:Vocalo.org

Brian interviews Jeff Kelly Lowenstein of The Chicago Reporter and Lurletha Ward, an activist from Illinois Citizens for Better Care. 

Jeff recently published an investigative story showing that nursing homes where most residents are African-American provide much worse care than other homes. 

Ms. Ward's sister was an alzheimer's patient in a nursing home that was an example in the story.  She is an activist with Illinois Citizens for Better Care.

In the first part of the interview, Jeff describes the big picture findings, and Ms. Ward describes what she saw when she went to inspect the home where her sister was being cared for:  urine and feces on the floor. 

In part 2, it comes out that the families of residents often have little recourse.  Ms. Ward describes a complaint she filed with the state-- which found her complaint "not substantiated," only to turn around and later file a similar charge.  Jeff says that family members who shared their concerns with The Chicago Reporter got threatened with legal action.

Nursing home operators often complain that because many residents are on medicaid, the homes get paid late and poorly by the state and can't be expected to provide top-quality care...

 ... but in Part 3, Jeff describes a majority-black home where most residents are on Medicaid-- and where the care is excellent.  But it's the exception.  Illinois probably has the greatest disparities in the country.