LaSalle County Nursing Home Cited For Failing To Protect Residents From Sex Abuse
After a full investigation into the sexual abuse of ten residents at LaSalle County Nursing Home, the Illinois Department of Health has determined the facility failed to take preventative measures to protect its residents. The acts were initiated by a male resident who targeted non-verbal, dementia patients.
IDPH investigators determined the perpetrator started abusing residents on Christmas Eve, but the facility failed to implement measures to stop further abuse from occurring. A 61-page IDPH survey concerning the incidents at LaSalle County Nursing Home concluded, "Due to the administrative staff's failure to implement policies and procedures for abuse, failure to recognize abuse, and failure to effectively manage facility resources, sexual abuse occurred for 10 residents."
On June 4, IDPH issued an 'Immediate Jeopardy' designation on the facility. Read more about the sex abuse of residents at the Illinois nursing home here.
Sex Abuse In Nursing Homes
Nursing homes have a duty to protect all residents from harm. This includes unwanted sexual advances from other residents. In the case of residents with dementia, special attention should be paid to who is interacting with the residents. Staff must continually monitor the residents to ensure their safety.
Unfortunately, in the case of disabled nursing home residents, it is particularly important to pay attention to physical symptoms that may indicate sexual abuse:
- Vaginal / anal bleeding
- Sexually transmitted disease
- Bruising
- Sudden emotional with-drawl
- Sudden loss of appetite
- Torn clothing
Lastly, many cases of sex abuse in nursing homes are perpetrated by convicted sex offenders. Though few laws address this topic, a quick check of a sex offender database could identify many of these deviants. Let your lawmakers know that this is an important topic that deserves their attention.
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