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A STERLING SPIKE AT TOP OF ALL-AREA TEAM
HOSPITAL AVOIDS LOSS OF MEDICARE FUNDS MORRISON, A3
PREP VOLLEYBALL, B1
INVESTIGATIVE SERIES | NURSING HOMES IN THE SAUK VALLEY
WEEKEND ENTERPRISE | WHITESIDE COUNTY
Questions linger in death after jail release BY KATHLEEN A. SCHULTZ kschultz@saukvalley.com 800-798-4085, ext. 5535
A sorry state Watchdog group gives Illinois an ‘F’ grade for long-term care, says Sauk Valley has ‘shockingly poor track record’
T
BY MATT MENCARINI • mmencarini@saukvalley.com • 800-798-4085, ext. 5529
wo days after being admitted into Dixon Rehab & Health Care Center on July 28, 2013, a man had a temperature of 100.6 degrees and his breathing was labored. Nurses were notified. The man, a diabetic, had been transferred from a hospital. “I began getting phone calls on him regarding elevated blood sugars,” a nurse practitioner later told a government surveyor, as noted in a report completed on Aug. 13, 2013. “As I see it, [he] was a sick man. He was discharged from the hospital too early. His blood sugars were all over the board. We couldn’t get his blood sugars back under control.” Fifty minutes after his breathing became labored, a nurse noted in his chart that his temperature was 99.2 degrees. The next entry, 40 minutes later: “CNA reported mucous at sides of mouth checked at this time expired also assessed by another nurse ... family notified and coroner called.” Death isn’t an unusual occurrence at a nursing home – in the Sauk Valley or elsewhere. But this death resulted in $48,800 in state and federal fines. A Florida-based watchdog organization that grades state performance in long-term care has given Illinois an “F.”
Brian Lee, executive director of Families for Better Care, said about 25 percent of nursing homes in Illinois have had at least one severe deficiency since 2012. But a higher rate for nursing homes in the Sauk Valley area represents a “shockingly poor track record.” STATE CONTINUED ON A5
Cloudy
VOLUME 7 ISSUE 15 44 Pages
In the photo
About the series
About 25 percent of the nursing homes in Illinois have been cited for at least one severe deficiency violation since 2012, but in the Sauk Valley, that rate increases to 65 percent. That was among the findings Sauk Valley Media reporter Matt Mencarini found during a 6-month review of nearly 4,000 pages of documents – including inspection reports, enforcement letters, and plans of correction – and nearly 30 hours of interviews with nursing home administrators, industry experts, nursing home advocates and family members of nursing home residents. During the next week, and occasionally thereafter, Mencarini will report on the state of nursing homes and the regulatory processes in the Sauk Valley and Illinois.
In the past 3 and a half years, Sauk Valley nursing homes have been fined by the state or federal government about 20 times for violations, for a total of nearly $200,000. However, the complaint and recertification surveys for all 20 nursing homes are done several times each year, and almost all return violations. The state is about 3 months behind in its Medicaid reimbursements, which is a delay nursing home administrators say is better than what it has been. However, area elected officials expect that delay period to increase.
QUESTIONS CONTINUED ON A3
COMING MONDAY
In the Dec. 20 edition
The majority of direct nursing care for nursing home residents is done by certified nursing assistants, who make between $8.75 and $10.50 an hour. Because of the difficult work, there’s a high rate of turnover among CNAs, nursing home administrators said. Discussions about long-term care desires and preferences should happen sooner rather than later, as the Sauk Valley has fewer options to choose from.
The People’s Voice Sterling resident Rick Rodgers is a devastating combination of crackers and courageous. And that couldn’t be more of a compliment, SVM’s Christopher Heimerman writes.
Key findings in today’s report Thirteen of 20 Sauk Valley nursing homes have been cited for at least one severe violation since 2012. The violations led to resident deaths, the development of Stage 4 bedsores, sexual assaults, hospitalization and broken bones. Once monetary fines are imposed for violations, nursing homes can receive a reduction of up to 35 percent by waiving their right to a hearing. Most often, this reduces a $2,200 fine to $1,430.
Information about area nursing homes on the state website is as many as 8 years old, despite requirements for updated information that are mandated in the state’s Nursing Home Act. Only seven states rank lower than Illinois in the Families for Better Care’s annual rankings and report cards on nursing homes in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. In 2014, Illinois got an F. Its rank dropped, from 42nd worst in the nation in 2013 to 44th in 2014.
Inside Story: Failure to properly handle abuse allegations among violations for which Sauk Valley area nursing homes have been cited. Page A5
Seasonal sights
Today: 45/39 For the forecast, see Page A11
In Wednesday’s edition
Winning Wheels in Prophetstown is a unique nursing home in the area in that all of its residents are younger and confined to a wheelchair because of brain or spinal injuries. (Alex T. Paschal/apaschal@saukvalley.com)
MORRISON – On the surface, it seems like such a violation of common sense, of basic human decency. How could jail staff allow a mentally ill woman to walk out of her cell and into the biggest snowstorm of the season, knowing Janet Fay she lived 15 miles Sims away and had no ride home? Well, that depends. On what the jailers actually knew about her condition. On what they are supposed to do in such an unusual situation. The death of Janet Fay Sims has raised questions that authorities are unable or unwilling to answer nearly 2 weeks later: How sick was she? Why didn’t deputies just take her home? Did they even know she was stranded?
A look at Christmas celebrations in the Sauk Valley. See Page C12
Holiday entertaining Expert party planners offer advice, recipes Also inside USA Weekend: Do’s and don’ts of e-cards Items to add seasonal cheer Tips on portion control
ONLINE Don’t miss out on all the fun! If you haven’t been to our Plan!t Sauk Valley website this week, you’ve missed: • The debut of the Daily Record blog about music. We also kicked off our Hear This feature about bands you might not have heard. • Reviews by SVM Managing Editor Jeff Rogers of new music releases. • A Grub Hub feature about Poopy’s in Savanna. Go to planitsaukvalley.com
Index Births................ C5 Lottery .............. A2 Business........... C1 Markets .......... A11 Classified .......... D1 Obituaries ......... A4 Comics ............. B8 Opinion............. A6 Community ..... C12 Scoreboard ...... B5 Scrapbook ....... C3 Crossword Saturday ........... D5 Sports .............. B1 Support groups .. C5 Crossword Sunday ............. C8 Travel .............. C10 Dave Ramsey ... C1 Weather.......... A11 Dear Abby ........ C6 Wheels ............. D8