Accidental Drowning in Elderly
Summary:
The following article discussed accidental drowning in assisted living facilities. This is rare occurrence but with the summer heat in Arizona at an all-time high, proper supervision around the pool is important. Besides children, the elderly are likely to suffer an accidental drowning under the supervision of negligent staff. Even though it is an independent facility, it should be held with the same standards as a nursing home and hospital. Although the common outcome of drowning is death, the article briefly discusses other outcomes of accidental drowning.
Accidental Drowning in Elderly
The freedom of an assisted living center can be rewarding, as you are not limited by your own skills to conduct daily and routine activities. With the temperatures during the summer months at ultimate high in the Phoenix and Maricopa County, accidental drowning in pools are occurring and it is not just the young, it is elderly residents in assisted living centers. There have been frequent occurrences of accidental drowning of people 60 years and older. This appears to be unusual as commonly it is children who generally suffer from drowning. Unlike, apartment complexes and motels, there is obligation in assisted living centers to their residents, these centers have legal responsibility to care for the safety and health of their residents.
Although an assisted living center is a place where more capable elderly residents reside since they are able to live with only some assistance needed for daily routines, these centers are still responsible for their well-being. Assisted living centers are not like apartment complexes and the law sees them as hospitals and nursing homes. Therefore, they are under the same legal and liability obligations. An Arizona Nursing Home Advocate Attorney can assist in your legal needs involving a relative who has suffered and accidental drowning due to the wrongful neglect of an Arizona Assisted Living Center.
Why does Accidental Drowning Occur in Supervised Facilities?
Accidental drowning commonly occurs when a person is unable to support themselves in the water, i.e., unable to swim or impaired cognitive judgment. The reasons why residents who suffer from accidental drowning in an assisted living center statistically tend to be because of impaired judgment and slower motor skills and response times to unexpected circumstances like slips, falls, and of course, drowning. As a staff member of an assisted living center, there is need and obligation to watch and observe residents just like in a nursing home.
What is drowning?
Drowning in simple terms is when the lungs fill with water and oxygen is lost. This is due to accidental submersion in a body of water. When it comes to complete oxygen loss, fatality is probable. Like with children fencing a pool area and supervision can help aid in the prevention of death by drowning. Just like the staff is responsible for aiding in their daily activities, even as far preparing 3 meals a day for the resident - they are equally responsible for making sure a mentally ill or cognitive impaired resident is safe and not found face down in a pool of water with no pulse, low breathing, and suffering from cyanosis.
Outcomes of Drowning:
- Fatality
- Lung Damage
- Cyanosis
- Coma
- Hip Fracture
- Swelling
- Internal Bleeding
Contact an Arizona Lawyer
If an assisted living center in the Phoenix, Tempe, Scottsdale, Mesa or elsewhere in Maricopa County, has contributed to the accidental drowning of a loved one due to negligence, the staff should be held responsible for lack of supervision. For more information that could help you and your family get the compensation you deserve, visit www.nursinghomeadvocates.com.
