Beardstown, IL 62618
(217) 323-9454
Heritage Health Beardstown offers both short-term and long-term assisted living services to elderly residents in a home-like environment. The facility has 79 certified beds.
Medicare gives Heritage Health Beardstown an overall rating of Average. This rating accounts for individual ratings for health inspections, staffing, and quality measures, all of which are also merely Average according to Medicare.
Levin & Perconti always looks at the public health inspection records available for Medicare-certified nursing homes to identify what specific deficiencies each facility has struggled with most recently. Here are a few of the deficiencies found during the latest health inspections at Heritage Health Beardstown:
6/21/18 Failure to develop and implement a complete care plan that meets all the resident’s needs, with timetables and actions that can be measured. Staff failed to follow the care plan for one resident by neglecting to use a gait belt when assisting her with walking around, putting her at risk of falling. Another resident’s care plan lacked instructions for the use of their antipsychotic medication.
6/21/18 Failure to provide appropriate care for a resident to maintain and/or improve range of motion (ROM), limited ROM and/or mobility, unless a decline is for a medical reason. The facility failed to provide and ensure the use of a contracture orthosis device for a patient with contracture in one hand and limited range of motion on one side of her upper body. This puts the resident at risk of losing more range of motion.
6/21/18 Failure to try different approaches before using a bed rail. If a bed rail is needed, the facility must (1) assess a resident for safety risk; (2) review these risks and benefits with the resident/representative; (3) get informed consent; and (4) correctly install and maintain the bed rail. The facility was found to have failed to attempt alternatives prior to installing side rails and to assess for the risk of entrapment for 10 residents, according to their medical records.
Protecting Nursing Home Residents from Neglect
Most assisted living staff do not intend to hurt residents, but when they are overworked or given responsibilities beyond their capabilities, accidents happen and residents suffer the consequences. Luckily there are things you can do to help mitigate the risks of this happening to your family member.
First, do thorough research before picking a nursing home. Compare the Medicare ratings and other information you can find online for multiple facilities and only consider the highest rated ones. To further assess the quality of care at these locations, tour them in person and don’t be shy about asking questions about the kind of care they provide, qualifications of staff, and how they handle reports of abuse.
When you’ve picked the best possible residence for your loved one, visit them often to ensure the care they receive meets your expectations. Residents who are isolated from friends and family are the most susceptible to abuse. Additionally, many nursing home residents are unable to recognize or report abuse themselves and will need your help advocating for them.
Abuse and neglect come in many forms, so learn the signs to look for. Here are some of the most common signs:
- 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
If you become aware of any harm or injury to your loved one, report it immediately. It helps to document what you or your relative have experienced so you can keep the details straight. Take your concerns to the facility administration and request an investigation and corrective action.
They should be more than willing to promptly address your concerns and actively fix the situation to prevent further incidence. However, if they react defensively or dismiss your claims or fail to make any correction, you may need to seek legal help to protect your family member.
Levin & Perconti Can Help
Levin & Perconti is recognized and respected throughout Illinois for our success in protecting the rights of nursing home abuse victims.
If your loved one has suffered harm and negligence at Heritage Health Beardstown or another nursing home, Levin & Perconti is here to help. We have the expertise you need on your side to win the settlement or verdict you seek. If you are ready to get justice for your loved one, start today by clicking or calling Levin & Perconti at 888-424-5757 any time for a free consultation.
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 the 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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Not only were they so professional but also so caring and thoughtful. It was very difficult going over the facts in our mother's case but they were so compassionate and understanding and allowed us to be with them every step of the way. We were able to sit in on the depositions and we were really able to see how hard they worked on our behalf.
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Notable Results
VERDICT
on behalf of an 85-year-old woman injured in a nursing home when her medications were mismanaged.
VERDICT
for the estate of a 67-year-old man who died from complications related to a fall
SETTLEMENT
for a 59-year-old resident who developed multiple painful and infected bedsores which took four years to heal.
Heritage Health Facilities
- Heritage Health Beardstown
- Heritage Health Bloomington
- Heritage Health Carlinville
- Heritage Health Chillicothe
- Heritage Health Dwight
- Heritage Health El Paso
- Heritage Health Elgin
- Heritage Health Gibson City
- Heritage Health Gillespie
- Heritage Health Hoopeston
- Heritage Health Jacksonville
- Heritage Health Litchfield
- Heritage Health Mendota
- Heritage Health Minonk
- Heritage Health Mount Sterling
- Heritage Health Mount Zion
- Heritage Health Normal
- Heritage Health Pana
- Heritage Health Peru
- Heritage Health Robinson
- Heritage Health Springfield
- Heritage Health Staunton
- Heritage Health Streator
- Heritage Health Walnut
- Heritage Square
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325 N LaSalle Dr Suite 300
Chicago, IL 60654
312-332-2872
