Seniors more likely to drown in swimming pools when alone: report

Unsupervised swimming by seniors aged 65 and over has been the leading cause of drowning deaths in residential pools over the past four years in Quebec.

According to Le Journal, nearly 60 per cent of the 70 drowning deaths in private swimming pools in the province were seniors.

In most cases, they were left alone in the pool or near it to when they became unwell. Others were in the pool at their accommodation centre or condo building at the time of the incident. The vast majority were women.

“The majority of them, they were alone. So, they took the decision to go inside the swimming pool alone,” said Raynald Hawkins, executive director of Quebec’s Lifesaving Society. “And they have a weakness situation. And because they are alone, they fell down at the bottom of the pool and that’s how they drowned. Make sure no one can have access to your pool, not only for the toddlers, but also for seniors.”

Fatal illnesses that can occur before drownings could be heart attacks, strokes, acute coronary syndrome, pulmonary embolisms causing weakness, and more.

Hawkins said it’s important to never be alone near the pool because if you have an illness, no one will be able to help you.

“So maybe for seniors, if they don’t feel very well, they say ‘I’m going to refresh my body inside the swimming pool’. This is a good thing, but never be alone, because if you have those weakness situations, I think you’re going to have a drowning,” he said.

Although swimming alone is not allowed at most seniors’ residences in Quebec, some coroners have made recommendations to improve the safety for residents including constant surveillance at the pool and automated external defibrillators.

According to the Quebec Lifesaving Society, one in two drowning deaths is attributable to swimming alone, regardless of age and body of water.

“It concerns me when I see people on our lake swimming across with no floatation devices,” said a Montrealer at the Westmount Recreation Centre. “If they ever get a cramp or charlie horse, they would drown. I wouldn’t go into a river or lake without anyone around.”

Experts say the best advice is not to swim alone.

Hawkins stated that you can help a potential drowning victim by calling 911 immediately.

“This is the first step you have to do. Try to reach out for the victim at the bottom of the pool if you can. If you can’t, maybe you can contact the neighbors who can help you. As soon when you can pull them on deck, you can start CPR because I’m pretty sure 911 will tell you what you have to do with CPR.”

A similar report from Le Journal published Monday found that 25 out of the 70 drowning deaths in Quebec residential pools were young children under the age of five.