Family suing Chicago area nursing home for elder abuse

Many Arlington Heights area residents help their aging relatives. It is a privilege to be the caregiver for a loved one, but it can also be stressful and exhausting. Many older adults require medical care that a family is not able to provide, and the family has to make the difficult decision to place their loved one in a nursing home. Many of these nursing homes provide good care, but elder abuse continues to be a problem in area nursing homes.

According to recent reports, the family of an elderly woman with dementia is suing the facility she lived in, along with two caregivers. The family discovered that a video had been made of the caregivers teasing the woman as she struggled with them over a hospital gown. The resident had an aversion to hospital gowns, which the staff knew and they continued to taunt and bully the woman over the hospital gown and snapchat the videos. The family removed her from the facility and hired a private caregiver and also contacted police. The aides were charged with disorderly conduct. The family claims the facility, The Abington of Glenview Nursing & Rehab Center, failed to follow their protocol and file a report with the state. The facility failed to implement its “Abuse Prevention Policy,” which in turn led to the woman’s elder abuse. The family is suing for over $1 million in damages.

When a family makes the agonizing decision to place their loved one in a skilled nursing facility, they spend a lot of time researching options and making sure their relative will be well care for. When a family believes that their loved one has been the victim of abuse, it can be heartbreaking. Compensation may be available for medical expenses, pain and suffering and other damages.

Skilled nursing home facilities are necessary in our society, but need to be held to a high standard. A family should not have to worry about their loved one in these facilities and if the unthinkable happens then these facilities need to be held accountable.