It seems that the Somerset is in the process of relocating its residents since Medicare pulled funding. There's a very detailed blog about what's going on there written by someone who's done consulting work for the facility: 5009 Sheridan: The Closing of Somerset Place. It's interesting, sad, and shows a lot more shades of gray than we suspected. Dialogue between those affected by Somerset - staff, residents, administration, community - is encouraged.
This whole process is very interesting. I will not make excuses for Somerset, for years many in the field of mental health knew they were not creating as positive an environment as was needed. In my opinion, far to many residents were grouped there to provide effective treatment. But they are not the only nursing home with a census of over 400. But the other part is that the State of IL has so few employees who have an understanding of what this population needs. How many State Surveyors went into Somerset Place over the years not having any idea of what to look for when evaluating the mental health services taking place there. Sadly the reason it was closed seems to be due to political pressure. They have been mostly passing yearly evaluations for decades. To read the blog mentioned here, it appears many agencies in the State of IL have no understanding of how to help these people. Sending them off to other homes that also may be providing poor care is not a solution
ReplyDeleteI hope the displaced residents get the proper care they need. From the sound of all the previous articles about this place, it appears they were getting inadequate care. I personally believe that mental health care and housing should never be as large as it was at Somerset Place. It is better suited in a smaller more controlled environment.
ReplyDeleteI hope to see someone buy this building and rehab it (yes into condos - not more low income housing!) and turn it back into the beautiful building it once was. In America we are too quick to tear down buildings we deem as old and ignore the architecural significance of them. If they did the same in Europe there would be no castles or acient ruins to visit and remind us of the splendor and ingenuity we came from.
Again, I hope that whereever the residents of Somerset Place land that they finally receive the care they need.
Thank you for posting a link to my blog. Somerset is closing. My hope for the blog is that, even after Somerset is closed, it can focus attention on the difficulties the state has in addressing the needs of the chronically mentally ill. The state has been exceptionally poor at this since the 1960s when they dumped patients out of the state psychiatric hospitals. Now they are playing a shell game which won't really solve the problem, but simply shift it around and,in the process, obtain more federal dollars. The events at Somerset simply serve to highlight the bigger problem. Thank you again, jeff
ReplyDeleteI've never been overtly threatend by the Somerset people.....walking by everydaty. But there are issues for sure.......
ReplyDeleteI think the extreme reaction by the state (and the aldermen) was to shut/close it all down. I think Jeff's take seems pretty accurate in that the problem is just being moved elsewhere. There definitely were problems with Sommerset, and it did have a negative impact on the community, but its being swept under the rug. Not good.
ReplyDeleteI'm going to try to interview staff and adminsistraion on the closing of Somerset by the end of this week. I would like to get their perspective on the closing of Somerset. If anyone has any ideas on how I could make this story work effectively, please let me know.
ReplyDeleteI would contact one of the Clinical Consultants who runs the 5009 Sheridan: The Closing of Somerset Place blog. He would be able to point you in the right direction. I would love to hear from State of IL employees currently in the building on their views on the process. But they may be under orders not to discuss the issue.
ReplyDeleteDaProfessional,
ReplyDeleteI'd be interested in talking with you.