An Iowa care facility is facing fines totaling $10,000 after mistakenly pronouncing a 66-year-old resident dead and having her transported to a funeral home, where she woke up “gasping for air.” explains the sequence of incidents that resulted in the woman being declared dead by mistake. On December 28, 2022, the unnamed person, who had been a resident of the Glen Oaks Alzheimer’s Special Care Center since December of 2021, was transferred to the facility’s hospice care due to “senile degeneration of the brain.”
There were comfort measures performed when receiving hospice care. Staff members observed instances of “diminished” lung sounds and brief convulsions over the course of many days. The woman was declared dead on January 3, 2023 at 6 a.m. after Staff C, a staff member, reported that she “could not detect a pulse” and discovered the “resident was not breathing at that time.”
The employee informed a registered practical nurse. A nearby funeral home was called after notifying the woman’s family.
Soon after 7:30 a.m., a funeral director arrived, and with the help of “LPN D” and another nurse, the resident was placed in a body bag and zip-tied. Shortly after, the funeral director got out of the building Soon after 7:30 a.m., a funeral director arrived, and with the help of “LPN D” and another nurse, the resident was placed in a body bag and zip-tied. Shortly after, the funeral director got out of the building. Employees at Ankeny Funeral Home and Crematory opened the bag at 8:26 a.m.
According to the report, they “saw (the resident’s) chest moving as she gasped for oxygen.”
The funeral home then dialed 911 and contacted the nursing home. There were no eye movements or verbal responses when EMS arrived, but they were able to capture a pulse and breathing.
The resident was brought back to the care facility on the same day. According to the article, she passed away early on January 5 with her family at her side. The facility faces two state violations from the DIA, which could result in a $10,000 fine.
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