Au Well Care Home Closing Following Abuse, Neglect Allegations

Nursing Home Abuse and Neglect - April 10, 2025

Au Well Care Home, Inc., Maryville, Illinois Nursing Home, Closing Following Allegations of Abuse and Neglect

Au Well Care Home Closing Following Abuse, Neglect Allegations

MARYVILLE, ILLINOIS (April 10, 2025) – A Maryville nursing home identified as Au Well Care Home is closing its doors after problems, including abuse and neglect allegations.

Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) issued a notice on April 2 that funding was being pulled from the nursing home in the next 30 days. The notice stated that Au Well Care Home fails to comply with several Medicare and Medicaid participation requirements.

Agency officials cited a number of issues, including:

  • Abuse
  • Neglect
  • Exploitation
  • Quality of life
  • Quality of care
  • Training requirements
  • Infection control
  • Resident rights

The front door on the facility was locked on Monday. A letter on the door appeared to indicate that the nursing home was going to close.

According to Medicare.gov, Au Well Care Home had an overall rating of one out of five stars. Medicare also stated that the nursing home had 26 citations in the last 3 years that resulted in a citation.

Liability for Nursing Home Abuse and Neglect in Maryville

Abuse in long-term care facilities remains remarkably common. According to Cureus, “Many studies estimate that about 10% of all people over the age of 65 experience some form of abuse. These rates are often higher in long-term care facilities such as nursing homes, despite government regulations aimed toward addressing this issue.” Abuse can come in many different forms, including verbal threats, intimidation, neglect, and isolation. Nursing homes should take several measures in order to protect residents from abuse.

  • Background Checks: Nursing homes should adopt strict hiring practices that make use of thorough background checks. Psychological assessments can also help identify candidates who may pose a higher risk to residents.
  • Staff Training: Much of the abuse that takes place in nursing homes is not done out of malevolent intentions. It is simply the result of staff that lack the proper training to adequately care for all of the needs of residents.
  • Adequate Staffing: Nursing homes should ensure that they have adequate staff-to-resident ratios. When a nursing home is understaffed, this can lead to unnecessary cuts in the care that residents receive.

Nursing homes have a legal obligation to protect residents from reasonably foreseeable sources of harm. There are a number of federal and state laws that prohibit any type of neglect in a nursing home setting. Pursuant to (210 ILCS 45/) Nursing Home Care Act, “No resident shall be deprived of any rights, benefits, or privileges guaranteed by State or federal law, the Constitution of the State of Illinois, or the Constitution of the United States solely on account of his or her status as a resident of a facility.” Residents must be provided with all of the water, food, and medical care that they require.

If a nursing home fails to provide residents with the care that they need, this could form the basis of a negligence claim. In particular, a nursing home could be liable for the negligent hiring, retention, or supervision of an employee who abuses a resident. For example, a nursing home may have known that a certain employee was the subject of numerous abuse or neglect complaints but still retained them. Several elements must be demonstrated in any claim alleging negligent hiring or retention.

  • The nursing home employee was unfit or unreasonably dangerous to residents.
  • The nursing home knew (or should have known) that the employee posed a danger.
  • The unfit nature of the nursing home worker caused harm to the resident.
  • The nursing home’s negligent hiring or retention was a substantial factor in causing the harm.

It can be hard to know where to begin if you or a loved one has suffered harm due to abuse or neglect in a nursing home setting. Many of the injuries associated with nursing home abuse or neglect can result in long-term health conditions. This is particularly true with respect to bedsores, one of the most common conditions that nursing home residents suffer from. These may develop if an immobile resident is not turned regularly. Any person that is injured in a nursing home setting may be able to seek some measure of accountability through a civil claim.

Getting Legal Help for Nursing Home Abuse and Neglect in Maryville

We at Horwitz Horwitz & Associates were deeply concerned to hear about the allegations of abuse and neglect at Au Well Care Home. Any person that may have more information about the allegations should reach out to the Illinois Department of Public Health. The number of citations at this nursing home remains deeply concerning. It is our sincere hope that additional measures are taken to prevent nursing home abuse across Illinois.

Have you or someone that you care about been harmed while staying at Au Well Care Home? You may have legal recourse. Our team of highly experienced Illinois nursing home abuse and neglect attorneys is here to help you. We are committed to helping victims and holding long-term care facilities accountable for their negligent actions. Whether you just have legal questions or need any type of support, we are here for you. You can reach out to us anytime at (312) 564-4256.