Finding into death of Glenda Elaine Shapcott
Deceased
Glenda Elaine Shapcott
Demographics
65y, female
Date of death
2022-05-17
Finding date
2022-11-21
Cause of death
Pneumonia and right hip haematoma following a fall in a woman with multiple medical comorbidities
AI-generated summary
Glenda Shapcott, a 65-year-old woman with intellectual disability and multiple comorbidities, died from pneumonia and hip haematoma following a fall. She lived in supported disability accommodation and was under a palliative care plan agreed with her family. In her final week, she experienced rapid health deterioration with refusal of care and food. An unwitnessed fall occurred on 14 May, leading to hip pain and immobility. Hospital admission revealed resistance to investigation due to her distress and aggression. Despite discussions about sedation for imaging to exclude fracture, she died suddenly on 17 May before further investigations were completed. The coroner found no clinical mismanagement, but the case highlights challenges in balancing palliative care goals with investigation of acute injuries in patients with intellectual disability and difficulty tolerating procedures.
AI-generated summary and tagging — may contain inaccuracies; refer to original finding for legal purposes.
Drugs involved
Clinical conditions
Contributing factors
- Unwitnessed fall on 14 May 2022
- Rapid health deterioration in late April to May 2022
- Increasing lethargy, breathlessness, anorexia, and refusal of care
- Patient resistance to examination and investigation due to distress and aggression
- Palliative care approach limiting investigations
- Underlying comorbidities including anaemia, cardiac failure, hyponatraemia, seizure disorder
- Difficulty with patient cooperation for imaging due to intellectual disability and behavioural challenges
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