Lexington of LaGrange

When placing a loved one in the care of a nursing home or health care center, you have their best interest in mind. It’s not an easy decision to have someone else in charge of their care, 24/7, but in many cases, nursing home care is your only option. You hope they’ll give them their due dignity, treat them with respect and professionalism, meeting all of their medical and daily life needs.

You can’t help but think about what their care is like when you can’t be there to visit. What’s going on that you don’t see? How are they treated when visitors hours have passed? The unfortunate reality is, nursing home neglect and abuse is a very real problem in the state of Illinois and nationwide. It’s a serious problem that many people don’t even realize is happening. As many as 5 million elderly Americans in nursing home care are neglected or abused every year. It’s distressing to think that our elders are being mistreated, neglected, and ignored, but, it could even be your loved one who isn’t getting proper care.

At Levin & Perconti, we are dedicated to exposing the truth about these facilities, holding these negligent nursing homes accountable for their actions, and getting the affected families the compensation they deserve. Here are the details on Lexington of La Grange:

• Facility name: Lexington of La Grange
• Facility address: 4735 S. Willow Springs Rd, La Grange, IL 60525
• Facility phone: (708) 352-6900

Lexington of La Grange is a 120 bed “for profit” nursing home in La Grange, IL. They offer private and semi-private rooms and bathrooms, comprehensive wound management and post-acute care, full rehabilitative services including occupational, physical and speech therapy, and multiple therapeutic modalities. Their advertising boasts that they are “passionate about offering superior healthcare and senior living options,” however, our research has shown some serious failures in care, including medication errors and errors due to staff shortage, some that have even cost the life of a resident;

12/14/2017 Failure to provide appropriate treatment and care according to orders, resident’s preferences and goals. A resident was admitted to the facility for rehabilitation after hip surgery due to a fracture. Her records indicated only one bowel movement for her stay. She was to be administered a stool softener laxative daily, as needed, but no doses were ever administered. Her attending physician did visit her twice during her stay and noted normal bowel sounds and non-distended abdomen, but was not given any reports from nursing that she was constipated or not having bowel movements. At a later date, the resident was lethargic, unable to participate in her therapy session, and showed a cognitive and physical decline. The CNA noted she hadn’t wanted to eat or drink that morning and had not urinated either. After further evaluation and decline, she was taken to the hospital.

The ER assessed her, using a CT scan to discover signs of large bowel obstruction or impaction. Her white blood cell was high and lactic acid levels critically high. A non-surgical procedure was performed, however, the damage had been done. She passed away, with probable large bowel obstruction as well as another related medical condition listed as her cause of death.

03/06/2018 Failure to immediately tell the resident, the resident’s doctor, and a family member of situations (injury/decline/room, etc.) that affect the resident. The facility failed to notify the physician of a resident’s weight fluctuations and did not communicate regarding unavailable medications. The nurses signed off on the medication as unavailable and no indication in the documentation of contacting the pharmacy or attempting to obtain alternate medication orders.

05/24/2018 Failure to Immediately tell the resident, the resident’s doctor, and a family member of situations (injury/decline/room, etc.) that affect the resident. A resident was observed to have been given medications scheduled for 10:00am at 11:30am, as well as missed a glucose test that was to be performed at 8:00am, and a nebulizer medication that was to be administered at 10:00am. The glucose test and nebulizer were finally administered at 12:53pm. The nurse signed off on both the 10:00am and 2:00pm doses, instead of marking the first dose as missed and informing the resident’s physician. The nurse noted she was working a double shift but made no mention of attempting to connect with the residents’ physician.

05/24/2018 Failure to ensure drugs and biologicals used in the facility are labeled in accordance with currently accepted professional principles; and all drugs and biologicals must be stored in locked compartments, separately locked, compartments for controlled drugs. Medication carts were observed to be sticky with various colors of spilled liquid medication, containing expired medications, opened medications with no indication of when they were opened, and a tooth that had apparently fallen from a residents’ mouth. Another cart held body lotions that belonged to staff members, expired glucose test solution, and a tracheostomy speaking valve belonging to an expired resident. The medication refrigerators held undated, open influenza vaccine vials, and food items (two beef tamales.)