On the heels of the recent Department of Health and Human Services report which demonstrated safety problems at virtually every nursing every nursing home across the country, recent article reports that Central Illinois is no different.  In 2008, four nursing homes in Peoria County, Illinois, were cited for negligent treatment of their residents. The Illinois Department of Public Health has cited Bel-Wood Nursing Home, Sharon Health Care Willows,  Manor Court of Peoria and Rosewood Care Center  for negligent patient care.  

Below is a summary of the incidents from the above Peoria County, Illinois nursing homes:

• Bel-Wood Nursing Home: received citation for not reporting one resident's mysterious leg bruise.
• Sharon Health Care Willows: was cited for not reporting several incidents , Including one staff member's aggressive intervention, and one resident's fall.
• Rosewood Care Center: cited for failing to report one woman's fall from a toilet.  A report states was related to her death.
• Manor Court of Peoria: was cited for failing to take a key preventative measure relating to patient safety, failing to conduct background checks on two nursing aides they hired earlier this year.

While nursing home administrators may feel like they are wrongfully targeted by state authorities, the investigations hopefully catch potentially dangerous situations before actual harm to the residents occurs.  Nursing home inspectors are the last line of defense for vulnerable nursing home residents. As IDPH Marketing Director, Melaney Arnold, says “We are very stringent and want to make sure that we are protecting the public, the resident's health and safety."

In Illinois, any complaint of nursing home abuse or neglect may be reported to the Illinois Department of Public Health (800) 252-4343.