Thoresen, Cynthia

88y · Female·pulmonary thromboembolism due to fractured right femur due to a fall

Cynthia Thoresen, 88-year-old woman with dementia and osteoporosis, fell at home and sustained a fractured femur approximately three weeks before admission. Her daughter, the registered carer, failed to seek medical attention despite clear evidence of severe pain and immobility. The patient remained bedbound in filthy conditions, developing pressure sores and malnutrition. Hospital staff provided appropriate, multidisciplinary care including prophylactic anticoagulation, but the patient deteriorated and died from pulmonary embolism. Clinical lessons: family carers require oversight through mandatory annual medical reviews; elderly patients with dementia need access to general practitioners; fracture complications demand urgent medical evaluation; and signs of elder neglect must trigger welfare intervention immediately.