SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – The Illinois Department of Public Health has fined Jennings Terrace $50,000 (Statement of Violation - PDF) for failure to take the necessary precautions to assure the safety of a resident. The 163-bed skilled, intermediate and sheltered care facility is located at 275 S. LaSalle St. in Aurora.

Responding to a complaint, Department surveyors learned a resident died of complications from a head injury sustained when she was being transferred to her bed with the help of a mechanical lift.

The resident's care plan called for always having two staff present when transferring her with a mechanical lift, but the facility's investigation determined only one staff member attempted the lift and the wrong lift sling was being used. As the resident was being lifted, her body shifted and she fell backward from the sling and her head struck the floor.

A year earlier the resident sustained a fractured arm when she was being moved with a mechanical lift. The employee conducting that transfer also used the improper equipment and failed to get assistance.

A Department-ordered plan of correction required the facility to review and revise, if necessary, its policies on proper use and supervision of resident care equipment and to train staff on the importance of following proper procedures when using such equipment.

Jennings Terrace has requested a hearing on the Department's action. No hearing date has been set.