Green Valley Manor Finally Loses License

I followed this story closely for several weeks this spring. What I uncovered was very disturbing.

The last few minutes of 84-year-old Rosemary Gubert's life were, no doubt, frightening and painful. Autopsy results showed the dementia patient, who was found in a water ditch across the street from the Green Valley Manor Adult Foster Care Home, died of hypothermia. She walked away from the facility, located on Pratt Road in Metamora, between 2 and 4 a.m. on the morning of March 24. She wasn't wearing shoes or even a sweater over her nightgown.

Frankly, I'm surprised it took the state this long to pull the facility's license.

Turns out, Green Valley manor was investigated at least seven times over the past few years. A former worker at the facility was charged with sexually assaulting a mentally disabled resident in 2006. An unannounced visit by the Department of Human Services earlier this year revealed that one of the resident's windows had a broken screen and lock. Another investigation determined staff didn't seek medical help quickly enough when a patient showed signs of an illness over several days.

This story is a good example of why, if you're forced to place a loved one in adult care, you should research the facility very carefully. All state investigations into adult foster care and nursing homes are listed on the Department of Human Services Web site.