December 30, 1999

SPRINGFIELD, IL – The Illinois Department of Public Health has fined A.R.C. of Jacksonville $15,000 (Statement of Violation) for two violations of the state Nursing Home Care Act. The 93-bed intermediate care facility is located at 1316 Tendick in Jacksonville.

Responding to a complaint, Department surveyors found the facility failed to ensure a resident's health did not deteriorate while taking drugs to control restless behavior, and a resident wandered from the facility without the staff's knowledge.

A 70-year-old resident, who lived at the facility for nine months, was discharged to a skilled care facility after losing more than 30 pounds and going from being able to walk to being confined to a wheelchair. While in A.R.C. Jacksonville's care, the woman received frequent medications to calm her because she often yelled and screamed. Her weight dropped from 168 pounds to 135 pounds at the time of her discharge and, instead of being able to walk and use the bathroom on her own, she was reliant on a wheelchair and was incontinent. At one point, a speech evaluation was ordered to check the resident's ability to swallow, but the test was not performed because the facility could not locate a speech therapist.

In another case, a 70-year-old resident left the facility unnoticed and was found by local police nearly two miles away at a restaurant. Staff did not know the man was missing until police returned him to the facility. In order to get to the restaurant, the resident had to cross Morton Street, a four-lane, heavily traveled road. The man apparently left the building when other residents were leaving to attend day programs. Since the incident, the facility has implemented a policy that requires a staff person to be stationed at the door to check off those residents who are scheduled to be out of the facility.

A.R.C. of Jacksonville requested a hearing Dec. 14 on the Department's actions. A hearing date has been scheduled for Jan. 27, 2000.

Illinois Department of Public Health 535 West Jefferson Street Springfield, Illinois 62761 Phone 217-782-4977 Fax 217-782-3987 TTY 800-547-0466 Questions or Comments