Bed Check: Safety violations cloud Central Illinois nursing homes

An elderly man with Alzheimer's disease leaves a local nursing home without staff noticing and is found wandering into traffic on Mattis Avenue in Champaign.
 A patient in an Urbana nursing home is left unattended on a bed pan for hours until the bed pan creates a deep pressure sore in its shape.


Continue ReadingBed Check: Safety violations cloud Central Illinois nursing homes
Read more about the article Finding a good nursing home: A primerDarrell Hoemann
The courtyard at the County Rehabilitation and Care Center in Gifford on Monday, Nov. 28, 2011.

Finding a good nursing home: A primer

Finding a nursing home or long-term care facility can be challenging. Read advice from advocates and nursing home administrators on what you should look for, recommended websites for comparison and questionnaires to use when looking for a nursing home.

Continue ReadingFinding a good nursing home: A primer

Nursing home care different today from yesterday

Nursing home care is much different today than it was a decade ago. “Assisted living, supportive living (and) home health options have certainly made a big change within the last 10 years,” said Ben Craft, social services director at Colonial Manor in Danville.

Continue ReadingNursing home care different today from yesterday
Read more about the article State officials overhaul nursing home careDarrell Hoemann
Ardith Orr recites the Pledge of Allegiance after devotions at the County Rehabilition and Care Center in Gifford on Monday, Nov. 28, 2011.

State officials overhaul nursing home care

In July 2010, Gov. Pat Quinn signed into law two bills that introduced broad reforms for the state’s nursing homes. The laws strengthened the screening process to keep residents with histories of violent crimes separate from vulnerable, elderly residents; instituted tougher quality and staffing requirements; upped fines for violations; increased the number of state inspectors by nearly 50 percent; and added new requirements for quicker reporting of fraud, neglect and abuse, among other changes.

Continue ReadingState officials overhaul nursing home care