Nursing home fails to supervise resident found on trian tracks
CBS2Chicago had a tragic story of a nursing home resident found on train tracks near the facility. There is no excuse for this kind of neglect and lack of supervision. The nursing home has been sued for negligence after a resident with dementia was discovered lying on train tracks and suffering from cold exposure eight hours after wandering off during a group field trip. McCauley suffered from various psychological and physical conditions, severe dementia and Alzheimer's disease and required full-time supervision by staff.
Wayne Marz, the guardian of Margaret McCauley, filed the suit in Cook County Circuit Court against Sunrise Senior Living Services, the Brighton Gardens Assisted Living of Orland Park and the home's Activity Director Debra Ann Adler, following the Dec. 2, 2007 incident that left the woman with significant injuries.
McCauley wandered away unnoticed and was found approximately eight hours later just one mile away, lying on train tracks with visible injuries she had suffered from falling down and from being exposed to cold temperatures for an extended amount of time.
The suit alleges Adler and the nursing home failed to properly monitor McCauley; failed to assess her risk of wandering off; failed to provide an adequate number of staff for residents and failed to ensure her safety. The center also failed to take proper steps to ensure McCauley's safe return after discovering she was missing.
