CONFIRMED BY ILL. SUPREME COURT– YOU ARE VIEWING THE MOST DANGEROUS BLOG IN ILLINOIS. This blog warranted a 3 year suspension by the ARDC/Jerome Larkin! Mottos: "Sunlight is the best disinfectant". Justice Louis Brandeis ; "If the truth can destroy something, then it deserves to be destroyed" Carl Sagan; "Justice is Truth in Action" Benjamin Disraeli. Illinois uses the ARDC to quash dissenting attorney activist blogs ; "The freedom of the press is one of the greatest bulwarks of liberty, and can never be restrained but by despotic Governments" — (1776-First Amendment preamble adopted by 8 US colonies)
Earlier today from 10 am to approximately 1:30 pm, attorney Sharon Opryszek of the Illinois ARDC insisted on taking my deposition over a blog post regarding Alan Dannowitz, a targeted individual. There was nothing wrong with that post and I told SO so, but she continued to harass me over it. She asked why I did not file a petition to become reinstated after my suspension was over and I responded that I had morals and ethics and had no desire to be part of an overtly corrupt organization (the IARDC) and that will only happen when hell freezes over at least 3 times, maybe more. I pointed out the fact the judgment was false and she knew it, the court reporter was unlicensed for 10 years, was under an IDPFR order to return any moneys she took for court reporting during that time and Illinois law provides any judgment from a trial where the court reporter is unlicensed is invalid. She had nothing to say about that.
I knew the deposition was nothing but harassment because:
she refused my reasonable request to change the time from 10 am to 2 pm.
she refused my request for a copy of the transcript to be made public and published on this blog
she was not interested in any case law that clearly supported my position (Alvarez case, Kentucky therapist case, 7th circuit and other cases on sealing files, etc.)
she continually attempted to mischaraterize and twist my words until I started to twist her words around and then it was no fun for her any longer.
I am demanding that attorney Opryszek provide me with a copy of the deposition so I can publish it on my blog.
Ken Ditkowsky has a few more words for her, to wit:
possible use of State of Illinois facilities to accomplish the Felony of intimidation!
Subject: Attempts being made to intimidate persons active in the fight against HUMAN TRAFFICKING IN THE ELDERLY. A reported recent reported attempt by Sharon Opryszek. Ms. Sharon Opryszek claims to be an attorney employee of the Illinois Attorney Registration and Disciplinary Commission. The IARDC is a State of Illinois funded entity under the jurisdiction of the Supreme Court of Illinois.
While I as a citizen make no allegation concerning the suspicious conduct of Ms. Opryszek, I do note that in the past and in today’s activity the utilities of the State of Illinois have been allegedly used in what appears to be an effort to discourage the publication of the Blogs MaryGSykes.com and Justice4Every1.com. These blogs have been published by my friend JoAnne Denison as part of her effort to communicate with and educate the public as to the WAR against the elderly that has been raging and so far in the Covid 19 pandemic appears to have been responsible for a significant number of the over 100,000 deaths attributed to nursing homes and questionable predatory guardianships.
Ms. Denison and other citizens of the United States of America have been and are preventing the censorship and ‘cover-up’ of the serious felonies that are in my opinion a proximate cause of the large number of ‘sheltered care’ facilities deaths. The information that I received was that Ms. Oprzszek, acting under color of the Illinois Attorney Registration and Disciplinary Commission (IARDC )employment informed Ms. Denison that she (Denison) had to appear for a DEPOSITION. As a deposition implies an official investigation it makes a representation that an official inquiry is being conducted. Denison is reported to have attorned to and participated in the Deposition. She has consented to and I believe will do so in writing to a copy of her deposition being made public so that all may see what, if anything, Ms. Oprzszek in her official capacity as an officer of the States of Illinois has done or is doing in connection with whatever investigation she is conducting concerning Ms. Denison. I understand that there was and is an official Court reporter employed for the purpose of making a public record of such depositions. DEMAND is made for the IARDC to furnish INSTANTER a written copy of any deposition, interview, or whatever it may be called to be furnished to Ms. Denison instanter so that IT MAY BE PUBLISHED in her blogs and where-ever she deems appropriate.
Please allow me to be blunt. It is my understanding that in the course of Attorney Denison’s sojourn in the company of citizens who object to the FELONIES of “elder cleansing” not only was she stripped of her law license in proceedings that in my opinion disgrace the 2nd oldest profession in Illinois and our State of Illinois, but she has been the subject of repeated threats to her person, her profession, her status and attempts on her life. The obvious direct link to Ms. Denison’s refusal to be mute as Elder Victims of Human Trafficking are victimized and pushed through the Courts. In particular I call attention to the current pending case of Amelia Sallas 07 P 5360 and its related foreclosure suit entitled BYLINE BANK vs. Amelia Sallas et al 2019 CH 13960[1] OneDrive
Illinois is not a totalitarian State, but subject to not only the Illinois Constitution, but the Constitution of the States of America. The right of association and free speech is not dependent on the consent or attornment of public or judicial officials – HOWEVER, in my opinion it appears to me that individuals at the IARDC have made a conscious effort to intimidate Attorney Denison and have referred to her CONSTITUTIONALLY protected Blog as a prohibited entity.
Any assault on the FIRST AMENDMENT by any government or quasi government official or entity is reprehensible and CRIMINAL. Thus, in the spirt of the HIMMEL case and ABA rule 8.3 I am making a public demand for Ms. Sharon Opryszek to forthwith instanter turn over to Ms. JoAnne Denison a true and correct copy of her deposition and for Attorney Denison to publish a copy on one of her blogs for all to see. If there is a scintilla of intimidation found in the proceeding directly or indirectly, whether effective or infective I call upon the States Attorney of Cook County, and the United States Attorney to take immediate and effective action – including CRIMINAL PROSECUTION of all persons who seek (or sought) to deny Attorney Denison her FIRST AMENDMENT RIGHTS.
Respectfully,
Citizen – Kenneth Ditkowsky
§ 12-6. Intimidation.
(a) A person commits intimidation when, with intent to cause another to perform or to omit the performance of any act, he or she communicates to another, directly or indirectly by any means, a threat to perform without lawful authority any of the following acts:
(1) Inflict physical harm on the person threatened or any other person or on property; or
(2) Subject any person to physical confinement or restraint; or
(3) Commit a felony or Class A misdemeanor; or
(4) Accuse any person of an offense; or
(5) Expose any person to hatred, contempt or ridicule; or
(6) Take action as a public official against anyone or anything, or withhold official action, or cause such action or withholding; or
(7) Bring about or continue a strike, boycott or other collective action.
(b) Sentence.
Intimidation is a Class 3 felony for which an offender may be sentenced to a term of imprisonment of not less than 2 years and not more than 10 years.
[1] Ms. Denison has been reported to have been investigating the case of Dean and Amelia Sallas. Her blogging about the case prevents the wrongfully and Unconstitutionally appointed guardian from totally railroading the ELDER CLEANSINGS of Amelia Sallas and from the expressed goal stated by one of the supervisors in the guardian’s office, to wit: leave Dean Sallas homeless and penniless. To date by my calculations over 8 million dollars of the savings of the Sallas family have been lost as a proximate cause of the wrongful and Unconstitutional dominion that the guardian has exerted over the Vested property of Dean Sallas and the Vested property of Amelia Sallas. The foreclosure proceeding has disclosed the with the apparent attornment of a judge who is unconcerned with the enabling statute, to wit: 755 ILCS 5/11a – 3, the guardian facilitated the violation of 755 ILCS 5/11a – 22 and the Federal Mail and Wire Fraud acts so as to announce in the July 28, 2020 hearing to the Court words and phrases the connote a total breach of his appointment.
Ms. Denison by her helping Mr. Sallas to have eyes and ears on this proceeding and to be able to fire off complaints to Law Enforcement. By her blog, Ms Denison has been able to exercise her 1st amendment rights are publish the facts that are most embarrassing to the HUMAN TRAFFICKING IN GRANDMA industry.
A Qui Tam is the “false claims act” or “king’s suit” against anyone stealing from the kind (state or federal government).
More details surface in nursing home case
David Jackson and Gary Marx, Tribune reporters
Court documents filed this week add new details to a whistle-blower lawsuit alleging that the giant pharmaceutical firm Omnicare Inc. paid kickbacks to one of Illinois’ most prominent nursing home families.
The new filing, which contains 164 pages of internal company records and other documents, is intended to bolster pending civil allegations that Omnicare significantly inflated the purchase price it paid in 2004 for a pharmacy company purportedly controlled by Chicago nursing home operators Philip Esformes and his father, Morris Esformes.
Omnicare’s $32 million purchase of that company, Total Pharmacy, included roughly $16 million that was a kickback to secure long-term pharmacy contracts with nearly three dozen nursing homes the Esformeses operated or influenced, the lawsuit alleges. Federal anti-kickback laws prohibit pharmacies from paying nursing home owners to induce them to buy that pharmacy’s products with Medicaid or Medicare dollars.
The new documents include copies of handwritten notes from a March 2004 meeting at Morris Esformes’ Lincolnwood headquarters between Omnicare CEO Joel Gemunder and Morris Esformes to discuss the sale of Total Pharmacy to Omnicare.
The lawsuit alleges that Gemunder offered to pay $15 million for Total Pharmacy if three-year contracts were in place with Esformes-controlled homes, $20 million if there were five-year contracts and $25 million if there were 10-year contracts. In the final sale, Omnicare paid the $25 million and let Total Pharmacy keep $7 million worth of accounts receivable, making the sale worth $32 million, according to the lawsuit.
The new court filing also includes other handwritten notes taken two days after the meeting that allegedly show Morris Esformes agreed to backdate nursing home pharmacy contracts “in order to avoid the appearance of impropriety,” according to the lawsuit.
Philip and Morris Esformes, who are listed as part-owners of 28 nursing homes in Illinois and Florida, and allegedly had ties to others in Missouri, declined to comment but denied wrongdoing through their attorneys. They have not been charged with any crime in the sale of Total Pharmacy.
Omnicare — which supplies medicine to roughly 1.4 million nursing home residents in facilities across the U.S. and enjoys an 85 percent share of this market — also declined comment but has told the Tribune the allegations are without merit and that the company “intends to vigorously defend itself.”
Daniel Purdom, an attorney for Total Pharmacy, said there was no wrongdoing in the sale. Purdom also denied that Morris Esformes was involved in the sale to Omnicare, saying Esformes had no ownership or control of Total Pharmacy.
The lawsuit was brought by two industry insiders: pharmacy executive Maureen Nehls, who served as vice president of pharmacy operations for Total Pharmacy, and former health care dealmaker Adam Resnick, a self-described addicted gambler who recently served a 25-month federal prison sentence for his role in a $10 million check-kiting scheme that led to the collapse of Universal Federal Savings Bank in Chicago’s Pilsen community. Resnick was a consultant to Total Pharmacy at the time of the sale.
The Esformeses own some of the best-known and most troubled nursing homes in the Chicago area, including Presidential Pavilion in Chicago and south suburban Burnham Healthcare, and have been the subject of law enforcement investigations in Florida, Missouri and Illinois.
The Tribune in April reported that the Esformeses were embroiled in what prosecutors called a “horrific” patient-brokering scheme in which unsuspecting nursing home residents were shuttled to and from a local psychiatric hospital for unnecessary treatments. The Esformeses have denied wrongdoing in that case and were not charged.
Government authorities in Boston have won settlements in federal court based on Resnick’s information about other deals involving Omnicare and separate East Coast nursing home chains.
The False Claims Act allows private citizens to file lawsuits against companies and individuals defrauding the government and recover funds on the government’s behalf.
The Omnicare kickback allegations — first filed under seal in 2007 — became public in March, when Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan followed the U.S. Justice Department’s lead and declined to intervene in the case after a three-year investigation.
The government’s decision to decline to intervene in a False Claims Act does not mean the case has no merits, experts say, as government authorities often lack the resources to prosecute complex white-collar cases and can intervene at a later date.
On Friday, December 11, 2020, 10:47:29 PM CST, Key Phillip-s <phillipskey@yahoo.com> wrote:
Omnicare provides drugs to my mother at the Sunrise facility in Issaquah, WA. I have in fact questioned a number of times the number and quantity of drugs my mother is given day after day. When we were visiting her earlier this year in WA we questioned what medications she was being given. Sheila was tracked down and verbally assaulted for inquiring what the drugs were that my mother was being given in the middle of day. After my father passed, my mother was denied the right to attend his funeral and instead of being provided grief counseling was loaded up even more on drugs. I formally objected and got the meds reduced. It appears Omnicare was involved in the ongoing “drugging” of the grandmas in Sunrise facilities. I would like to pursue. It appears that Ohana has been paying Omnicare for a number of questionable drugs. If you find anything more about Omnicare and additional information about their “activities” including specific assisted living facilities also involved please advise. And if you can just send the actual Omnicare/CVS article I would appreciate it. This is also pertinent in that it appears that this investigation was conducted by HHS while another part of HHS is defending their denial of our elderly the protections of the HIPPA laws. If you recall I had challenged HHS regarding Ohana and Northwest Geriactrics refusal to provide medical information despite mom signing HIPPA forms that provided my access to her medical information. If families are blocked from receiving medical information this type of fraud goes unchecked–we simply don’t know it is occurring. When we ask we are chastised for “interfering” I would like to restate my objections to HHS and push the matter higher up the chain of command within HHS.
As we all know, gaining control of medical information allows these b…..ds to take over our families lives. Take the HIPPA tool away and I suspect much of the abuse would at least be more difficult. Thank you for distributing this kind of information. We never know when information like this has value.
Key Phillips
On Friday, December 11, 2020, 08:55:13 PM MST, kenneth ditkowsky <kenditkowsky@yahoo.com> wrote:
Omnicare and the Esformes group have been accused before of Pharmaceutical Frauds. The Company is now owned by CVS Health – and it makes a ton of money. I ran across the following article quite by accident, to wit:
This article explains clearly how nursing home residents rarely see a doctor but are billed for thousands of dollars in prescription drugs–many of which may no longer be needed, or different drugs may be needed, but all Omnicare/CVS wants to do is make money. The nursing homes want to bill for doctors that are never seen and drugs illegally dispensed and used. How does this go on when the courts force our elderly and disabled into nursing homes when they can be cared for at home by family? (Sykes, Gore, Hopkins, etc.?)
From Kenneth Ditkowsky:
Omnicare and the Esformes group have been accused before of Pharmaceutical Frauds. The Company is now owned by CVS Health – and it makes a ton of money. I ran across the following article quite by accident, to wit:
Omnicare and parent company CVS Health accused of prescription drug fraud
Lawsuit alleges Omnicare pushed invalid drugs out the door as quickly as possible to make more money. Susan Morse, Managing Editor
A lawsuit has been filed against Omnicare and parent company CVS Health alleging prescription drug fraud in the dispensing of drugs to senior citizens in assisted living and other facilities.
CVS acquired Omnicare in May 2015, and shortly thereafter assumed an active role in overseeing its operations, including pharmacy dispensing practices and systems, according to the AG’s office.
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Omnicare allegedly fraudulently billed federal healthcare programs for hundreds of thousands of non-controlled prescription drugs dispensed based on stale, invalid prescriptions to elderly and disabled individuals in assisted living facilities, group homes, independent living communities and other non-skilled residential long-term care facilities, according to the Government’s Complaint that seeks damages and civil penalties under the False Claims Act.
Senior Omnicare and CVS management allegedly knew that pharmacies were routinely dispensing drugs without valid prescriptions, but they failed to begin to address the problem until after they found out about the investigation, according to Geoffrey S. Berman, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, and Scott J. Lampert, Special Agent in Charge of the New York Regional Office of the HHS-OIG.
In addition, Omnicare knowingly transmitted false information to Medicare, Medicaid and TRICARE that made it appear that drug dispensations were supported by current, valid prescriptions from physicians when in fact they were not, the complaint said.
WHY THIS MATTERS
Omnicare’s practice exposed vulnerable individuals to a significant risk of harm, the complaint said.
Many of the drugs treat serious, chronic conditions, such as dementia, depression, and heart disease. They include antipsychotics, anticonvulsants, cardiovascular medications, and antidepressants.
Omnicare jeopardized the health of thousands of individuals who continued to take the same drugs for months, and sometimes years, without consulting their doctors to determine whether the medications were still clinically appropriate, the complaint said.
In contrast to traditional skilled nursing homes, where residents have access to 24-hour medical care supervised by doctors, assisted living and other non-skilled residential facilities generally do not have doctors on staff to oversee and monitor residents’ drug therapy.
The lawsuit alleges that Omnicare failed to obtain new prescriptions from patients’ doctors after the old ones had expired or run out of refills. Instead, Omnicare assigned a new number to the old prescription. Omnicare internally referred to these as “rollover” prescriptions. The company sometimes allegedly assigned a fake number of authorized refills to a prescription – usually 99 allowable refills for Medicare patients – to allow for continuous refilling. Many pharmacies had to process and dispense thousands of orders each day.
THE LARGER TREND
Omnicare is the country’s largest provider of pharmacy services to long-term care facilities, operating approximately 160 pharmacies in 47 states across the country, according to the complaint.
Every year, Omnicare dispenses tens of millions of prescription drugs to long-term care and other facilities.
The government intervened in two private whistleblower lawsuits that had previously been filed under seal pursuant to the False Claims Act.
ON THE RECORD
Manhattan U.S. Attorney Geoffrey S. Berman said: “A pharmacy’s fundamental obligation is to ensure that drugs are dispensed only under the supervision of treating doctors who monitor patients’ drug therapies. Omnicare blatantly ignored this obligation in favor of pushing drugs out the door as quickly as possible to make more money.”
· This lawsuit against Omnicare is part of a series of charges by the Federal Government of criminal conduct by the supplier of Pharmaceuticals. Everyone has heard of the Opioid crisis in the ‘sheltered care homes.’ The media beats its head in pretended rage and covers up the cause. The political elite and Law Enforcement cry loudly that they are frustrated and are in tears over their alleged inability to address the problem. The Medical profession et al similarly cry out in horror and demand a solution, and the public buys into the one act play and it also dons sack cloth and ashes.
In Truth everyone is laughing at the ‘great unwashed.’ The laugh all the way to the Bank at how gullible we are in the same manner they laugh at us as we allow the HUMAN TRAFFICKING IN THE ELDERLY (ELDER CLEANSING) crimes to continue unabated. We buy into the whole scenario! All we have to do is search on the net for the Words “Esformes” and Omnicare and our vulnerability is exposed. For example:
Omnicare Agrees To Settle Suit Over Reimbursement Claims
Omnicare, Inc., based in Covington, Kentucky, agreed to settle a lawsuit alleging it submitted false claims for reimbursement to government health insurers and paid a “kickback” when it bought the pharmacy company, Total Pharmacy Services, LLC. Omnicare is a company that supplies drugs to nursing homes. The 2007 lawsuit was filed by whistleblower, Maureen Nehls. A hearing is set on September 25, 2012 by U.S. District Judge John J. Tharp, Jr. A complaint was initially filed in 2006 by Nehls and an additional whistleblower, Adam Resnick. Resnick plead guilty and was sentenced in 2007 to 42 months in prison for “siphoning $10.2 million from Universal Federal Savings Bank in 2001 and 2002.” As a result, Universal had to fold and Resnick was eventually paid a settlement of 19.9 million for this suit.
Omnicare, Nehls claimed, purchased Total Pharmacy Services LLC in 2004 for $25 million which included a kickback to Philip Esformes, one of the owners, and Morris Esformes, Philip’s father.According to the complaint, the payment provided Omnicare with thousands of elderly and disabled clients through successful contracts with nursing homes controlled by Morris Esformes. Omnicare was also accused of supplying nursing home residents medicine without prescriptions or with missing prescription documentation. On May 11, the case was settled with the Justice Department for $50 million. The DOJ stated it was the “largest controlled substance settlement in history.” Furthermore, Omnicare agreed to pay $98 million, in November 2009, to settle the civil claims by the U.S. government and assorted states that it received kickbacks from Johnson and Johnson.
For the record, last December (2019) Philip Esformes was found guilty of stealing 1.3 billion dollars from Medicare.
Where is Law Enforcement? Where is the public outrage? Why are our elected officials – including Judges et al ignoring this scandal and its profound and outrageous toll on the ELDERLY? This ELDER CLEANSING COTTAGE INDUSTRY is not a fly by night operation – it is a major financial operation even though its illegality is legendary.
Each of the Enron style operation is integrated into the HUMAN TRAFFICKING OF THE ELDERLY (Elder cleansing). The human flotsam (i.e., you and me) who pass through the Elder Cleansing Cottage Industry perpetuate the “tax free” (because no one demands that the INCOME TAXES be paid) bilking of the United States Treasury. This criminal activity is slated to bankrupt Medicare, the Social Security system and maybe our children in a few years. Yet we are lulled by the propaganda and the censorship imposed by the American ‘ruling class!’
Amelia Sallas (07 P 5360) being one of the victims means that as you read this e-mail Dean Sallas, naked, sans his life savings, sans a lawyer, **** is all that prevents you and me from being kidnapped, appointed a guardian, incarcerated in a ‘sheltered care facility,’ placed on a feeding tube, and reduced to a zombie by opioids and other chemicals supplied by Omnicare. There is at this point in time no-one interested in Grandma, you, or me.
On Friday, December 11, 2020, 04:54:43 PM CST, kenneth ditkowsky <kenditkowsky@yahoo.com> wrote:
When a guardian places an elder charge in a sheltered care facility, the monthly cost always appears to equal the pension payment, minus a few dollars for the guardian’s fee – unless there are other funds to access. It has always amazed me how the cost of the ‘sheltered care’ seemed to correspond to the net cash flow[1].
During one of the ‘accounting suits’ I filed for certain unhappy nursing home investors I was granted access to the actual books and records of one of these facilities. I appeared with a forensic accountant who had knowledge as to how to address financial data that is prepared by experts to address uncomfortable situations. The financials were enlightening and very revealing. An inspection of a facility managed by the same management revealed even more interesting revelations. Any doubts I had as to the actual state of affairs was dissipated. If I were naïve such a state of mind no longer existed, and I could recognize a spade from a club.
Viewing individual accounts was quite revealing and a bit scary. I would have to be deaf, blind, and very disabled not to observe what was actually occurring. The Enron style labyrinth of corporations was also revealing. It presented a serious question as to what, if anything, State and Federal regulation actually accomplished and/or was intending to accomplish. My own opinion, while not relevant or having meaning, was ‘cover up!’ Indeed, the Philip Esformes criminal trial for stealing 1.3 billion dollars of Medicare money verified my suppositions and opinions. Watching the ‘residents’ in their filthy garments slouching in their wheelchairs (this is Physical therapy in many facilities) in the hallways and imbibing the smell of urine did not make me warm and fuzzy.
When Covid 19 struck the death toll in these ‘sheltered care facilities’ was only a surprise to certain high raking political types, the media, and the promulgators of the NARRATIVE! Emboldened by the retention in places like Illinois of the status quo it appears that the miscreants have gotten bolder. They will need more money because of the Pandemic. Indeed, the following article appeared, to wit:
December 3, 2020
COVID-19 linked to ‘substantial cost increases’ in assisted living: survey
The COVID-19 pandemic contributed to substantial eldercare cost hikes, especially for assisted living and in-home care. That is according to the results of Genworth’s 2020 Cost of Care Survey, announced Wednesday.
Over the course of a single year, assisted living community rates increased by 6.15% to an annual national median cost of $51,600 annually. From 2004 to 2020, assisted living costs have increased an average of 3.8% annually, or 79.17% over time. This compares with a 62.38% increase for a private nursing home room and a 30.22% increase for home health aides in that time period.
Annual assisted living costs ranged from a low of $36,000 in Missouri to a high of $80,280 in Delaware.
Supplemental study
In a supplemental study on why costs are increasing, owners and senior administrators of 79 long-term care providers cited a workforce shortage (54%), personal protective equipment costs, wage pressures, higher recruiting, and retention costs, and regulatory, licensing and employee certification costs are forcing them to increase the cost of care they are providing under “extraordinary circumstances.”
“Providers have been competing with higher-paying, less-demanding jobs for years, but with COVID-19, they told us it has become much more difficult to recruit and retain care professionals because of factors such as concerns about exposure to COVID-19 and parents needing to stay home with school-aged children,” said Gordon Saunders, Genworth senior brand marketing manager. For consumers, he said, “COVID-19 has underscored the need to plan ahead for long-term care, considering both where we want to receive care, as well as how we will pay for it.”
Study participants said they had to increase wages — in some cases offering hazard pay up to 50% more for workers in COVID-19 units — and increase spending for training on new safety procedures, testing, PPE and cleaning supplies, and benefits. Many operators (84%) said they were trying to absorb these new costs, but 62% predicted they would need to raise rates in the next six months, and 43% said those increases would top 5% or more. About 25% said their companies offered options to residents to reduce costs, including reduced flat rates, reduced care levels and rate discounts.
Less than half of facility care providers said the demand for their care setting had increased, with more than a fourth saying that demand decreased. This compares with 78% of home care providers indicating that demand for their services had increased. And although a preference for home care is expected to continue among consumers, 67% of survey respondents said they see the demand increasing for assisted living.
Operators also said they anticipate that future residents will have high standards.
“Future residents will continue to look at the same things when choosing a facility — reputation quality of care, access to care, and proximity to their current living situation,” one respondent said. “What will change is how the pandemic affects a facility’s ability to provide those things. The financial constraints providers are going through is going to make it difficult to maintain a higher quality of care.”
The 2020 study results came from about 15,000 surveys completed by key decision makers in assisted living communities, nursing homes, adult day health facilities and home care providers contacted by CareScout, a Genworth Financial company.
I have pointed out previously that diversion is the MO of the miscreants and it is gobbled up with gusto by many of the advocates fighting against ‘ELDER CLEANSING’ and the HUMAN TRAFFICKING IN THE ELDERLY cottage industry. We are essentially “babes in the woods!” We are mollified when we are offered meaningless legislation that goes unenforced as it is duplicitous of other statutes and the Uniform Legislation enacted by 41 states and has jurisdictional mandates such as 755 ILCS 5/11a – 3. The straightforward words and phrases are ignored. Simple requirements are tortured with deceptive orders and actions designed to deceive. The Sallas is a prime example. The statute states in simple words and phrases, to wit:
Sec. 11a-3. Adjudication of disability; Power to appoint guardian. (a) Upon the filing of a petition by a reputable person or by the alleged person with a disability himself or on its own motion, the court may adjudge a person to be a person with a disability, but only if it has been demonstrated by clear and convincing evidence that the person is a person with a disability as defined in Section 11a-2. If the court adjudges a person to be a person with a disability, the court may appoint (1) a guardian of his person, if it has been demonstrated by clear and convincing evidence that because of his disability he lacks sufficient understanding or capacity to make or communicate responsible decisions concerning the care of his person, or (2) a guardian of his estate, if it has been demonstrated by clear and convincing evidence that because of his disability he is unable to manage his estate or financial affairs, or (3) a guardian of his person and of his estate. (b) Guardianship shall be utilized only as is necessary to promote the well-being of the person with a disability, to protect him from neglect, exploitation, or abuse, and to encourage development of his maximum self-reliance and independence. Guardianship shall be ordered only to the extent necessitated by the individual's actual mental, physical, and adaptive limitations. (Source: P.A. 99-143, eff. 7-27-15.)
In the aforesaid SALLAS case any due diligence by the Guardian ad Litem, the Court, the Petitioner, the attorney for the Petition, or any other living person in the Courtroom would have revealed that Amelia Sallas was currently married to Dean Sallas and had been for almost ½ a Century at that time. Observing Amelia Sallas would have negated any ability of any competent trier of fact to find by a scintilla of the evidence, much less by CLEAR AND CONVINCING EVIDENCE that Amelia was even remotely eligible for the appointment of a guardian.
Nevertheless, over the objections of all who were not intimidated, misled, or worse a guardian of Amelia’s person was appointed. This guardian attempted a diversion to obviate the misuse of the Court but he continued to not interfere with the then living arrangements of Amelia and Dean, her husband. This arrangement continued until Amelia felt sick and exercised openly and notoriously her right and signed herself into a hospital. She did not seek the non-functioning guardian’s permission. (It also appears that Dean himself had started to raise the issue of the fact that the plenary guardian’s interference and domination of the family savings was not only Unconstitutional but a felony! Almost a decade after the guardian was appointed by the Court, he actually took control of Amelia – BUT HE COULD NOT SILENCE DEAN.
Dean has not been silenced but he has been harassed. He has even received DEATH THREATS! At this point in time Dean should be suspicious of everything and anything that might smack of one of miscreants doing something that could be believed to be appropriate.
Let me explain. The guardian of Amelia’s person over-reacted to Amelia’s quest at independence and Dean’s recognition of the overt violation of his personal Civil Rights created a major attack on America’s core values.
1) Everyone knew on day one that the marriage relationship (at that point 40 years in duration) created a MARITAL PROPERTY INTEREST in every dollar of savings independently for Dean and independently for Amelia. This interest was vested indefeasibly! No cause or basis of any kind existed or could exist for the devastation or forfeiture of this vested interest[2]. OneDrive
2) As the savings could not be partitioned any action by the guardian authorized by 755 ILCS 5/11a – 3b would have a material effect on the interests of Dean and would qualify as a ‘taking’ under the 5th and 14th Amendment. No court could without obtaining jurisdiction and providing Dean with all the clothing of due process have SUBJECT MATTER jurisdiction to execute such an order. This lack of SUBJECT MATTER jurisdiction (and personal jurisdiction) is the basis for Dean’s motions to vacate the guardianships nunc pro tunc.
3) The Guardian’s unauthorized but effective by force domination of the Sallas family savings was made clear when the guardian prevented Dean from refinancing during the ‘great recession!’ This domination (theft) cost the ‘marital estate’ over 8 million dollars. The guardian is still engaged in this clearly criminal conduct as illustrated by the case of ByLine Bank vs. Amelia Sallas 2019 CH 13960.
The cry for the need for more money for the ‘death camp’ ‘sheltered care facilities is a diversion. The weak sister facilities will close their doors forever or be gobbled up by more proficient facilities. There might even be another crisis – their just will not be enough nursing homes UNLESS government subsidies them. Horror of horrors will scream the media. By the time they are done with disseminating the “word” as decreed by the HUMAN TRAFFICKERS in the elderly tears will be shed by every knee jerk bleeding heart including but not limited to many who are appalled by the felonies committed against the elderly and the disabled by public officials such as disclosed herein.
You, I , Dean Sallas and everyone reading this e-mail can be deceived by the very clever scenarios that the miscreants can devise. For instance, on the table – after the guardian of the person quit in terror that he might have to face up to Sallas’ awakening that every court proceeding was designed to deny him his Civil and Human Rights and cover-up the fact that without either the consent of he or his wife an ex-parte, involuntary, and de facto dissolution of his marriage of 50 years had secretly been consummated. Of course, no actual order had been entered – the guardian of the person illegally had accomplished that fact. By placing Amelia Sallas in a ‘nursing home’ she was exposed to Covid 19 and more importantly she was averred to have become infected with it. Dean’s inquiries as to the health of his wife were met with “HIPPA!” As the GAL pointed out Dean did not have standing in his wife’s ‘elder cleansing’ proceeding. He was an outsider.
With the resignation the Guardianship of the person was laid bare on the table for the taking. With Dean’s Motions to Dismiss the guardianships for violation of 755 ILCS 5/11a – 3 criteria and jurisdictional requirements if Dean could be induced to apply for the guardianship of the person of his wife he could be totally compromised. A hearing was scheduled for December 1, 2020. Dean smelled the ‘rat’ and telegraphed that he was not walking into the trap. He wanted the case dismissed for the total lack of the “Court” to comply with the Constitution and 755 ILCS 5/11a – 3.
At the time of the hearing, Dean could not connect with the Zoom proceeding. Maybe this was a co=incidence, but he was shut out entirely. He recognized that mischief was afoot. He called one of the Cook County Public Guardian’s attorneys and made contact with her. In his contact with her he tried to get her to convey to the Court his predicament and the fact that under no circumstances did he want anything to be addressed other than the JURISDICTIONAL question. He was not present at the Zoom hearing, but he would have been if he had not been locked out!
Nevertheless, the order states:
“ this matter coming to be heard before this Honorable Court via Zoom video and telephone conference, Dawn Lawkowsky-Keller and Lisa Casanova appearing for the public guardian, Eve Epstein, Guardian ad litem, appearing, Dimitros Trivizas appearing for Tom Sallas (son), Dean Sallas (husband) present, the Court having jurisdiction and being fully advised in the premises: *** “If the Court were indeed fully advised in the premises or even was concerned as to appropriateness of the proceedings the Court would have noted that Dean not only was not “present”, but he was attempting to let the Court know that he was locked out of the Zoom proceeding. The Guardian’s attorney did take his telephone call and did allow him minimum contact – but it is another material misrepresentation of fact to say he was “present.” No matter how it is sliced he (Dean Sallas) was not present. The Court could not have jurisdiction unless the Illinois and the Federal Constitution were abrogated! In case 07 P 5360 integrity and honor are absent in too many of the Court orders entered!
As reiterated in Dean’s pending Motions before the Court detailing some extremely serious law violations on behalf of the Guardian and the Presiding Judge it is not surprising that another order would be entered that is materially misleading in this guardianship proceeding. Of course, I am referring to the proceedings of July 28, 2020.[3]Included in the package that Dean after the fact received was a 2nd order. This was a form order appointing the very same Public Guardian who has been exposed by Court filings in the case of ByLine Bank vs. Amelia Sallas 2019 CH 13960 – Circuit Court of Cook County, to have engaged in a criminal conspiracy with the ByLIne Bank to violate 755 ILCS 5/11a – 22 and in my opinion the Federal Mail and Wire Fraud statutes. The facts are laid out in Dean’s pending Motions. NB Use of a form order that is not based upon substance does nto cure Constitutional violations. It just envokes the need for Grand Jury investigations.
What is significant concerning the Court orders dated December 1, 2020 is that fact that once again the Judge is unconcerned with the obvious and prior overt breaches of Fiduciary Relationship by the Guardian she appointed and who she now appoints as Guardian of person of Amelia Sallas. This Guardian flaunts the RULE OF LAW and any semblance of priority as the Public Guardian of Cook County certainly is aware of the remedial criminal prohibition of 755 ILCS 5/11a – 22 and the jurisdictional limits of 755 ILCS 5/11a – 3b. Ditto for the Presiding Judge who signed the orders. The Court acknowledging that she was “fully advised in the premises” acknowledges her disrespect for the Rule of Law and the limitations of the 1st, 4th, 5th, and 14th Amendments to the UNITED STATES CONSTITUTION
Diversion is the not a rare occasion it is the rule. If it were not, Criminal proceedings would be pending in State and Federal Court concerning this overt flaunting of the basic and core principles of American Law. There is absolutely no excuse that the Judges in the Sallas’ cases can put forth for allowing the travesty that has been recorded. Every judge involved sua sponde is aware that:
1) The Guardianship act is by definition a serious invasion of basic Human and Civil Rights.
2) Because of the interference with CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS the uniform act (which is enacted in Illinois) limits very strictly the authority of the Court to invade the 1st, 4th , 5th, and 14th Amendment of the United States Constitution and in particular requires the Court
“(b) Guardianship shall be utilized only as is necessary to promote the well-being of the person with a disability, to protect him from neglect, exploitation, or abuse, and to encourage development of his maximum self-reliance and independence. Guardianship shall be ordered only to the extent necessitated by the individual's actual mental, physical, and adaptive limitations. (Source: P.A. 99-143, eff. 7-27-15.
This section obviates the gambit of a judge just signing a form order handed to him/her by a miscreant/corrupt party and aiding and abetting the kidnapping of a disabled person such as Amelia Sallas.
3) The First responsibility of a Judge is to determine what, if any jurisdiction he/she might have and to protect not only the litigants but the public. Allow the Public Guardian of Cook County, Illinois to run roughshod over the lives of Dean and Amelia Sallas is clearly wrongful. The exercise of wrongful dominion over the MARITAL ESTATE ½ of which is vested in Dean Sallas is Felony Theft.
The long and short is we as citizens have a responsibility by 18 USCA 4 to report criminal conduct to law enforcement so that they can immediately act to thwart the same. The even longer fact is that we have been doing so and NOTHING occurs. The RULE OF LAW is ignored, and the government makes certain that the miscreants are well funded so as to prey on the elderly and disabled. Indeed – ELDER CLEANSING is the “TESLA” of public officials lacking integrity and respect for the RULE OF LAW and the Public trust.
[1] Net cash flow usually consists of social security, pension, savings income, Medicare, savings, long term care etc.
[2] A guardian can within the authorization of 755 ILCS 5/11a – 3b spend the assets of his ward – but he cannot interfere with the rights, privileges, and immunities of 3rd party interests.
[3] The proceedings of July 28, 2020 were replete with statements of the Court and the Guardian’s attorney that clearly shed light on the intentional violation of the 5th and 14th Amendment rights by Court, counsel, and the guardian in these proceedings, and the total breach of Fiduciary responsibility by the guardian. It is my understanding that no order of Court was entered as to the July 28, 2020 proceeding. It is further my understanding that subsequent an ordered was entered and stamped July 29, 2020 and that order made no reference to the July 28, 2020 proceeding. OneDrive
It is time for the American People to rise up and demand that the RULE OF LAW actually mean something AND BE ENFORCED in accordance with the first paragraph of the 14th Amendment. More laws are un=necessary when they are not going to be enforced!Government spends a fortune on setting up agencies and commissions to study problems. Then we get bureaus such as the CONSUMER FINANCIAL PROTECTION BUREAU whose mission appears not to protect consumers but create the illusion of doing so. We have all sorts of agencies to protect the elderly – BUT THEY ARE ALL MISSING IN ACTION! The human trafficking in the elderly (elder cleansing) is one of the fastest growing industries in America. It is fueled by the savings of the elderly, social security, medicare, obama care etc – and our elected officials, media, law enforcement, et talking up a storm BUT DOING NOTHING!Covid 19 is eliminating the need for Gas Chambers! Grandma needs action – not more talk and more legislation. Herein in Illinois rests the vehicle for action! The Amelia Sallas case 07 P 5360 is a perfect vehicle for CRIMINAL PROSECUTION! All the elements are present, to wit: 1) The orders of Court ignore 755 ILCS 5/11a – 3 (the enablement). The actions of the guardian provide proof beyond any reasonable doubt. Amelia was placed back in her home under the same conditions as before without anything but token supervision. Her ultimate removal from the home – almost a decade later – was due to the fact that she signed herself into a hospital without notifying her guardian. 2) In direct violation of the 5th Amendment the Guardian a lawyer unlawfully without any authority whatsoever exercised dominion over the lawfully vest property of Amelia’s husband (Dean). This is pure felony theft! The Court orders required by 755 ILCS 5/11a – 3b were silent – indicating beyond a shadow of a doubt that both the guardian and the Judge knew of the criminal action. 3) The guardian’s conspiratorial violation of 755 ILCS 5/11a – 22 and 18 USCA 1341 are disclosed in the mortgage foreclosure law suit entitled ByLine Bank vs.Amelia Sallas 2019 CH 13960 pending in the Circuit Court of Cook County, Illinois. Talk is cheap! The time for action is now! Criminal prosecutions of political and judicial criminals sends a strong message! Amelia Sallas was reported to have been infected by Covid 19. HIPPA was used by the miscreants as an excuse to keep her lawful husband out of the loop. Let me be candid – the miscreants were so anxious to obtain control of Dean and Amelia Sallas’ savings and divert it to themselves that they ignored Illinois Law and in particular the fact that under Illinois Law a long term marriage – such as the 50 plus year marriage of Sallas = has legal boundaries designed to protect both spouses. One is MARITAL PROPERTY. The guardian and the Court have no legal authority to forfeit the property of Dean Sallas – no matter how you slice it, IT IS THEFT! AND A VIOLATION OF THE 5TH AND 14TH AMENDMENT. There is no excuse for any prosecution to be delayed! Unless the United States of America and the State of Illinois under our present leadership is disinterested in EQUAL PRORECTION OF THE LAW for the elderly! We need enforcement of the RULE OF LAW – not more meaningless legislation. Ken Ditkowsky
This case is where Miriam S and her siblings inserted themselves into an Estate where there is no real evidence any of them were related to Irving (Isaac) Fisk (Faskowitz) but they filed two affidavits stating they were related to this individual in order to claim over $500,000
Please note that that Isaac Mordecai Faskowitz was conveniently forgotten in not one but two affidavits of heirship, and in the deposition the mother remembers that daughter Miriam has an Isaac (didn’t recall who he was named for) and she forgot her son Mordecai Isaac. Of course, none of this lines up.
Here is a table of contents for this file:
TABLE OF CONTENTS FOIA FROM FLORIDA ATG
PAGE DATE DESCRIPTION 1-45 Misc. Emails 46 Per curiam order re ½ of estate to be held with county clerk 53 to 87 not Fisk Docts 91 to 97 not Fisk 99 Per curiam order Fisk 169 Bev Cooper calls Fla ATG repeatedly 183 Ken Ditkowsky calls ATG repeatedly 194 Ken Ditkowsky letter/memo to ATG 218 Fisk docket 236 ATG states affts are false 245 details/history of case by ATG 247 Braverman does not believe false affts 262 assertions Faskowitz aka Foskowitz 267 False afft of heriship stipulation leaving out Mordechai 278 Census page listing Faskowitz family: Harry Husband, Annie wife, Irving, Samuel and David as sons 294 Passport copy of Isaac Faskowitz 295 Sophia Cortes Faskowitz from Puerto Rico, DOB 10/14/1902 and 10/2/14; Parents of Isaac F were Harry and Annie 308 no proof Irving Fisk is Isaac Faskowitz 319 Birth Certificate of Irving Faskowitz NY 333 Braverman Genology Report 336 Marriage Cert Harry and Anna 4-1-14 346 Passport App for Isaac Fisk Faskowitz; Father Harry Faskowitz, Mother Annie Schacker, 100 Harmony Ave, Lake Placid 367 Miriam Greenfiled afft. Harry had sister Miriam? 4 children claimed, Belia, Chiam, Mordecai and Breina, Notary Gladys Medina 378 Afft of Rose, born in Kiev Russia in 1924. Para. 9. decedent’s father is not Isaac 382 Death Cert Chaim Faskowitz. Born 8/31/16 in Poland, died 8/1/98; Mother Miriam Faskowitz; Father Moshe Aron Faskowitz 383** need translation hebrew synagogue announcement 432 update family tree, new bs affidavit 515 Marriage cert Harry Faskowich and Annie Solomon 4/26/14 541 Decedent had brother Sam Faskowitz, died 8/20/47 at age of 40; Uncle Willaim Faskowitz died in Brooklyn on 6/11/59, age 65 439 Affidavit of Braverman including Sam Faskowitz, 96 Pitt St, NYC 551 Willie Faskowitz, brother to Harry but wife Charone says they had no children 594 Death Cert Sam Faskowitz; DOB 4/7/17, 90 Pitt St, DOD 8/20/57, says he is SINGLE; Parets Harry and Anne Faskowitz 619 Death Cert Annie Faskowitz. Father Henry Schecker 9/3/73, age 80, 91 Pitt St, Widow 661 David Faskowitz, court order for birth cert 670 Annie F’s parents are either Schacker or Solomon; Mother Betty Fried and Father Harry Schcker 678 Mother to oppose finding David F’s birth certificate 688 Order granting David F’s birth certificate DOB 12/2/25 709 Birth Cert for David or Arthur Foskowitz, DOB 12/2/25 parents Harry Foskowitz and Annie Solomon 716 Appln for SSN Parents Harry F and Annie Schkar 735 Death Cert David Forskowitz. DOD 7/23/81, age 56 years, says “never married”; DOB 12/21/24 747 Harry F; USCIS records, says he came to US circa 1905 with mother Minnie Faskowitz, age 16 or 18 755 Harry F alien registration. DOB Aug 1883 762 Annie F; Appln for SSN; FASKOWITCH, Father Harry Sochen; Mother Sarah Pritt 764 Braverman Afft; more maiden names for Annie F: Schack/Soloman/Pritt. Braverman suggest discrepancies are because Harry and Annie were illiterate and the form fillers they used were likely not much more literate than they were; Annie could be Hanah or Anne or Annie 819 list of names of spellings 866 Robert Livingston appointed GAL to rep interests of “unknown heirs” (can they spend any more money on this?) Blank pages 914-924 1059 Petition re homestead status and why home has not be sold yet 1063 yet another family tree chart adding in Harry Soloman (or Schneck) and Beckie Fried 1065 another Braverman Report did anyone check the phone books, PI databases? What the freak? What about the phone books in Warsaw Poland 1143 7/10/2002 deposition of braverman; she is not a certified genealogist, she just watched youtube videos. Has a degree in psych; a masters in psych; a masters in “health care planning”. Not certified, has not even started the process of certification as a genealogist. This is actually a fairly decent deposition. Amazing. 1179 Braverman blames the fact that Irving F was not part of the Solo group because he may have been an apostate and apostates in the Orthodox community are shunned. What a load of horse manure/gross speculation. Even if a relative is shunned, there must be detailed documentation and other relatives will know what is going on. Nonsense. Even Braverman states this is gross speculaton. 1193 case docket 1207 record on appeal index 1223 opening brief appeal 1282 response brief by appellee 1319 reply brief by appellant 1367 reply brief appellant 1379 Assuming an appropriate search was done for maternal heris, and there is no reason to doubt this…..yeah right 1389 page missing? Where is page 1? 1394 depn of Braverman, again? She said she searched for passenger manifests of Harry and Louis but what about Minnie Faskowitz, the mother, Harry said he came with his mother 1441 Depn of Rose Faskowitz
moral of the story: if you throw enough incompetent people at an issue and spend a lot of money on “professional fees” and service, the probate court will rubber stamp any BS nonsense.
Please note that this case is related to the Madoff cases as news articles show:
The new COVID-19 surge is hitting Illinois’ most vulnerable residents harder than ever, with a record 480 deaths recorded in the past week among people living in long-term care facilities.A Tribune analysis found the surge in deaths was particularly steep outside the greater Chicago area, underscoring the challenges of keeping the virus out of nursing homes and assisted living facilities when infections are spreading in the surrounding communities.Gov. J.B. Pritzker offered a deep sigh Friday when asked what more could be done to tamp down the surge in long-term care deaths.“This is frankly the same challenge that exists in all the other populations, and even more so, when we’re at the highest levels of the pandemic,” he told reporters.The latest weekly death tally was nearly double that recorded in the prior week, part of a sizable increase in deaths from earlier in the fall. The latest toll was slightly more than the number seen in the previous worst week for such deaths, during the spring surge, in early May.
Weekly long-term care deaths at highest-ever level
Each week, the state releases updated figures of deaths of residents at long-term care facilities. The latest statewide tally was the highest weekly figure recorded in the pandemic.The Illinois Department of Public Health culls the figures each Friday from a database that local health departments add to throughout the week, and at times there can be delays in reporting by local officials, particularly around weekends and holidays. The department did not immediately respond to questions Friday about whether lags connected to the Thanksgiving holiday affected the new number.Regardless, it is clear that the second COVID-19 surge has been ripping through long-term care facilities again this fall. New case counts have risen dramatically for these facilities, with roughly 4,500 new infections noted among residents in the past week — another record. That’s about 500 more new cases uncovered than in the worst week of the spring surge.Researchers have pointed out how difficult it can be to stop the virus from entering facilities when it’s raging in nearby communities, especially with a disease that can leave people infectious without showing symptoms. The virus can then wreak havoc not only on elderly and frail residents but also at times on the workers who care for them.Early in the pandemic, state officials split Illinois into four regions for tracking purposes. The northeast region, which includes Chicago and its suburbs, initially had the highest rate of deaths relative to its population size; in the spring, the region saw nearly five weekly deaths of long-term care residents per 100,000 people in the general population.That rate dropped in the summer and then crept back up to nearly two long-term care deaths per 100,000 residents. But the more massive increases have been elsewhere, the Tribune found in its analysis of state data. In the past week, the rate for the southern region topped six deaths per 100,000 residents; for the central region, it was more than seven; and for the north-central part of the state, more than eight.While researchers and advocates blame much of the problem on the prevalence of the virus near these facilities, there are also questions about government oversight.Those issues surfaced most recently with a state Senate committee hearing and a state investigation into an outbreak at the state-run veterans home in LaSalle last month, where as of Friday the virus had infected 209 veterans and staffers, and killed 30.But the question of state oversightgoes beyond state-run facilities; some nursing homes run by for-profit firms have also seen cases in the triple digits. At a dozen of these homes, the death toll exceeds the number seen at LaSalle, with one facility recording more than 50 COVID-19 deaths. AARP Illinois, which has called for broader public hearings on what went wrong in those facilities, said Friday that not enough is being done to protect residents and staff. “The loss of life is appalling and unacceptable. After nine months of dealing with COVID-19, nursing homes and other long-term care facilities should have been better prepared for this second wave,” Bob Gallo, AARP Illinois’ state director, said in a statement. “Seniors remain in grave danger as the virus reenters these facilities at an alarming pace.” As the virus raced through facilities this spring, IDPH cut back inspections that are required by state law. Four months ago, IDPH forced out two top administrators and announced it had hired a consulting firm to conduct a “top to bottom review” of its oversight practices. The agency has yet to release records related to that review. The Tribune filed a public records request for them Sept. 4. IDPH has yet to respond, and the Tribune has appealed to the attorney general’s office for assistance. Asked what more the state could do now to limit the virus’s spread in long-term care facilities, Pritzker on Friday told reporters that the state had stopped allowing outdoor visits, that it is mandating more testing and “certainly infection control is better overall now than it was at the very beginning because there’s a greater understanding of what needs to be done.” Representatives of long-term care facilities have said they need more government aid, while advocates and a union representing the largely low-wage workforce has portrayed the industry as focused more on profits than care. The latter complaints became a flashpoint in a strike at 11 facilities that lasted 12 days until the workers reached a tentative deal Friday with the chain’s owner, Infinity Healthcare. Among the chain’s facilities is Niles Nursing & Rehabilitation Center, which leads the state in the number of COVID-19 deaths, with 54 during an earlier outbreak. The home is now enduring another outbreak with 12 cases, according to state data.jmahr@chicagotribune.com https://www.chicagotribune.com/coronavirus/ct-coronavirus-long-term-care-deaths-break-record-20201205-ptvgynri3bfvdp36tsxsuqndg4-htmlstory.html#rt=chartbeat-fltAttachments area
MaryGSykes.com 