Understaffing is a severe issue in Illinois nursing homes that can have drastic consequences for residents. This includes a greater chance of abuse and neglect. A recent survey of over 700 facilities from the American Health Care Association and the National Center for Assisted Living found that 94 percent of nursing homes and 81 percent of assisted living communities had a staff shortage in the past month. These staff shortages can make it difficult for nursing homes to provide proper care for residents and increase the chances of facilities hiring unqualified or abusive staff. How do you report an understaffed nursing home?
If someone in your family is living at an understaffed nursing home or suffering abuse or neglect, working with a Chicago nursing home abuse lawyer can help you take appropriate action, including reporting the facility to the authorities and filing a personal injury claim on your family member’s behalf.
Illinois Laws on Minimum Staff at Nursing Homes
Illinois law does not set a minimum ratio of nurses to residents at nursing homes. However, the Illinois Administrative Code includes the following requirements for direct nursing care at nursing homes:
- At least 25 percent of nursing and personal care time for residents must be provided by licensed nurses. Additionally, at least 10 percent must be provided by registered nurses.
- Nursing homes must have sufficient staff to provide 3.8 hours of nursing and personal care each day for residents who need “skilled care” and 2.5 hours for residents who need “intermediate care.”
- Nursing homes must schedule enough personnel to meet all the nursing needs of their residents.
A nursing home without sufficient staff to meet these requirements is in violation of Illinois law. More importantly, a lack of nurses and other nursing home staff severely undermines the ability of nursing homes to properly care for residents.
Signs of Understaffing at a Nursing Home
What is an example of neglect in a nursing home? Here are some signs to watch for that may indicate a nursing facility is understaffed:
- Slow Response Times – Residents often wait a long time for help after calling for assistance. It might mean there aren’t enough staff members to handle everyone’s needs.
- Poor Hygiene – When staff are too busy, they may not have time to keep the facility clean. Unclean living areas, dirty bathrooms, and residents with poor personal hygiene can be signs of understaffing.
- Frequent Falls – When there aren’t enough caregivers, residents might try to move around independently and fall. This can lead to injuries and shows that residents aren’t getting the supervision they need.
- Unexplained Weight Loss – Residents are losing weight or seem malnourished. It could mean they’re not getting enough food or assistance with eating. Staff might be too busy to help during meal times.
- Emotional Distress – Without enough staff, residents may feel lonely and isolated. They don’t get enough social interaction or emotional support.
- Bedsores – Also known as pressure ulcers, bedsores occur when residents are not moved or repositioned regularly. This is often a result of insufficient staff to provide necessary care.
- Medication Errors – Mistakes with medications can happen when staff are overworked and trying to care for too many residents at once.
- High Staff Turnover – If the nursing home has many new or temporary staff, it could mean it’s struggling to keep enough permanent employees. High turnover rates can affect the quality of care.
- Resident Injuries –Increased incidents of injuries without a clear cause can be a sign of neglect, which can happen when there aren’t enough caregivers to monitor and assist residents.
Recognizing these signs early on can help protect loved ones from potential harm due to understaffing in a nursing home. Contact an attorney right away.
How to Report an Understaffed Nursing Home in Illinois
So how do you report an understaffed nursing home? The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) is responsible for ensuring nursing homes follow state guidelines, including guidelines on minimum staffing requirements. If you suspect someone in your family is not getting the care they need due to understaffing or other forms of abuse or neglect, you can call the IDPH’s toll-free hotline at 1-800-252-4343.
If the IDPH finds that a nursing home is not following state guidelines, it has several ways to punish offenders. Depending on the circumstances, the IDPH can issue fines, ban a facility from admitting new residents, or revoke a nursing home’s license.
Reporting an understaffed nursing home may not always yield immediate action due to the limited resources IDPH has. Working with an experienced nursing home abuse lawyer can get you a better and more efficient result. Facilities often respond more quickly to the threat of legal action.
How Our Chicago Nursing Home Neglect Attorneys Can Help You
Whether you’re living in an understaffed nursing home or have a family member in this situation, Karlin, Fleisher & Falkenberg, LLC can help you. We can investigate and gather evidence to show that the nursing home is neglecting its residents. Hopefully, the threat of legal action will prompt the facility to take corrective measures on its own.
If necessary, we can file a lawsuit on your behalf or on behalf of a family member to hold the nursing home accountable. You or your family member could recover compensation for medical bills, pain and suffering, and other losses. Our goal is to ensure that you or your family are properly cared for while preventing future neglect in the nursing home. We’re here to support you every step of the way. Our lawyers have the legal knowledge and proven results to tackle your case.
The sooner you contact us about your nursing home neglect case, the more we can do to hold the facility accountable. Call Karlin, Fleisher & Falkenberg, LLC today at 312-346-8620 for a free consultation, or complete our online contact form. We look forward to working with you and helping you find justice. Ask us anything related to your case.