An elderly woman at an independent living facility in Central California died last week after collapsing in the dining room. According to the facility’s policies, staff are not allowed to perform CPR on residents, but they do call emergency services when the residents are ill.
However, the public has been shocked with reports from the independent living facility. Although the 87-year-old victim’s daughter, who is a nurse, was satisfied with her mother’s care and has not complained, tapes from the 911 call have been leaked through several news outlets, outraging the American public. Many are beginning to question the elder care system in the country.
Tracey Halvorson was the 911 dispatcher who took the call from Glenwood Gardens on Tuesday, February 26th. “We need to get CPR started,” she told the nurse who made the call.
“Yeah, we can’t do CPR at this facility,” the nurse responds.
“Then hand the phone to [a] passerby if you can’t do it, hand it to [a] passerby, I’ll have her do it,” Halvorson says.
“Can we flag a stranger down? I bet a stranger would help her.” Halvorson pleaded for several minutes with the nurse to perform CPR.
Halvorson: “I don’t understand why you’re unwilling to help this patient.”
Nurse: “I am, but … ”
Halvorson: “Great, I’ll walk you through it. EMS takes the liability for this. … I’m happy to help you, OK? This is EMS protocol.”
Halvorson finally pleaded, “Are we just going to wait, let this lady die?”
The nurse responded, “That’s why we call 911.”
After a few more minutes, the EMS team arrived and the nurse hung up.
The woman was taken to Mercy Southwest Hospital, where she was pronounced dead.
According to the executive director of Glenwood Gardens, Jeffrey Toomer, explained in a written statement that it was not the independent living facility’s policy to perform CPR on residents. However, in the neighboring assisted living facility and skilled nursing facility, nurses will perform CPR. It is standard practice for independent living facilities to have policies like the one at Glenwood Gardens.
“In the event of a health emergency at this independent living community our practice is to immediately call emergency medical personnel for assistance and to wait with the individual needing attention until such personnel arrives,” Toomer said. “That is the protocol we followed.”
Toomer added that all residents know the policy and sign a waiver agreeing to the Do Not Resuscitate Policy before they move in. The victim therefore had a DNR on file, he said.
However, Toomer agreed that the facility would conduct an internal investigation, regardless of their policy.
Independent Living Facility’s DNR Policy Sparks Public Debate
As the story unfolded last week, the independent living facility’s policy has started a huge public debate. Many people are outraged that facilities, which are expected to care for their elderly residents, could have such callous policies on file.
“I was appalled to hear of a policy at a facility that will not give CPR,” says Robyn Grant, director of public relations and advocacy for The National Consumer Voice for Quality Longterm Care. “Who knew? I guess this has never come up before, but it will from now on. It’s an incredible tragedy.
“This speaks to the fact that consumers have to be extremely vigilant when selecting independent living and assisted living care,” Grant says. “It’s really hard when you’re looking for care and reading these contracts to understand every word. We suggest people take them to an attorney to understand the responsibilities of the facilities.”
“The nursing home industry is the Wild West of health care, the most poorly regulated, with typically the most vulnerable of patients, and a high concentration of for-profit operators,” says Chuck Idelson, spokesman for the California Nurses Association. “It’s an area ripe for abuse, and greater public oversight is surely needed.”
The Strom Law Firm Defends Against Elder Abuse in Independent Living Facilities
Although no lawsuits have been filed, this story highlights the need for patients and their families to be constantly vigilant about the fine print and quality of care in facilities, such as independent living facilities, assisting living facilities, and nursing homes. If your loved one has been injured while under the care of a nursing home or independent living facility, contact the Strom Law Firm, LLC today for a free consultation to discuss your best possible course of action. We offer flexible appointment times and will aggressively fight for justice.803.252.4800.
