Nursing Home Abuse: The Deaths Of 13 Children Linked To Poor Care At Chicago Nursing Home
The Chicago Tribune ran one of the more disturbing investigative stories I've seen in a long-time when it chronicled the poor care given to disabled children living at Alden Village North located on Chicago's north-side.
The Tribune used public records and government documents to uncover the names and details of care provided to children living with physical and mental handicaps, including: cerebral palsy and downs syndrome.
In looking though the roll call of child-residents who have died at this Alden facility, it is readily apparent that this facility didn't just provide improper care--- they uniformly failed to provide any care at all.
Among the grim conditions found at this predominately child-related facility include:
- Dislodged tracheotomy tubes
- Unsanitary conditions-- many times patients were left in soiled clothes
- Medical alarms that went unresponded to by staff
- Delays in transferring obviously ill children to local hospitals
- Inadequate internal investigations
- Allowing tube-fed children to lay flat during feedings
After reading the details of downright abusive conditions that were permitted to exist at Alden Village North for the past 10 years, I was shocked that that the state continues to allow this facility to keep its door open. As an advocate for children, I am frustrated by the lack of regulatory muscle exhibited by the state in allowing this long-term pattern of horrific care to continue.
As with many of the Tribune's articles regarding nursing home abuse, some officials have gotten the hint and implemented policies to change these embarrassing conditions. As I type, I learned that Governor Quinn is having legislation drafted to protect these handicapped children living at this facility and others at similar facilities throughout Illinois. Additionally, the Governor is appointing a monitor at Alden Village North to ensure the safety of the patients.
According to Governor Quinn, "The administration takes the oversight of the state's care facilities very seriously," his office said in a statement. "Even one tragedy is intolerable."
Time will tell....
Related:
Center where kids died gets monitor, Tribune series spurs Quinn to order visits by state overseer to safeguard residents, Chicago Tribune October 12, 2010, By Sam Roe and Jared S. Hopkins
Children In Nursing Homes: Truly The Most Vulnerable, Nursing Homes Abuse Blog
Children Are Frequently Targets Of Abuse In A Group Home Setting Nursing Homes Abuse Blog
Alden Village North Charged With Neglect After Child Dies Due To Inadequate Nursing Care, Nursing Homes Abuse Blog, July 10, 2009
Comments (2)
Read through and enter the discussion by using the form at the endTianna Fraser - October 25, 2010 12:21 PM
This story is very alarming especially to those health care professional, these people should be the one to give care and preserve life not to take ones life. As a nurse, I am very much saddened about this. I am hoping the government should make a move in order to stop this.
Very informative article. Hope you continue to write one to let the people know that this kind of scenarios are happening in our society.
Jonathan Rosenfeld - October 25, 2010 1:54 PM
Tianna-
Sadly, abuse of children and other vulnerable people takes place far more frequently than we care to acknowledge. Particularly when the abuse victim is a child, the inability to communicate the abuse creates problems from a prosecutorial perspective.
Most states have legislation that requires caregivers to report abusive situations to authorities. Certainly, hands-on care givers are in the best position to report potentially abusive problems.
I applaud the work that you do and hope you can help educate people about this frustrating situation. Thanks for sharing.