Dozens of elderly people across US died after leaving care facilities unchecked

Many care homes are understaffed, ignored alarms, skipped bed checks or otherwise neglected safety procedures

Dozens of elderly people have died across the US in the last five years after walking away unchecked from assisted-living or supposedly secure dementia or memory care facilities, a national study has found, highlighting a lack of effective oversight in a burgeoning industry.

Most of about 100 deaths since 2018, reported Monday by the Washington Post, were weather-related, involving exposure to extreme heat or cold. Some of the “elopements” – the industry name for those who leave unnoticed or unsupervised – were not found until days or even weeks later.