Illinois Nursing Home Abuse Blog

A report released by the United States Government Accountability Office (GAO) shows that not all states have similar disclosure requirements with regard to sex offenders and parolees in nursing homes. Further, many long-term care facilities do not impose stricter supervisory requirements on those with prior convictions because they are either unaware of a prior conviction, or they base these supervisory decisions on residents' behaviors. Thus, many sex offenders or parolees may be monitored poorly until an incident results; at which time, it may be too late.

For the highlights of the report:
Download file

For the full report:
Download file

Gov. Rod Blagojevich plans to sign a bill that will keep nursing home residents safer by requiring criminal background checks for all current and incoming Illinois nursing home residents. The bill requires the state’s 1000 nursing homes to identify sex offenders and violent felons. The bill is an answer to rapes and beatings that have occurred throughout Illinois. In 2005, the Chicago Sun Times released an expose of sex offenders and parolees living in Illinois.

http://levinperconti.blawgs.pro/Parolees%20living%20in%20state%20nursing%20homes.htm

When the governor signs the bill, Illinois will be the first state requiring criminal background checks for admitted residents. The bill is needed in Illinois, which ranks second only to California in the number of known felons and sex offenders per resident. (70 known felons and sex offenders, out of the state’s 100,000 residents).

For the full article:
http://www.sj-r.com/sections/news/stories/85629.asp

There is a proposal by state attorney general Lisa Madigan to require nursing homes to tighten the rules on admitting convicted sex offenders and other violent offenders to long-term care centers. A care center would have to notify its residents in writing that a sex offender or parolee had moved into the center. The proposal would charge the nursing home administration with cross-checking resident lists with state police sex offender and corrections departments’ databases twice a year. All centers that plan to admit sex offenders or parolees would have to comply.

A Chicago Sun Times article discusses the 61 parolees living in nursing homes across the state. Unlike sex offenders, these criminal parolees aren’t required to list their addresses and so residents of nursing homes may not know there are paroled criminals living amongst them in long term care facilities. The article talks about what nursing homes, parole officers and state officials are doing to ensure the nursing home residents’ safety. A list of nursing homes and the known number of paroled criminals is provided.

The article lists the number of parolees by home and is available below:
Download file

A Chicago Sun Times article discusses the 100 registered sex offenders living in 54 nursing homes, other long-term care facilities and supportive living centers throughout Illinois. While the state doesn’t require nursing homes to pass this information along to residents, these offenders are registered by the state’s sex offender registry and half are aged 50 or under. The state is taking measure to screen the residents to ensure there’s a medical reason for admitting the residents. Problems with sex offenders in nursing homes have surfaced across the country including incidents in Minnesota and Florida.

For the full article:
Download file

Widespread publicity over sex offenders in nursing homes has prompted the village of Frankfurt to propose an ordinance that would impose the following:
•Ban treatment of registered sex offenders or anyone with mental illness, drug or alcohol abuse at nursing homes within the village
•Prohibit any nursing home resident from leaving a facility without an escort.
•Licensing and inspection by the village, in addition to state regulation
•Mandate security cameras and alarms on each entrance and exit door

A Chicago Sun Times article discusses the 100 registered sex offenders living in 54 nursing homes, other long-term care facilities and supportive living centers throughout Illinois. While the state doesn’t require nursing homes to pass this information along to residents, these offenders are registered by the state’s sex offender registry and half are aged 50 or under. The state is taking measure to screen the residents to ensure there’s a medical reason for admitting the residents. Problems with sex offenders in nursing homes have surfaced across the country including incidents in Minnesota and Florida.

For the full article:
Download file

There is a proposal by state attorney general Lisa Madigan to require nursing homes to tighten the rules on admitting convicted sex offenders and other violent offenders to long-term care centers. A care center would have to notify its residents in writing that a sex offender or parolee had moved into the center. The proposal would charge the nursing home administration with cross-checking resident lists with state police sex offender and corrections departments’ databases twice a year. All centers that plan to admit sex offenders or parolees would have to comply.

A Chicago Sun Times article discusses the 61 parolees living in nursing homes across the state. Unlike sex offenders, these criminal parolees aren’t required to list their addresses and so residents of nursing homes may not know there are paroled criminals living amongst them in long term care facilities. The article talks about what nursing homes, parole officers and state officials are doing to ensure the nursing home residents’ safety. A list of nursing homes and the known number of paroled criminals is provided.

The article lists the number of parolees by home and is available below:
Download file