When bathing leads to drowning in older adults.

Area of Science:

• Gerontology
• Public Health
• Cardiology

Background:

• Bathing is a critical daily activity for aging adults, yet physical decline increases risks.
• Drowning during bathing is an under-documented cause of death among older adults.
• This study addresses the need to understand bathtub drowning circumstances in this demographic.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the factors contributing to bathtub drownings among individuals aged 65 and older.
• To identify high-risk periods and circumstances associated with these incidents.
• To inform prevention strategies for enhancing safety during personal hygiene for seniors.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of coroner's reports for bathtub drownings in Quebec, Canada (2005-2014).
• Inclusion of victims aged 65 and older.
• Utilized a modified grid based on literature to analyze contributing factors.

Main Results:

• Identified 92 bathtub drowning victims, with 42% aged 65+ (average age 79).
• Cardiac problems were the probable cause in most cases, despite low reported heart disease history.
• Victims were typically alone; high-risk periods included springtime, Sundays, and evenings.

Conclusions:

• At least 39 Quebec seniors (65+) drowned in bathtubs over a decade.
• Older adults are more frequent bathtub drowning victims than children in community settings.
• Bathing may precipitate cardiac distress, leading to a significant number of drownings.