Lawsuit filed, second employee charged with sharing recordings of nude residents at memory care home
A lawsuit was filed Wednesday against Encore Memory Care at South Barrington after workers allegedly took and shared nude videos of residents earlier this year. Meanwhile, a second employee has been charged with a crime.
The lawsuit was filed on behalf of Kristen Fisher, the widow of 73-year-old Bernard “Skip” Fisher, who authorities allege was videotaped naked lying in bed.
The suit alleges Encore caregiver Madison Russo, 25, of Hoffman Estates, took videos of three residents at the facility while they were undressed, and shared them with four other employees on a group Snapchat titled “Traitors and Besties.” Police say the residents were unlawfully recorded between January and July.
Two employees reported the alleged activity to the facility director in June. An internal investigation began, with police and the Illinois Department of Public Health notified. Encore subsequently terminated six employees, including Russo.
Russo was charged with felonies for unauthorized videotaping and disseminating unlawful video without consent, and videotaping a person's private parts. She has pleaded not guilty.
A second employee, Shannon Juarez, was charged and arrested in late October, accused of disseminating at least one photo in the group chat.
A representative from Encore, and attorneys for Russo and Juarez, could not be reached for comment.
Skip Fisher was aware of his surroundings and understood what was occurring around him, his wife told the Tribune, but his Parkinson’s left him in a wheelchair and dependent on help for daily activities, nonverbal and unable to communicate.
His wife found out about the allegations from South Barrington police in July, she said, five days before her husband died.
“I was completely shocked,” Fisher said. “I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. My husband was humiliated, he was degraded, and not able to defend himself. It immobilizes my every thought since then.”
At least two other residents also allegedly were videotaped, one while in the shower and another while sitting on a toilet wearing only socks.
Caregivers for dementia patients, whether family members at home or employees in an institution, can face daily challenges from residents who may be uncooperative or agitated, but advocates emphasize that caregivers must stay patient and respectful.
“Madison explained that (name redacted) always gives her a hard time during showers, and she wanted to show other caregivers what she deals with,” a South Barrington police report stated.
The suit was filed against Encore Illinois LLC, doing business as Encore South Barrington, its management company, Encore Senior Living, LLC, Russo, Juarez, and Scerbicke.
rmccoppin@chicagotribune.com