Tragic Death of Elderly Woman Who Mistook Laundry Pods for Candy

A 93-year-old woman with dementia tragically passed away after consuming laundry capsules that resembled candies, a report revealed.

Elizabeth Van Der-Drift’s death on March 19 resulted from aspiration pneumonia, ingestion of the toxic laundry pods, and the effects of dementia.

In a prevention of future deaths report (PFD), a carer mentioned that the packaging closely resembled a bag of sweets.

Coroner Ian Potter cautioned that regulations may not adequately consider the risks faced by dementia patients and those with cognitive impairments.

The PFD stated: ‘Products like these have known risks for children, but there seems to be less awareness of the dangers for individuals with dementia or other cognitive disorders.’

The coroner, based in Inner North London, noted that the use of bright, attractive colors is common across the industry.

He expressed that solely admonishing the manufacturer would be shortsighted.

Instead, the report was directed to the CEO of the Office for Product Safety and Standards, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, and the director general of the UK Cleaning Product Industry Association.

The coroner highlighted the Food Imitations (Safety) Regulations 1989, suggesting that they might not sufficiently address the needs of those with dementia or cognitive impairments.

The regulations forbid the supply of products that are unfit for human consumption and could be mistaken for food, particularly emphasizing the risk to children.

Ms. Van Der-Drift had been living with dementia for several years and often struggled to remember her last meal, as stated by Mr. Potter.

She frequently searched for food and managed to access the pods on March 13 or 14, biting into at least one of them.

The product was described as primarily pink and white, with hints of orange, yellow, and green.

The pods did not have any features that would prevent even those with basic manual dexterity from accessing the candy-like capsules, Mr. Potter remarked.

Shortly after ingesting the product, Ms. Der-Drift experienced stomach pain and difficulty breathing.

She was rushed to the hospital by ambulance and unfortunately passed away days later.

The inquest ruled her death as accidental.

The recipients of the PFD must provide a response by October 8 this year, detailing actions taken, proposed actions, or reasons for taking no action, unless the coroner extends the deadline.

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