A care home was fined $10,000 after declaring a patient dead despite being alive. The woman 66-years-old and spent approximately 50 minutes in a body bag. When she was being transported to a funeral home, the staff members realized she was alive.
The woman supposedly announced dead at 6 am on 3rd January at Glen Oaks Alzheimer’s Special Care Center, Urbandale, Iowa. She was admitted there for end-stage early-onset dementia, anxiety, and depression.
The report from the Iowa Department of Inspections and Appeals quoted that her, “mouth was open, her eyes were fixed, and there were no breath sounds”. Moreover, the attending nurse couldn’t locate a pulse either. After the woman was declared dead, the staff informed her family and contacted the funeral home.
When at 7:38 am, the funeral director arrived and was zipping her body bag to drive to the funeral home, no sign of life was evident at that moment either.
However, right before 8:30, the home staff was shocked to see her chest moving when they unzipped the bag. Although still breathing, she gasped for air. Moreover, her pulse could be recorded. However, there was no eye movement, or verbal or motor response.
She was transferred to an ER before being brought back to the Alzheimer’s care center where she passed away two days after, with her family by her side.
According to the reports,
The facility “failed to provide adequate direction to ensure appropriate cares and services were provided,”
Citing the home’s additional failure, the reports said,
to ensure residents received dignified treatment and care at end of life.
Moreover, this is not the first time something like this has happened. Alive bodies have made their way to the graves, morgues, and some have also been frozen. However, this woman woke up at her funeral.
