SPRINGFIELD, IL – The Illinois Department of Public Health has fined Manorcare at Palos Heights $5,000 (Statement of Violation), for failure to prevent a resident from leaving the facility unsupervised. The 180-bed skilled and sheltered care facility is located at 7850 W. College Drive in Palos Heights.

Responding to a complaint, Department surveyors learned a resident, who had a history of wandering, sustained a bruised and cut elbow after leaving the facility undetected.

Facility staff were unaware the resident had left until a police officer informed an employee the resident had been seen about 270 feet from the facility near a busy highway.

The resident left through an exit door that was to sound an alarm when opened, but the alarm had been disconnected by a staff member. The resident's care plan was not modified to reflect the resident's elopement or an incident six weeks earlier in which she attempted to leave the facility.

During a tour of the unit, a Department investigator observed an exit door, located near the locked Alzheimer's unit, was propped open and unalarmed. Several staff members said they were unaware the door was to be closed and alarmed, but a supervisor said there were signs posted notifying staff of the requirement.

The Department-ordered plan of correction required the facility to provide residents with adequate and proper supervised nursing care, to ensure residents with wandering behaviors are properly monitored and to provide continuous supervision of doors if alarm systems are deactivated.

Manorcare at Palos Heights has requested a hearing on the Department's action. No hearing date has been set.