An elderly woman who was still living at home found herself in an alarming situation – she had got into the tub for her bath and was too weak to get out.
The frail woman was trapped in her bathtub for three days before the police were called to rescue her.
It was her neighbour who informed the police, after she was concerned when the woman was not answering her door for the mail, and still had her curtains closed at approximately 2pm on Wednesday. She had said that this was “out of character” for the woman in her 80s.
After hearing the elderly woman’s cries, the police forced entry into her Essex home. She was then taken to hospital after she informed them she had been stuck there for the past 3 days.
“When we found the woman she told us that she’d been trapped in the bath for up to three days,” said police constable Tom Matthews of Essex Police.
“When we arrived we could tell that something was wrong and we had no option to force entry to the property in order to help the woman, who was quickly assessed and taken to hospital.”
“In this case, a neighbour spotted a few minor things that were out of character and she rightly called for help.”
Something as simple as an elderly neighbour not answering their door, or not being seen for days is enough of a reason to call the police to check is they are safe and well.
Had this neighbour not done such a thing, who knows how much longer the elderly woman would have been trapped in her bathroom, and what would have become of her.
“We would like to praise her for taking the time to consider the welfare of an elderly person within her community.”
According to the police, the elderly woman had no family or friends nearby.
“The woman sadly has no nearby family or friends that are able to make regular visits to check on her.”
What happened in this situation could happen to any elderly person who lives on their own, so it is crucial that people look out for the each other in the community so that no one finds themselves helpless for days.
“This incident is an example of why it’s essential to check on your elderly and vulnerable neighbours.”
The condition of the woman is currently not known.
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