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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 9, 2002
Illinois Nursing Homes Set National
Standards in Abuse Prevention
Illinois Council and Public Health
Spearhead Further Abuse Prevention with Training
Sessions
(Chicago) Recent federal survey statistics indicate
that Illinois nursing homes has less than one-third of
the national average of abuse incidents where actual
harm occurred. Because of new federal standards
instituted in 1995 and more intensive abuse prevention
program requirements in 1999, incidents of serious abuse
are decreasing nationwide, but even faster in Illinois
nursing homes.
In the year 2000, Illinois nursing homes had only 3
violations of serious abuse. That’s 1/3 of one percent
of all surveys in Illinois, and three times better than
the national average of 0.95%. This continues a long
trend in decreased instances of abuse, and is down from
0.58 percent in 1998. While these numbers are low, the
nursing home provider community’s goal is to bring
these numbers down to zero.
"As you can see, instances of abuse in Illinois
nursing homes are extremely rare," comments
Terrence Sullivan, executive director of the Illinois
Council on Long Term Care, as association of nursing
home professionals. "Yet as we move forward,
nursing home owners, staff and concerned groups such as
the Illinois Council are committed to bringing this
number down to zero."
The reason for the rapid decrease in serious abuse
incidents is a committed partnership between the
Illinois Department of Public Health and the nursing
home provider community. When new federal standards for
abuse prevention were released in 1999, the Illinois
Council on Long Term Care developed and distributed a
pro-active model program for protecting resident safety.
This comprehensive facility program includes:
· Facility policies for background checks
of employees
· Extensive orientation and training for
staff
· Specific investigation procedures for
reporting and investigating any suspected abuse
· Immediate procedures to protect
residents, and
· Methods for reporting substantiated
incidents to the appropriate authorities
To assist its member facilities in implementing all
aspects of this state-of-the-art abuse prevention
program, the Illinois Council hosted seminars across
Illinois in 1999. These education programs reached over
2,000 professionals and front-line caregivers.
"It has been our continuing hope that by
developing preventative policies and staff training
programs, the subject of resident abuse never comes
up," remarks Martin J. Weiss, president of the
Illinois Council on Long Term Care. "Our member
facilities are committed to maintaining
resident-sensitive environments that provide the highest
levels of safety, autonomy and well-being."
To take this commitment to an even further level, the
professional nursing home associations and the Illinois
Department of Public Health are again co-sponsoring a
series of training seminars this month for nursing home
staff on detecting and preventing resident abuse and
neglect.
Throughout January, six all-day abuse prevention
seminars will provide the latest research and
sensitivity training developed by the federal
government. Thousands of staff members from Illinois
nursing homes are attending these sessions to learn the
latest practices in protecting resident safety, security
and well-being. The federal government has also issued
new guidelines for state surveyors on evaluating
facility efforts in preventing abuse and neglect.
The co-sponsored training sessions will take place
from 8:30 to 4:00 pm on the following dates and
locations:
January 9th at the Oak Lawn Hilton Hotel
January 10th at the Radisson Lincolnwood
Hotel
January 16th at the Pere Marquette Hotel
in Peoria
January 30th at the Crown Plaza Hotel in
Springfield
January 31st at the Collinsville Gateway
Center
February 6th at the Naperville Holiday Inn
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The Illinois Council on Long Term Care is an
association of nursing home professionals committed to
quality residential health care in Illinois. The
Illinois Council represents more than 220 Illinois
health care facilities employing 26,000 professionals
and caregivers who serve more than 38,000 residents.
More information about Illinois nursing homes can be
found at the Council's web site www.nursinghome.org.
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