Heritage Health Elgin
If you have an aging parent or other close relative or friend who is approaching their later years, the idea of needing assisted living care services in the near future has probably crossed your mind. Helping a loved one make this transition is a daunting task with many different things to consider.
As you discuss assisted living options with your loved one, safety in such a facility might be a concern and with good reason. The media is full of wrongful injury and death cases perpetrated by negligent nursing homes. The statistics aren’t much better. It is estimated that 1 in 3 nursing home residents will experience some form or neglect during their stay. That’s an alarming rate.
As you research the issue, you may read how the growing population of senior citizens, staffing shortages, and poor government oversight have all contributed to the growing number of abuse reports in nursing homes. It’s enough to make anyone question their decision to engage assisted living care.
Levin & Perconti wants you to know that there are many excellent, quality nursing homes out there, and while you may not be able to fix the bigger issues behind nursing home abuse, there are things you can do to reduce the risk of your loved one coming to harm in assisted living.
As expert attorneys in handling nursing home abuse cases, in Illinois, we’ve seen hundreds of cases of elder abuse.
That’s why we are dedicated to helping families and individuals do everything in their power to protect loved ones from such abuse. That begins with picking a highly rated facility that provides excellent care with little opportunity for abuse. Levin & Perconti is pleased to offer tips on how to do this and serve as a resource for finding information on Illinois nursing homes, such as Heritage Health Elgin.
About Heritage Health Elgin
355 Raymond Street
Elgin, IL 60120
(847) 697-6636
Heritage Health Elgin is a Medicare-certified facility with 94 beds. The facility specializes in Medicare therapy services they call their Rehab-to-Home program, as well as long-term, respite, and hospice care.
Medicare gives Heritage Health Elgin an impressive Much Above Average rating overall. While the facility received a Below Average staffing rating, this is made up for by Much Above Average ratings for quality measures and health inspections.
Levin & Perconti finds health inspection reports as shared by Medicare to be vital in researching what kind of care is provided at a nursing home. You can compare the number and types of deficiencies noted in these reports to help you identify the best of the best when it comes to assisted living care facilities.
While even the best nursing homes will have a few deficiencies each year, we are pleased to report that Heritage Health Elgin is one of the rare facilities where no deficiencies were found during most recent health inspections.
Protecting Nursing Home Residents from Abuse
While you can’t be there in person every moment to protect a loved one entering assisted living, you can still take measures to reduce the risk of abuse by picking a highly rated nursing home with a proven record of quality, responsible care. While isolated incidents of abuse can technically occur anywhere, low-rated nursing homes are more likely to foster environments that enable and mishandle abuse. The best protection you can offer a vulnerable nursing home resident is picking a home for them that prioritizes safety.
This is best done with extensive research. Ask friends, doctors, or social workers for recommendations of top assisted living facilities in your area and investigate each one. You can find information like Medicare ratings, reviews, and news reports for nursing homes online. Most nursing homes will also have their own websites with important information, but they will always market themselves positively so be aware of exaggerated or misleading claims and rely on more unbiased resources to inform your research.
Based on your research, identify your top choices and schedule tours at each location so you can see for yourself what they’re like in person. You should observe the cleanliness of the facility, friendliness of staff, and the atmosphere in general.
This is also a great opportunity to ask questions about staff qualifications and background checks, the ratio of staff to residents, and protocol for reporting and addressing abuse. Don’t hesitate to stop in again or call at a later date to ask more questions if you have them.
All of your research and visits should help you pick a facility you and your loved one feel confident in. However, your work isn’t done. After they move in, stay in close contact with your friend or relative to monitor their care and advocate for them if they should need it. Residents who are isolated from loved ones are more likely to be victimized, so your regular visits can help protect them.
Your loved one may also need your help in recognizing or reporting any mistreatment. Many nursing home residents are unable to do this themselves. You can help them by learning common signs of abuse to watch out for, such as
- 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
In the event that you become aware of any abuse or neglect, document the experience and report it to management immediately. The facility administrators should be willing to hear you out and act to investigate and prevent further abuse.
However, sometimes ineffective management is at the root of an abuse problem, and the administrators may fail in their duties to appropriately address and fix an abusive situation. If you find a nursing home unwilling to protect a resident from further harm, it’s best to seek legal advice at that point.
Levin & Perconti Can Help
Levin & Perconti understands the pain and breach of trust a nursing home abuse victim and their family experiences when negligent administrators fail to provide protection to vulnerable residents. That’s why we promise to guide you every step of the way in your fight for justice. Our experienced nursing home abuse attorneys have the expertise and record of success to get you the verdict or settlement you deserve. If you’re ready to build your case and be heard, click or call Levin & Perconti at 888-424-5757 today to receive a free consultation and get started.
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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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
Our Office
325 N LaSalle Dr Suite 300
Chicago, IL 60654
312-332-2872