Symphony at Bronzeville

Elderly or mentally disabled residents may not feel thirsty or not remember when it is time to eat and drink. And those individuals battling underlying health issues or injuries may need assistance with eating and drinking or require an individualized nutrition plan. Ultimately, Illinois nursing homes are responsible for that care and should never fail to provide even the most basic of necessities such as food and water or access to nutritional support.

A review of state inspection reports of Symphony at Bronzeville reveals a pattern of poor care and repeat violations related to nutrition and hydration of residents. Inspectors continue to cite the facility for failing to provide suitable food or water supervision following physician orders, as well as give access to the resources necessary for residents to eat or drink. All the while, few penalties or accountability enforcements have settled into place.

• As noted in a September 28, 2017 report by CMS inspectors, many residents require help of personal physical assistance while eating or drinking. Records review the facility failed to provide meals as physicians ordered or provide liquid protein and other nutritional supplements when necessary. As residents began to show signs and symptoms of severe dehydration and malnutrition, including drastic weight loss over a 90-day period, it showed staff was not intervening to provide and serve diet requirements as ordered.
• Again, in November 2017, the facility was cited for failing to give 10 of 11 residents enough fluids to keep them healthy and prevent dehydration, although doctors shared prior concerns about fluid intake. Inspectors were not able to locate water pitchers available to residents for hydration and rather than fixing the issue, staff responded that they simply “did not know why they weren’t available.” In addition, several residents were observed eating and feeding themselves without any assistance when they required extensive help from one staff member.

If help eating or drinking is needed, it should be provided, and food served should reflect the plan outlined by a physician or dietitian, and staff must supervise and monitor both the food and liquid intake when necessary. Additionally, the resident should be seen by a doctor immediately upon noticing any difficulty to prevent a more serious condition. Both malnutrition and dehydration are serious health concerns and lead to a higher incidence of illnesses that easily turn deadly. The failure to provide proper nutrition or hydration may be considered neglectful care.