A nursing home in suburban Chicago has been sued for failing to protect a 69-year-old resident from a sexual assault by a 21-year-old mentally ill man. According to the lawsuit, which alleges nursing home negligence and elder abuse, the skilled nursing facility tried to cover up the rape by telling authorities that it was consensual sex.
This case highlights the dangers in mixing elderly residents with younger patients who suffer from mental illness. The lawyer from the victim contends that a profit motive drives homes to mix residents.
“The only possible reason that you would be in this situation is a profit motive,” said Pete Flowers, attorney for the woman. “You want more residents in your facility, but you’re unwilling to pay for the necessary elements to protect all the residents.”
According to the Chicago Tribune, the 21-year-old resident was missing at bed check, but no effort was made to find his whereabouts. Later in the evening, a night shift nurse heard the elderly woman moaning and entered her room to find the victim crying in her bed. Incredibly, the rapist was in the facility for bipolar disorder with aggression and told the staff shortly after his admission that he was sexually frustrated.
The nursing home abuse and neglect attorneys at Walton Law Firm LLP provide free consultations to individuals and families who believe a loved one has been abuse or neglected in the nursing home or assisted living setting.