
Report
TheVardellReport
Elevate Care Chicago North
Skilled nursing facility and nursing facility
2451 West Touhy Avenue
Chicago, IL 60645

TheVardellReport
Skilled nursing facility and nursing facility
2451 West Touhy Avenue
Chicago, IL 60645
Life by Vardell Presents
The deeper story, beautifully organized. Available records, historical context, and questions worth asking.
This report is free. Vardell does not certify, grade or endorse; it shows what the record documents.
The Essentials
Across 23 inspections from July 2023 to July 2026, state surveyors documented 94 findings at Elevate Care Chicago North; 94 have a recorded correction; CMS lists 7 enforcement actions in the window.
* Partial year, through October 1, 2026.
| Year | Inspections | Findings | Of which, actual harm (level G or above) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 4 | 22 | 1 |
| 2024 | 6 | 37 | 6 |
| 2025 | 8 | 27 | 3 |
| 2026 | 5 | 8 | 1 |
Chronology
Every inspection in the record window, newest first. A finding is a deficiency an inspector cited. CMS publishes what a complaint investigation cited, not what the complaint alleged.
1 finding
Source: Health inspection results, as published by CMS (Health Deficiencies and Inspection Dates, Provider Data Catalog)
2 findings
Source: Health inspection results, as published by CMS (Health Deficiencies and Inspection Dates, Provider Data Catalog)
1 finding
Source: Health inspection results, as published by CMS (Health Deficiencies and Inspection Dates, Provider Data Catalog)
3 findings
Source: Health inspection results, as published by CMS (Health Deficiencies and Inspection Dates, Provider Data Catalog)
1 finding
Source: Health inspection results, as published by CMS (Health Deficiencies and Inspection Dates, Provider Data Catalog)
1 finding
Source: Health inspection results, as published by CMS (Health Deficiencies and Inspection Dates, Provider Data Catalog)
1 finding
Source: Health inspection results, as published by CMS (Health Deficiencies and Inspection Dates, Provider Data Catalog)
2 findings
Source: Health inspection results, as published by CMS (Health Deficiencies and Inspection Dates, Provider Data Catalog)
11 findings
Enforcement Action
Civil money penalty, $22,895 imposed July 30, 2026. CMS publishes the fine, not whether it has been paid. CMS does not tie a penalty to a survey; listed with the standard health inspection of May 16, 2025, the nearest before the penalty date.
Source: Health inspection results, as published by CMS (Health Deficiencies and Inspection Dates, Provider Data Catalog)
4 findings
Source: Health inspection results, as published by CMS (Health Deficiencies and Inspection Dates, Provider Data Catalog)
2 findings
Source: Health inspection results, as published by CMS (Health Deficiencies and Inspection Dates, Provider Data Catalog)
1 finding
Source: Health inspection results, as published by CMS (Health Deficiencies and Inspection Dates, Provider Data Catalog)
5 findings
Source: Health inspection results, as published by CMS (Health Deficiencies and Inspection Dates, Provider Data Catalog)
1 finding
Source: Health inspection results, as published by CMS (Health Deficiencies and Inspection Dates, Provider Data Catalog)
19 findings
The same visit included a complaint investigation.
Enforcement Action
Civil money penalty, $76,792 imposed April 11, 2025. CMS publishes the fine, not whether it has been paid. CMS does not tie a penalty to a survey; listed with the standard health inspection of June 7, 2024, the nearest before the penalty date.
Enforcement Action
Denial of payment imposed April 11, 2025. Status: Closed, June 20, 2025. CMS does not tie a penalty to a survey; listed with the standard health inspection of June 7, 2024, the nearest before the penalty date.
Source: Health inspection results, as published by CMS (Health Deficiencies and Inspection Dates, Provider Data Catalog)
7 findings
Source: Health inspection results, as published by CMS (Health Deficiencies and Inspection Dates, Provider Data Catalog)
2 findings
Source: Health inspection results, as published by CMS (Health Deficiencies and Inspection Dates, Provider Data Catalog)
2 findings
Source: Health inspection results, as published by CMS (Health Deficiencies and Inspection Dates, Provider Data Catalog)
6 findings
Source: Health inspection results, as published by CMS (Health Deficiencies and Inspection Dates, Provider Data Catalog)
2 findings
Source: Health inspection results, as published by CMS (Health Deficiencies and Inspection Dates, Provider Data Catalog)
1 finding
Source: Health inspection results, as published by CMS (Health Deficiencies and Inspection Dates, Provider Data Catalog)
1 finding
Source: Health inspection results, as published by CMS (Health Deficiencies and Inspection Dates, Provider Data Catalog)
18 findings
Enforcement Action
Civil money penalty, $44,260 imposed January 5, 2024. CMS publishes the fine, not whether it has been paid. CMS does not tie a penalty to a survey; listed with the standard health inspection of July 21, 2023, the nearest before the penalty date.
Enforcement Action
Denial of payment imposed January 5, 2024. Status: Closed, February 3, 2024. CMS does not tie a penalty to a survey; listed with the standard health inspection of July 21, 2023, the nearest before the penalty date.
Enforcement Action
Civil money penalty, $73,938 imposed May 16, 2024. CMS publishes the fine, not whether it has been paid. CMS does not tie a penalty to a survey; listed with the standard health inspection of July 21, 2023, the nearest before the penalty date.
Enforcement Action
Denial of payment imposed May 16, 2024. Status: Closed, June 19, 2024. CMS does not tie a penalty to a survey; listed with the standard health inspection of July 21, 2023, the nearest before the penalty date.
Source: Health inspection results, as published by CMS (Health Deficiencies and Inspection Dates, Provider Data Catalog)
Severity levels follow the CMS scope and severity grid. A–C: potential for minimal harm. D–F: no actual harm, potential for more than minimal harm. G–I: actual harm. J–L: immediate jeopardy.
Context
A repeated citation can merit attention, but context and corrective action must be reviewed before drawing a conclusion.
Inspectors cited F689 in January 2024, January 2024, February 2024, May 2024, June 2024, October 2024, August 2025 and July 2026. This citation covers whether residents are protected from accident hazards and supervised closely enough to prevent accidents, including falls. The most serious of these was recorded at level J (immediate jeopardy). Each citation has a recorded correction, and a repeat after correction is worth a direct question.
Inspectors cited F684 in October 2023, January 2024, January 2025, May 2025, January 2026, June 2026 and July 2026. This citation covers whether residents receive the treatment their orders, preferences and goals call for. None rose above level E (no actual harm, potential for more). Each citation has a recorded correction, and a repeat after correction is worth a direct question.
Inspectors cited F677 in May 2024, June 2024, January 2025, March 2025 and April 2025. This citation covers help with bathing, dressing, eating and toileting for residents who cannot manage alone. None rose above level E (no actual harm, potential for more). Each citation has a recorded correction, and a repeat after correction is worth a direct question.
Inspectors cited F686 in July 2023, October 2023, January 2024, May 2024 and June 2024. This citation covers how the home prevents and treats pressure injuries (bedsores). The most serious of these was recorded at level G (actual harm). Each citation has a recorded correction, and a repeat after correction is worth a direct question.
Inspectors cited F688 in January 2024, May 2024, June 2024, January 2025 and May 2025. This citation covers care that keeps or improves a resident’s movement and mobility. None rose above level D (no actual harm, potential for more). Each citation has a recorded correction, and a repeat after correction is worth a direct question.
Inspectors cited F695 in July 2023, June 2024, January 2025, April 2025 and May 2025. This citation covers oxygen, breathing treatments and other respiratory care. None rose above level E (no actual harm, potential for more). Each citation has a recorded correction, and a repeat after correction is worth a direct question.
Inspectors cited F755 in July 2023, February 2024, April 2025 and September 2025. This citation covers pharmacy services and the licensed pharmacist who oversees them. The most serious of these was recorded at level G (actual harm). Each citation has a recorded correction, and a repeat after correction is worth a direct question.
Inspectors cited F558 in July 2023, April 2025 and May 2025. This citation covers whether the home reasonably accommodates each resident’s needs and preferences. None rose above level E (no actual harm, potential for more). Each citation has a recorded correction, and a repeat after correction is worth a direct question.
Inspectors cited F600 in November 2023, January 2025 and June 2025. This citation covers whether residents are protected from abuse and neglect by anyone. The most serious of these was recorded at level G (actual harm). Each citation has a recorded correction, and a repeat after correction is worth a direct question.
Inspectors cited F692 in January 2024, May 2024 and June 2024. This citation covers whether residents get enough food and fluids to stay healthy. The most serious of these was recorded at level G (actual harm). Each citation has a recorded correction, and a repeat after correction is worth a direct question.
Inspectors cited F812 in July 2023, June 2024 and May 2025. This citation covers how food is stored, prepared and served. None rose above level F (no actual harm, potential for more). Each citation has a recorded correction, and a repeat after correction is worth a direct question.
Inspectors cited F880 in July 2023, June 2024 and May 2025. This citation covers hand hygiene, isolation practice and the home’s infection-prevention program. None rose above level F (no actual harm, potential for more). Each citation has a recorded correction, and a repeat after correction is worth a direct question.
Inspectors cited F550 in July 2023 and May 2025. This citation covers residents’ right to dignity, to make their own choices and to communicate. None rose above level D (no actual harm, potential for more). Each citation has a recorded correction, and a repeat after correction is worth a direct question.
Inspectors cited F584 in January 2024 and April 2025. This citation covers whether rooms and shared spaces are kept safe, clean, comfortable and homelike. None rose above level E (no actual harm, potential for more). Each citation has a recorded correction, and a repeat after correction is worth a direct question.
Inspectors cited F645 in June 2024 and May 2025. This citation covers the required screening for mental illness or intellectual disability before admission (PASARR). None rose above level D (no actual harm, potential for more). Each citation has a recorded correction, and a repeat after correction is worth a direct question.
Inspectors cited F676 in June 2024 and May 2025. The agency describes it this way: Ensure residents do not lose the ability to perform activities of daily living unless there is a medical reason. None rose above level E (no actual harm, potential for more). Each citation has a recorded correction, and a repeat after correction is worth a direct question.
Inspectors cited F690 in June 2024 and May 2025. This citation covers continence care, catheter care and preventing urinary tract infections. None rose above level D (no actual harm, potential for more). Each citation has a recorded correction, and a repeat after correction is worth a direct question.
Inspectors cited F693 in July 2023 and June 2024. The agency describes it this way: Ensure that feeding tubes are not used unless there is a medical reason and the resident agrees; and provide appropriate care for a resident with a feeding tube. None rose above level E (no actual harm, potential for more). Each citation has a recorded correction, and a repeat after correction is worth a direct question.
Inspectors cited F760 in July 2023 and April 2026. This citation covers whether residents are free from significant medication errors. None rose above level D (no actual harm, potential for more). Each citation has a recorded correction, and a repeat after correction is worth a direct question.
Inspectors cited F761 in July 2023 and June 2024. This citation covers how drugs are labeled and kept locked, including controlled drugs. None rose above level E (no actual harm, potential for more). Each citation has a recorded correction, and a repeat after correction is worth a direct question.
Inspectors cited F842 in July 2023 and June 2024. This citation covers whether resident records are complete, accurate and kept confidential. None rose above level D (no actual harm, potential for more). Each citation has a recorded correction, and a repeat after correction is worth a direct question.
For Your Next Visit
Bring these to the tour. Each one comes from something in the record; the reason is under the question.
What changed in fall prevention and supervision after the last citation, and how do you check that it is still working?
Accident Hazards and Supervision: cited in eight inspections, most seriously at level J.
How do nurses make sure a doctor’s orders are carried out, and how are families told when something is missed?
Quality of Care: cited in seven inspections, most seriously at level E.
How long do residents usually wait for help with bathing, dressing or the bathroom, and how is that tracked?
Help With Daily Living: cited in five inspections, most seriously at level E.
How often are residents checked for pressure injuries and repositioned, and who is responsible for it?
Pressure Injury Care: cited in five inspections, most seriously at level G.
What do you do to keep residents moving, and who provides range-of-motion care?
Mobility and Range of Motion: cited in five inspections, most seriously at level D.
Who manages oxygen and breathing treatments on each shift, and how is the equipment checked?
Respiratory Care: cited in five inspections, most seriously at level E.
How often does the consultant pharmacist review each resident’s medications?
Pharmacy Services: cited in four inspections, most seriously at level G.
How do you adjust rooms, schedules and routines to a resident’s needs and preferences?
Needs and Preferences: cited in three inspections, most seriously at level E.
What happened after the abuse or neglect citation, and what changed in training or supervision?
Protection From Abuse and Neglect: cited in three inspections, most seriously at level G.
How are weight and fluid intake tracked, and what happens when a resident starts losing weight?
Nutrition and Hydration: cited in three inspections, most seriously at level G.
May we see the kitchen, and what do your own sanitation checks look like week to week?
Kitchen and Food Safety: cited in three inspections, most seriously at level F.
Who leads infection control here, and how often are hand-hygiene and isolation practices audited?
Infection Control: cited in three inspections, most seriously at level F.
How do staff learn each resident’s preferences, and how is a complaint about dignity handled?
Dignity and Resident Rights: cited in two inspections, most seriously at level D.
What was done about the cleanliness citation, and how are rooms and shared spaces checked now?
A Clean, Homelike Setting: cited in two inspections, most seriously at level E.
Was the required pre-admission screening done for every resident, and how is it tracked?
Pre-Admission Screening: cited in two inspections, most seriously at level D.
What changed after F676 was cited, and how do you check it now?
Citation F676: cited in two inspections, most seriously at level E.
How is continence care scheduled, and how do you prevent urinary infections?
Continence and Catheter Care: cited in two inspections, most seriously at level D.
What changed after F693 was cited, and how do you check it now?
Citation F693: cited in two inspections, most seriously at level E.
What happened after the medication error citation, and how are high-risk drugs double-checked?
Significant Medication Errors: cited in two inspections, most seriously at level D.
How are medications stored and secured, and who checks the medication carts?
Medication Labeling and Storage: cited in two inspections, most seriously at level E.
How can a family request a resident’s records, and how are they kept accurate?
Medical Records: cited in two inspections, most seriously at level D.
How many nurses and aides are on each shift, including nights and weekends, for the unit we are considering?
Insufficient nursing staff was cited in May 2024.
What led to the 2026 fine, and has it been paid?
A $22,895 civil money penalty was imposed July 30, 2026. CMS publishes the fine, not whether it has been paid. The record holds seven enforcement actions in the window.
The Evidence
Inspection results and penalties are published by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services from surveys conducted by the Illinois state survey agency.
Illinois state survey agency
Inspection Jul 21, 2023 · Published Oct 1, 2026 · Retrieved Nov 1, 2026
Illinois state survey agency
Inspection Oct 12, 2023 · Published Oct 1, 2026 · Retrieved Nov 1, 2026
Illinois state survey agency
Inspection Oct 27, 2023 · Published Oct 1, 2026 · Retrieved Nov 1, 2026
Illinois state survey agency
Inspection Nov 15, 2023 · Published Oct 1, 2026 · Retrieved Nov 1, 2026
Illinois state survey agency
Inspection Jan 5, 2024 · Published Oct 1, 2026 · Retrieved Nov 1, 2026
Illinois state survey agency
Inspection Jan 18, 2024 · Published Oct 1, 2026 · Retrieved Nov 1, 2026
Illinois state survey agency
Inspection Feb 2, 2024 · Published Oct 1, 2026 · Retrieved Nov 1, 2026
Illinois state survey agency
Inspection May 16, 2024 · Published Oct 1, 2026 · Retrieved Nov 1, 2026
Illinois state survey agency
Inspection Jun 7, 2024 · Published Oct 1, 2026 · Retrieved Nov 1, 2026
Illinois state survey agency
Inspection Oct 18, 2024 · Published Oct 1, 2026 · Retrieved Nov 1, 2026
Illinois state survey agency
Inspection Jan 27, 2025 · Published Oct 1, 2026 · Retrieved Nov 1, 2026
Illinois state survey agency
Inspection Mar 21, 2025 · Published Oct 1, 2026 · Retrieved Nov 1, 2026
Illinois state survey agency
Inspection Apr 11, 2025 · Published Oct 1, 2026 · Retrieved Nov 1, 2026
Illinois state survey agency
Inspection Apr 24, 2025 · Published Oct 1, 2026 · Retrieved Nov 1, 2026
Illinois state survey agency
Inspection May 16, 2025 · Published Oct 1, 2026 · Retrieved Nov 1, 2026
Illinois state survey agency
Inspection Jun 13, 2025 · Published Oct 1, 2026 · Retrieved Nov 1, 2026
Illinois state survey agency
Inspection Aug 19, 2025 · Published Oct 1, 2026 · Retrieved Nov 1, 2026
Illinois state survey agency
Inspection Sep 17, 2025 · Published Oct 1, 2026 · Retrieved Nov 1, 2026
Illinois state survey agency
Inspection Jan 30, 2026 · Published Oct 1, 2026 · Retrieved Nov 1, 2026
Illinois state survey agency
Inspection Apr 24, 2026 · Published Oct 1, 2026 · Retrieved Nov 1, 2026
Illinois state survey agency
Inspection Jun 3, 2026 · Published Oct 1, 2026 · Retrieved Nov 1, 2026
Illinois state survey agency
Inspection Jul 9, 2026 · Published Oct 1, 2026 · Retrieved Nov 1, 2026
Illinois state survey agency
Inspection Jul 30, 2026 · Published Oct 1, 2026 · Retrieved Nov 1, 2026
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
Published Oct 1, 2026 · Retrieved Nov 1, 2026
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services · 145484
Published Oct 1, 2026 · Retrieved Nov 1, 2026
Record windowJuly 21, 2023 – October 1, 2026
Historical coverage varies by agency and location. Missing records do not mean that no complaint or violation occurred.
Data architecture: Cierto supplies the source-backed machine-readable bundle. Life by Vardell independently creates the narrative, design, and consumer report.