Abuse of DuPage Elderly to Get Closer Scrutiny

Panel would probe cases in DuPage

By Art Barnum | 

Tribune staff reporter

March 6, 2009

Prompted in part by the freezing death of an Alzheimer's patient who wandered outside her nursing home in the middle of the night last month, DuPage County is setting up a team to investigate allegations of physical abuse of senior citizens in nursing homes, as well as in-home health-care situations.

State's Atty. Joseph Birkett has asked the Illinois Department on Aging to allow the establishment of an Elder Abuse Fatality Review Team that would investigate claims of violence against county residents 60 and older. A state law allows approved programs to access restricted information such as nursing home records.

"The great majority of police investigators, medical personnel and people involved in home care of the elderly do an outstanding job, but problems arise," Birkett said. "Not only tragic fatal situations, but theft and even sexual abuse. We want to have a process to educate people providing services and evaluate situations."

The team would consist of representatives from the state's attorney's office, the sheriff, the county coroner, police, nursing home associations, and county and state senior citizens agencies.

On Tuesday, Heidi Leon ofBensenville, a 23-year-old nursing assistant, was charged with criminal neglect of a long-term care facility resident, criminal neglect of an elderly person and obstruction of justice in connection with the death of Sarah Wentworth, 89, whose body was found in an Itasca nursing home's courtyard after she was outside for perhaps as long as five hours.

"The Itasca case is an obvious one to be considered, but we are also looking into a case of a possible overdose of a senior in a domestic living situation," Birkett said.

Birkett said he hopes to gain state approval for the review team within several months and seek team members over the next few more months.

Kane County State's Atty. John Barsanti set up a similar fatality review team, which has met regularly since last summer to review deaths of seniors in domestic living situations. It can investigate home care situations or retirement homes, but not nursing homes.

"We have already had about 12 to 15 cases to review," said Linda Voirin, victim-advocate representative for the Kane County state's attorney's office.

The team was created after a Geneva woman was found malnourished and living on soiled sheets in a home she shared with her two daughters, who were charged with criminal neglect of an elderly person. 

The case us pending.

SOURCE:   Chicago Tribune - United States

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