Foster Health & Rehab: Wheelchair Incident Unreported - IL
The facility's Director of Nursing told inspectors on December 24 that the wheelchair "broke" and that the resident "had it for a long" time. The nursing director described it as "a regular wheelchair in weight" but provided no other details about what happened or whether the resident was injured.
Federal inspectors attempted to speak with staff about the incident but found the initial report "so vague" they couldn't conduct interviews. They had to reschedule their investigation.
The wheelchair breakdown violated the facility's own accident reporting policy, revised just weeks earlier on January 1, 2025. The policy requires immediate reporting of any incident involving residents, with written documentation completed before the end of the shift.
Staff must conduct "immediate assessment" of any resident involved in an incident and complete a full investigation within five business days. The policy also mandates notifying the resident's doctor and family, documenting everything in medical records, and monitoring the resident's condition for at least 72 hours afterward.
None of these steps were followed.
The facility's policy states its purpose is "to ensure that accidents and incidents that occur with residents is identified, reported, investigated, and resolved" and to create a database for studying causes and preventing future incidents.
Federal regulations require nursing homes to immediately report accidents and incidents that could affect resident health and safety. The wheelchair incident represented a "minimal harm or potential for actual harm" violation affecting few residents, according to the inspection report.
The broken wheelchair incident highlights how facilities sometimes fail to follow their own safety protocols, even when policies are recently updated and clearly written.
Full Inspection Report
The details above represent a summary of key findings. View the complete inspection report for Foster Health & Rehab Center from 2025-12-26 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 12, 2026 · Our methodology
FOSTER HEALTH & REHAB CENTER in CHICAGO, IL was cited for violations during a health inspection on December 26, 2025.
The facility's Director of Nursing told inspectors on December 24 that the wheelchair "broke" and that the resident "had it for a long" time.
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.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What happened at FOSTER HEALTH & REHAB CENTER?
- The facility's Director of Nursing told inspectors on December 24 that the wheelchair "broke" and that the resident "had it for a long" time.
- How serious are these violations?
- Violation severity varies from minor documentation issues to serious safety concerns. Review the inspection report for specific deficiency codes and scope. All violations must be corrected within required timeframes and are subject to follow-up verification inspections.
- What should families do?
- Families should: (1) Ask facility administration about specific corrective actions taken, (2) Request to see the follow-up inspection report verifying corrections, (3) Check if this represents a pattern by reviewing prior inspection reports, (4) Compare this facility's ratings with other nursing homes in CHICAGO, IL, (5) Report any new concerns directly to state authorities.
- Where can I see the full inspection report?
- The complete inspection report is available on Medicare.gov's Care Compare website (www.medicare.gov/care-compare). You can also request a copy directly from FOSTER HEALTH & REHAB CENTER or from the state Department of Health. The report includes specific deficiency codes, facility responses, and correction timelines. This facility's federal provider number is 146167.
- Has this facility had violations before?
- To check FOSTER HEALTH & REHAB CENTER's history, visit Medicare.gov's Care Compare and review their inspection history, quality ratings, and staffing levels. Look for patterns of repeated violations, especially in critical areas like abuse prevention, medication management, infection control, and resident safety.