State Closes Chicago Nursing Home Amid Elderly Abuse, Violence
State authorities have officially closed Somerset Place, a Chicago nursing home. Chicago police say they’ve investigated a number of allegations involving physical violence, sexual violence, and drug crimes at Somerset. The assisted living facility, which primarily houses mentally ill residents, lost its Medicaid funding, as well as its license, following repeated incidents of nursing home abuse and patient violence.
Somerset, the largest nursing home facility in Illinois, was licensed to hold more than 400 residents, all of whom have been moved to other nursing homes, said state Department of Public Health assistant director Teresa Garate.
Garate said all Somerset residents who were moved from the facility were assessed for their ability to live in less institutional settings, and 43 were recommended for placement in smaller supported-living arrangements.
But, she said, the residents had the final say in where they moved, and some of those 43 opted instead to move to other nursing facilities. "We wanted to have people move into the community, but it was residents' choice," Garate said.
Care Centers Inc., the management firm that helped manage the assisted living facility, has been named a defendant in over three dozen Chicago, Illinois medical malpractice and personal injury complaints. Since the closing of Somerset, the company has filed for bankruptcy.
Each year, thousands of senior citizens live with the consequences of inadequate nursing care, poor supervision, and the failure to properly screen prospective residents to make sure that dangerous, high-risk patients are housed in a more appropriate facility or are closely monitored. Nursing homes and negligent nursing home workers can be held liable for patient abuse and neglect.
The Chicago nursing home attorneys at Lipkin & Higgins are experienced advocates for the elderly and other vulnerable individuals who are dependent on others. They are committed to upholding the quality of care in nursing homes, assisted living facilities and other care providers by taking swift legal action to compensate your loved one and family for the injuries or death resulting from neglect, abuse or inadequate care.
