Woman Pronounced Dead at Medical Center Found Breathing in Funeral Home

The Glen Oaks Alzheimer’s Special Care Center located in Urbandale, Iowa, is facing a hefty penalty after allegedly transporting a mistakenly declared deceased woman to a funeral home, as reported by KCCI.

The Department of Inspections and Appeals of Iowa said that the resident was pronounced dead at 6 a.m. on January 3rd by a Licensed Practical Nurse

The funeral director observed no signs of life upon collecting the body and placed it in a cloth bag before delivering it to the Ankeny Funeral Home and Crematory.

Shockingly, an employee at the funeral home opened the bag and noticed that the woman’s chest was moving before she gasped for air.
A first responder’s call to dispatch was recorded, in which she said that the female was brought to the home deceased, yet she was alive in the chapel.

Emergency medical personnel determined that the woman had a pulse and was breathing, yet they could not get a verbal response or detect any eye movement.

She was then taken to the hospital where died two days later with her family at her side.

As a result of the incident, the Glen Oaks Alzheimer’s Special Care Center was given two violations and fined $10,000.

Executive Director of Glen Oaks, Lisa Eastman, released a statement to KCCI saying that the center is in close contact with the family of the resident and that they are committed to supporting end-of-life care. She also mentioned that all employees undergo regular training to best support death and end-of-life care.