SPRINGFIELD, IL – The Illinois Department of Public Health has fined two Chicago facilities for violating the state Nursing Home Care Act:

• Chevy Chase Nursing & Rehab Center, a 322-bed skilled care facility located at 3400 S. Indiana, and
• Kingsley Place at Lincoln Square, a 112-bed sheltered care facility located at 5527 N. Maplewood Ave.

Chevy Chase Nursing & Rehab Center was fined $5,000 (Statement of Violation) for not properly supervising a resident who left the facility and walked to his home, which is more than seven miles away, in temperatures that were below 30 degrees F. The facility was not aware the resident had left until his wife called to notify staff of his whereabouts. During their complaint investigation, Department surveyors learned the resident, who had a history of cutting off his electronic monitoring device and of attempting to leave the facility, was able to leave through the front entrance, which was not alarmed or monitored between 8 p.m. and 10 p.m. Six days after returning to the facility, the resident managed to elope again.

Kingsley Place was fined $5,000 (Statement of Violation) for an incident in which a confused, elderly resident sustained injuries to her forehead and elbow after leaving the facility unnoticed. When police found the resident lying on a curb about one block south of the facility, she was not wearing shoes or a coat and the temperature was 32 degrees F. Police attempted to return the resident to the facility but staff failed to respond to the officers' knocks. After five minutes, the police called paramedics, who arrived several minutes later and began treating the resident. At that time, staff opened the door.

Department surveyors found the facility does not have a signal near the exit doors to let staff know when they are opened. The facility's system consists of a radio walkie-talkie that is worn by staff. A signal comes over the radio to indicate which door is opened and then another signal notifies staff when the door is closed and reset. The facility has no policy that requires staff to visually check the door. On the day that the resident eloped, one of the two devices was being recharged and was not in use. The other staff member denied hearing the door signal.

Chevy Chase Nursing & Rehab Center and Kingsley Place at Lincoln Square have requested hearings on the Department's actions. Hearing dates have not been scheduled.