North Aurora nursing home sued in resident death

NORTH AURORA – Two sons of an 88-year-old woman who died Jan. 24, 2019 are suing a North Aurora nursing home alleging medical negligence in that its staff failed to detect or treat a pressure sore which ultimately caused her death, according to court records.

Attorney Mark Bishop filed the lawsuit in Kane County June 10 on behalf of Brad Westrom of Batavia and Dean Westrom of West Chicago against Asbury Pavilion Nursing and Rehabilitation Center, 210 Airport Road, North Aurora, in the death of their mother, Thelma Westrom. The court filing seeks more than $50,000 and a jury trial.

The lawsuit alleges that staff failed to recognize and document the development of a pressure ulcer on her coccyx.

According to a health professional report exhibit, Thelma Westrom was treated at Northwestern Medicine Delnor Hospital in Geneva from June 7-11, 2018 for generalized weakness and a slow heart rate, the lawsuit stated.

From there, she was taken to Asbury Gardens on June 11 where she stayed from June 11-28. The lawsuit’s exhibit stated that her skin was intact when she was admitted to Asbury Gardens.

By June 24, Thelma Westrom was noted to have a “reddened … area on her coccyx that measured 2 centimeters by 3 centimeters. This area was not recognized as a pressure injury,” according to the lawsuit.

She returned to Delnor from June 26-28 and then was taken to Alden Court at Waterford where her pressure ulcer deteriorated, the lawsuit stated. By Sept. 6, Thelma Westrom went into hospice care and later died on Jan. 24, 2019, according to the lawsuit.

A doctor’s review of Thelma Weston’s records in the exhibit alleges that staff failed to recognize, document and treat her pressure ulcer, for which she was at high risk, according to the lawsuit.

In an email response, Asbury Pavilion Executive Director Susan Ahlgren stated that the facility is saddened to hear of Thelma Westrom’s death, but the facility has not been notified about a lawsuit or claim regarding her death.

“During the brief time Ms. Westrom was a resident at Asbury Pavilion Nursing and Rehabilitation in the summer of 2018, it was our facility’s pleasure and honor to provide her with the quality nursing care we strive to provide all residents,” Ahlgren’s email stated. “We extend our deepest condolences to Ms. Westrom’s family and friends.”

The case is scheduled for court on Aug. 26.