Lincolnshire nursing home patients left without medical care for hours
LINCOLNSHIRE, Ill. (CBS) -- A big scare for families of nursing home residents in north suburban Lincolnshire, who said seniors had no medical care for hours.
Police are now investigating a severe staffing shortage after several residents with dementia were left to fend for themselves. CBS 2's Marissa Perlman spoke with concerned family members.
This all happened after a change in ownership that officially kicked in on May 1st, The Illinois Department of Public Health said it's now opening an investigation after there was no medical staff on duty.
Family members said inside it looked like a "zombie apocalypse."
"Loved ones lives were at risk for a number of hours," said Sean Hobbs
On Monday, Hobbs walked into the former Warren Barr Lincolnshire to visit his dad, a resident with dementia who has been here for years.
Outside, he saw Lincolnshire fire, police and ambulances without a doctor or nurse in sight.
"There was no one here when I arrived. There was no medical staff whatsoever," Hobbs said.
The care facility, previously called Warren Barr Lincolnshire sent a letter to patients and their families late last week, notifying them of an ownership change in two days.
Warren Barr was out and the Wealshire Rehab Center was in, with little explanation. The incoming owner, Arnie Goldberg followed up with his own letter to residents: "The memory care facility would suddenly now be "devoted to kidney and cardiac rehabilitation" instead.
The letter was enough for Ceil Barrie to decide to move both of her parents out.
"There were a few red flags that something wasn't quite right," Barrie said.
On May 1st, the ownership transition was set to take place, the same day Barrie was moving her parents out:
She said for an unknown amount of time, the more than 100 residents were left with little to no care. Lincolnshire police said three residents were taken to the hospital.
"It was swarming with police and fire and that wasn't a good sign and then I walked in and it looked like a apocalypse or a zombie movie or something the entire place was deserted," Barrie said. "In my mind, this is criminal. It's criminal to leave people like that without care."
Lincolnshire police said there were 20 staff members on site when there should have been 60. These families said they saw fewer than five when visiting their family.
The case has been handed over to the Illinois Department of Public Health. CBS 2 reached out to the owners for comment but have yet to hear back.