Medical emergency policy for one area independent living community
-->By: Jennifer Lee
Updated: March 6, 2013
The recent recorded 911 call during the death of an elderly woman out west is raising some questions when it comes to employees providing medical care.
A staff member at an independent living community in California refused to perform CPR on a resident who stopped breathing. The resident died.
We're taking a closer look at policies here at home.
Eyewitness News spoke with the Executive Director of Preswick Glen, which is an independent living retirement community in New Hartford.
She says they do all that they can in a medical emergency, under one condition.
Residents at Preswick Glen have one of these around their necks or nearby in their apartments.
In case of a medical emergency, with a push of a button the front desk gets alerted.
"Anywhere they are on the property, we know it's them and we know they are calling us for help and we know where they are," said Executive Director, Meg Cardamone.
And if staff members do need to call 911 there is vital information in the resident's fridge.
"The kind of information is what hospital they prefer, who's their primary care physician, are they are on any medications, any allergies and who their personal emergency contact people are," said Cardamone.
Cardamone says they do not have any policies in place to prohibit a staff member to perform CPR or provide medical care as given by the 911 operator.
But, a staff member must abide by one thing, a do not resuscitate request.
"You check and see if they have a DNR. Stay with the resident and stay on the phone with 911. It means the first responders have to adhere to the wishes of the resident," said Cardamone.
Cardamone tells Eyewitness News they do have staff on duty 24-7 in case of a medical emergency.
But, since they are an independent living community, they do not have medical personnel on campus.
