Haven of Arcola: Resident Threatens to Break Hand - IL
Federal inspectors found the facility violated residents' rights to be free from abuse during a complaint investigation in August. The violations affected two of four residents reviewed for resident rights protections.
The target of the threats, identified as R1, has schizoaffective disorder, bipolar disorder, anxiety disorder and insomnia. Despite her multiple psychiatric diagnoses, she remains cognitively intact according to her assessment records.
R1's behavioral tracking documents from July through August show a pattern of attention-seeking behaviors, repetitive questions, invading others' personal space, pacing, inappropriate comments, false allegations and manipulation. Her care plan instructs staff to "intervene as necessary to protect the rights and safety of others."
The resident making the threats, R3, has bipolar disease, anxiety and mild cognitive impairment but is also cognitively intact. Her care plan from February documents behaviors "caused by anxiousness with agitation which leads to verbal outbursts, mocking, yelling and demanding of others, sleep disturbances, refusal of care and false allegations."
On August 17, certified nursing assistant V5 told inspectors that R3 had yelled at R1 and said R1 should "get the f*** out of here or she will break R1's hand."
Another nursing assistant, V9, described the ongoing pattern of abuse. R3 "is always telling R1 to shut up and go away," V9 told inspectors. The assistant explained that R1 has severe anxiety and "needs constant attention and reassurance."
R1's behavioral problems create daily friction in the facility. She follows staff into other residents' rooms and won't listen when asked to stop. She invades other residents' privacy and proves difficult to redirect. When asking her repetitive questions, R1 gets "into staff or resident's faces," according to V9.
But these behaviors don't justify the threats R3 has made.
When inspectors interviewed R3 directly, she admitted to the pattern of verbal abuse. R1 "makes her very anxious and annoys her," R3 told inspectors. She confirmed that R1 "follows staff around the entire shift."
R3 acknowledged crossing the line into threats. "There are times where she has gotten so annoyed with R1, that she has threatened her," she told inspectors. She said R1's behavior "causes her great anxiety" and "it is hard for her to be around R1."
R3 told inspectors "she is trying to be better."
The facility's own policy defines verbal abuse as "the use of oral, written, or gestured language that willfully includes disparaging and derogatory terms to residents or families, or within their hearing distance, regardless of an individuals' age, ability to comprehend, or disability."
Examples include "threats of harm" and "saying things to frighten a resident" — exactly what R3 had been doing to R1.
Administrator V1 confirmed to inspectors that R3's threats against R1 "could be considered verbal abuse." The administrator also acknowledged that R1's repetitive behaviors and questions "put her at risk for abuse."
Yet the facility failed to implement adequate protections for either resident.
The inspection reveals a facility struggling with the complex dynamics between residents with serious mental health conditions. R1's schizoaffective disorder and bipolar condition drive behaviors that clearly frustrate other residents and staff. Her constant need for attention and reassurance, combined with her tendency to invade personal space and ask repetitive questions, creates an environment ripe for conflict.
R3's bipolar disease and anxiety make her particularly susceptible to agitation from R1's behaviors. Her care plan already documented a history of "verbal outbursts, mocking, yelling and demanding of others" — warning signs that should have prompted stronger interventions.
The facility's behavior tracking systems documented the problems but failed to prevent the escalation to threats of physical violence. R1's care plan called for staff intervention "as necessary to protect the rights and safety of others," but those interventions proved inadequate.
Both residents remain cognitively intact, meaning they understand the nature of their interactions and the impact of their behaviors on each other. This makes the facility's failure to address the verbal abuse more significant — both women knew exactly what was happening.
The nursing assistants interviewed by inspectors clearly understood the problematic dynamic. V9 described R1 as needing "constant attention and reassurance" while being "hard to redirect." The same assistant recognized that R3 "is always telling R1 to shut up and go away."
Staff awareness of the ongoing verbal abuse makes the facility's inaction more troubling. Multiple employees witnessed R3's pattern of threatening R1, yet the behavior continued.
The administrator's acknowledgment that the threats "could be considered verbal abuse" suggests uncertainty about the facility's own policies. Federal regulations require nursing homes to protect residents from all forms of abuse, including verbal threats and intimidation.
R3's admission that she has "threatened" R1 when "annoyed" demonstrates the personal nature of the abuse. This wasn't a single incident but a pattern of verbal aggression targeting a vulnerable resident with multiple psychiatric conditions.
The facility's failure affects both women. R1 remains exposed to ongoing threats and verbal abuse that exacerbate her existing anxiety and behavioral problems. R3 continues engaging in abusive behavior without adequate intervention or consequences.
Federal inspectors classified the violation as causing "minimal harm or potential for actual harm" affecting "few" residents. But for R1, living under the constant threat of having her hand broken represents a daily reality of fear and intimidation.
R3's statement that she is "trying to be better" suggests some awareness of her behavior's impact. Yet without systematic facility intervention, her efforts to control her verbal outbursts remain largely unsupported.
The inspection occurred following a complaint, indicating someone — whether a resident, family member, or staff member — felt compelled to report the ongoing abuse to federal authorities.
Full Inspection Report
The details above represent a summary of key findings. View the complete inspection report for The Haven of Arcola from 2025-08-17 including all violations, facility responses, and corrective action plans.
Additional Resources
Data source: Official federal inspection data from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS).
Editorial process: AI-synthesized regulatory data, reviewed for accuracy by our editorial team.
Professional review: All content reviewed by Christopher F. Nesbitt, Sr., NH EMT & BU-trained Paralegal.
Last verified: June 21, 2026 · Our methodology
THE HAVEN OF ARCOLA in ARCOLA, IL was cited for violations during a health inspection on August 17, 2025.
Federal inspectors found the facility violated residents' rights to be free from abuse during a complaint investigation in August.
Health inspections identify deficiencies that facilities must correct. Violations range from minor documentation issues to serious safety concerns. Review the full report below for specific details and facility response.