83-Year-Old Resident in Alabama Assisted Living Center Left in Van Suffers Heat Stroke
A lawsuit has been filed on behalf of an 83-year-old resident of an Alabama assisted living center after she was left in a van for close to six hours on a hot day with the windows rolled up following an outing. The woman has dementia and had recently undergone hip surgery making it impossible for her to get out of the van unassisted. The family’s attorney alleged that the incident represented a systemic failure by the facility, and he termed it “unbelievable that they could leave someone on a van for that long and not recognize that she was missing.”
The woman was discovered after a staff member from the facility telephoned the woman’s daughter asking if she had picked up her mother because she was “missing.” The woman was found soon afterward in a van that was parked in the facility’s parking lot. She was rushed to the hospital suffering from heat stroke and other medical complications. She was placed on a ventilator, and the doctors expressed concern about her chances for long term survival. They also indicated to the woman’s family that she was going to have what they termed “deficits” even if she is able to make a recovery.
Apparently, staff members took five residents out of the facility for a field trip to look at flowers, houses, and scenery. They returned to the facility around 1 p.m. and it was about 5:30 when the daughter was called telling her that her mother was missing.
The facility expressed its concern about the incident to the resident’s family.
Compliance Perspective
Allowing a resident with mobility issues to be left for nearly six hours in an enclosed vehicle in the heat of the day may be considered abuse and neglect, immediate jeopardy, and provision of sub-standard quality of care in violation of state and federal regulations.
Discussion Points:
- Review policies and procedures regarding protocols to ensure the care and safety of residents—particularly those with mobility issues–during field trips and excursions.
- Train staff on protocols to ensure the care and safety of residents during and after a field trip, including making sure no one remains behind in any vehicle used for transportation.
- Periodically audit to determine if staff are following policies and procedures regarding the care and safety of residents when they are taken on a field trip or to other events.
