A fall at the Chateau Nursing and Rehab Center in Willowbrook, Illinois has left a man in chronic pain – pain that will most likely last the rest of his life. The circumstances surrounding the incident that resulted in the injury are rife with inconsistencies. The report issued by the Illinois Department of Health and Human Services makes little effort to spin out the truth of the matter, it merely presents the varying stories.
About the only matter that can be agreed upon is that the resident at Chateau Nursing and Rehab Center experienced a nursing home fall while moving from a toilet seat to his wheelchair. He fractured a hip and suffered severe lacerations in the fall that required 17 staples and 11 stitches to close. The sheer number of staples and stitches indicates to me a likelihood that the resident fell onto his wheelchair, but none of the accounts clearly states whether or not that was the case.
The following are just some of the inconsistencies revealed by the report:
- The resident stated that someone usually helps him walk from the toilet to the wheelchair. The certified nurses aide (CNA) who was present at the time of the fall claimed that the resident always walks on his own. Meanwhile, the resident’s annual plan of care indicates that, due to the resident’s noted lack of balance, a staff member should assist with all transfers.
- The care card indicates that the man uses a walker, but the resident says that he never uses a walker.
- A licensed practical nurse (LPN) who works at Chateau Nursing and Rehab told investigators that the man needed a gait belt. Another nurse said that the man needed a mechanical lift and at least two staff members to assist.
This level of confusion with regard to patient care is not as rare as we might hope. Nursing homes with high turnover rates and low staffing levels are often unable to take the necessary steps to make certain that all staff members are properly trained and informed.
Nursing home falls are one of the primary causes for injury related deaths among people over 65. Nursing homes are required to develop and review a comprehensive plan of care for each resident, and to ensure that all staff members are aware of changes and updates. Clearly, Chateau Nursing and Rehabilitation Center failed to do so. The result is a resident in constant pain, who is very likely to have additional injuries as a result of his loss of mobility.
If you have a loved one who has been injured due to a nursing home fall in an Illinois nursing home, and you feel that nursing home neglect played a role, contact our Chicago nursing home lawyers for a free and confidential evaluation of your case.
Other blog posts on nursing home falls:
Resident suffers multiple fractures in fall at Chateau
Misuse of Hoyer lift at Medina Nursing Center
Sling breaks during transfer at Meadowbrook Manor