The Grove Nursing Homes Neglect Attorneys
The Grove operates five Illinois assisted living facilities, which they describe as “medical residences” that offer guests “the most advanced post-hospital rehabilitation therapy” in “home-like,” “serene,” and “sophisticated” environments.
Low Staff Numbers Put Grove Nursing Home Residents at Risk
The population of elderly Americans is at a historic high and continues to grow. With this growth has come an increase in reports of elder abuse and neglect. It is estimated that as many as 5 million senior citizens suffer abuse each year, but this is a conservative estimate; only 1 in 14 incidents of elder abuse is formally reported.
While the vast majority of elder abuse cases are perpetrated by family members and acquaintances, reports of abuse and neglect in nursing homes are on the rise. Studies report that as many as 24% of assisted living residents will experience at least one incident of abuse during their residency. Unfortunately, victims living in nursing homes are the least likely to report abuse, as they are often too impaired or too isolated to do so.
If you have a loved one in assisted living, these facts probably weigh heavily on you. It’s no wonder. Media headlines are full of cases of wrongful death and injury at the hands of nursing home staff. You have to wonder if your family member is safe and if there’s anything going on that you don’t know about. Furthermore, you might wonder what to do in the event that your loved one does fall victim to abuse.
At Levin & Perconti, we understand your fears. In our line of work, we’ve seen the types of cases you read about in the news, and we know that the majority of nursing homes are for-profit businesses with money as their top priority. We’ve seen how these businesses promise outstanding care and services in luxurious accommodations, only to cut corners by hiring as few staff as possible or letting unqualified staff perform tasks they should be paying trained professionals to do. It’s these practices that put vulnerable residents at risk for serious harm and compel families like yours to call us when the worst happens.
Of course, not all nursing homes operate this way. Plenty of them really do deliver on their promises of professional care and dignified living—we’ve seen them. But far too many families find out too late that the facility they chose for their loved one is one of the money-grubbing, corner-cutting nightmare facilities, and now their family member is paying the price.
That’s why Levin & Perconti encourages families to learn about available resources for rating the assisted living facilities in their community and thoroughly research any facility they consider moving a family member into. We share information published by Medicare about assisted living facilities, so you have one more resource to draw upon. This information includes ratings, health inspection findings, and filed complaints for individual nursing homes. Our goal— like yours— is to help protect vulnerable senior citizens from dangerous situations in assisted living facilities such as those operated by The Grove network.
Looking at The Grove Network
Each location offers a variety of services focusing on post-hospitalization rehab and senior living, such as oncology care, physical therapy, on-site dialysis, hospice care, neurological rehab, cognitive therapy, and more.
- The Grove of Berwyn
- The Grove of Elmhurst
- The Grove at the Lake
- The Grove Evanston
- The Grove of Fox Valley
- The Grove of LaGrange Park
- The Grove of Northbrook
- The Grove of Skokie
Websites for these nursing homes feature photos of perfectly styled rooms akin to those on luxury hotel websites. They list luxurious amenities including spa and salon services, concierge services, private rooms, and bathrooms, and escorted transportation. It’s easy to see how good marketing like this draws in so many residents, but do these alluring photos paint the actual picture of life in The Grove network?
Life at The Grove Facilities
Looking at the most recent available Medicare ratings for the five Grove facilities, most are highly rated, with 4 out of 5, or Above Average, overall ratings. Only one, The Grove at the Lake, received a 2 out of 5, or Below Average, rating.
All five facilities received perfect Much Above Average ratings for quality measures. These quality measures look at metrics such as the percent of residents requiring hospitalization after nursing home admission, percent of residents with pressure ulcers that worsened, or percent of residents experiencing a fall. These metrics can tell you a lot about what kind of care is a priority at The Grove locations.
Health inspections can give you the best clues about the care and attention residents receive at nursing homes. Health inspection ratings for the Grove Network facilities range from Below Average to Above Average. All report various deficiencies found during health inspections, including failure to prevent a resident from falling out of bed, failure to manage pain in a timely manner, and failure to provide proper treatment for pressure ulcers, among others.
The Grove at the Lake in Zion, Illinois, had the most egregious health inspection infractions and was noted as putting residents at risk of multiple dangers by failing to provide proper incontinence, pressure ulcer, feeding, and respiratory care. They were found to have an insufficient number of nursing staff, which could explain the poor healthcare provided at this facility.
Indeed, poor staff ratings plague all of The Grove facilities; each received 1- or 2-star ratings. This means they were found to have a higher ratio of residents to caregivers than average, with less time spent caring for residents per day. In our experience, this is a major pitfall of for-profit nursing homes and a sign of serious risk to residents.
Elder Abuse Cases Handled by Levin & Perconti
Per our research, The Grove Network nursing homes are generally highly rated, but no facility is perfect. Even the highest-rated residences can go downhill fast when staffing is not a priority. This certainly seems to be the case with The Grove at the Lake.
When nursing homes fail to hire enough qualified employees and instead leave residents in the hands of unskilled or overworked staff, the risk of neglect and abuse rises sharply. That’s usually the root cause of the cases we’ve prosecuted, such as those involving:
- Alzheimer’s and Other Forms of Dementia
- Bed Sores, Pressure Sores, and Decubitus Ulcers
- Burns
- Choking
- Clogged Breathing Tubes
- Elder Abuse
- Falls
- Malnutrition and Dehydration
- Medication Errors
- Physical or Chemical Restraints
- Physical and Sexual Assault or Abuse
- Sepsis
- Wandering and Elopement from Facilities
- Infections
Levin & Perconti wants you to know that there are laws against elder abuse, but the law best serves you only after the crime has been committed. We hope to prevent elder abuse from ever happening to begin with, just as you do. So what can you do?
We encourage families to do in-depth research into the assisted living networks in their area before placing a loved one in the care of a nursing home. Carefully compare the information you find and continue to monitor your loved one’s care after they’ve moved in. Elderly residents are most likely to suffer abuse when they have no one outside of their nursing home checking on them.
In the event you do uncover some abuse, call us. Levin & Perconti is one of the most recognized elder abuse law firms in Illinois, and we are on your side every step of the way. We’ve won millions of dollars in settlements and verdicts for the victims of Illinois nursing homes, and we can do it for you too.
Every nursing home resident deserves protection, and every elder abuse victim deserves justice. If you need help seeking justice for a loved one, our expert attorneys are just a call away. Click here to fill out an online request form or call us toll-free today at 1-877-374-1417 or 312-332-2872.
Testimonials
Not only were they so professional but also so caring and thoughtful. It was very difficult going over the facts in our mother's case but they were so compassionate and understanding and allowed us to be with them every step of the way. We were able to sit in on the depositions and we were really able to see how hard they worked on our behalf.
During that time, my family and I suffered the loss of my mother. Mr. Levin and Mr. Perconti were more than just our lawyers. Words can’t really express our gratitude.
They were most patient and responded timely to many questions throughout the entire process. All demonstrated professionalism and extensive knowledge of case and state laws. Their in-depth investigative work uncovered details which were unknown to us and yet sadly confirmed our suspicions. We would recommend the Levin and Perconti Law firm and especially this team.
During that time, my family and I suffered the loss of my mother. Mr. Levin and Mr. Peconti were more than just our lawyers. Words can’t really express our gratitude. My family and I will always be grateful for the compassion that they showed us. I want to thank you for what you did for my family, and for always being there for us.
Margaret’s representation, guidance, and professionalism gave us the sense that we could put our trust in Levin & Perconti and the final outcome proved that to be true.
Legally Reviewed by
Steven M. Levin
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Notable Results
VERDICT
on behalf of an 85-year-old woman injured in a nursing home when her medications were mismanaged.
VERDICT
for the estate of a 67-year-old man who died from complications related to a fall
SETTLEMENT
for a 59-year-old resident who developed multiple painful and infected bedsores which took four years to heal.
The Grove Facilities
Our Office
325 N LaSalle Dr Suite 300
Chicago, IL 60654
312-332-2872
