December 21, 2004

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – The Illinois Department of Public Health has fined Grundy County Home $5,000 (Statement of Violation) for failing to prevent a resident from leaving the facility unsupervised. The 142-bed facility is located at 1338 Clay St. in Morris.

As part of an incident report investigation, Department surveyors learned a resident with a history of wandering left the facility unnoticed. A visitor found the resident outside the facility.

The resident was wearing an electronic monitoring device at the time of the incident. An aide heard the door alarm sound and notified a nurse to check the door and then reset the alarm. The nurse said she went to the door and looked out and then returned to her duties. No other search was conducted.

Grundy County Home has requested a hearing on the Department’s action. No hearing date has been set.