The investigation into the death of a resident at a Chicago nursing home took a surprising turn when the Cook County Medical Examiner’s office revealed that a patient’s closed head injuries were due to an assault as opposed to a fall as was initially reported.
86-year-old Mercedes Inverson had been living at Maryhaven Nursing and Rehabilitation in Glenview, IL where she somehow sustained a closed head injury last week and was taken to Northshore Health System Evanston Hospital. Shortly after she was pronounced dead at the facility, an autopsy concluded that the type of head injury she sustained was not consistent with the fall incident as was initially reported.
While I do not know who initiated this autopsy– the family or the medical examiner, this situation is a prime example of the necessity of conducting a timely investigation into suspicious injuries amongst nursing home residents. My guess is that had it not been for this timely autopsy, Ms. Iverson’s death would never have received the attention is deserves from an investigation perspective.
Certainly, I hope that the Glenview Police Department’s investigative work helps determine who perpetrated the assault in this elderly person. However, I also wish the the police conduct a full investigation into why Ms. Iverson’s injury was originally reported as a ‘fall’ when she was originally taken to the hospital.
Resurrection Health Care is a large operator of hospitals, assisted living facilities and nursing homes in the Chicagoland area. Presently, Resurrection operates the following Chicagoland nursing nursing homes:
- Holy Family Nursing and Rehabilitation Center – Des Plaines
- Maryhaven Nursing and Rehabilitation Center – Glenview
- Resurrection Life Center – Chicago
- Resurrection Nursing and Rehabilitation Center – Park Ridge
- Saint Benedict Nursing and Rehabilitation Center – Niles
- Villa Scalabrini Nursing and Rehabilitation Center – Northlake
Related Nursing Homes Abuse Blog Entries:
New Medicare Report On Medical Errors In Hospitals Reinforces Ongoing Problems
Long-Time Chicagoland Nursing Home Gets Bought Out By Nearby Hospital
Will Proposal Notifying Coroner Following Nursing Home Deaths Help Deter Abuse?