Coroner's Finding: Clark, Wayne Malcolm

AI-generated summary

Wayne Malcolm Clark, aged 84, with advanced Alzheimer's and vascular dementia, fell in a secure residential aged care facility and sustained a C2 odontoid fracture. He died on 23 August 2023 from bronchopneumonia complicating this fracture. The coroner found that the falls risk management plan was reasonable and effective, and that the decision to pursue palliative care was appropriate given his advanced dementia and deteriorating condition. An independent geriatrician reviewed the care provided post-fall and found it to be 'appropriate, responsive and commendable,' including comprehensive coordination between ambulance, virtual care, the general practitioner, palliative care nurses, and facility staff. The coroner examined the family's concerns about pain management but found the medication regime—starting with as-needed doses and progressing to continuous infusion—reflected standard palliative care practice. No different approaches would have prevented the death, which reflected the natural progression of advanced dementia. No recommendations were made.

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