82-Year-Old Found Dead Two Days After Walking Out Of Assisted Living Facility: Joan L. Meredith, 82, was a resident at The Merriman, an assisted living and skilled nursing care facility at 209 Merriman Road in Akron, Ohio. She was found dead behind the facility two days after walking away from the assisted living facility on November 6, 2022. Meredith, who suffered from dementia, was last seen by fellow residents. The medical examiner stated, “Staff presumed she had taken a leave of absence from the facility with family.”
The assisted living staff began searching for Meredith only after they telephoned her family to inquiry when they would be bringing her back to the facility. Her family advised the staff that they had not picked her up. When the staff searched the grounds of the facility, they discovered her body in the wooded area in the back of the facility. The medical examiner determined that Meredith died from hypothermia.
The assisted living facility issued the following statement: “In general, the residents of the assisted living have less clinical needs than the residents of the skilled nursing facility, and are on a whole more physically able, tending to move more freely both within and outside of the assisted living building. During the week beginning on Sunday, November 6, 2022, one of the residents of the assisted living section of The Merriman exited the building and was subsequently found deceased. The Merriman is devasted [sic] as a result of this unfortunate tragedy, and is continuing to investigate the incident in order to determine what happened. Beyond the above, we cannot share any further detail at this time out of respect for the privacy of our resident and her family, and we ask that all media sources that report on this unfortunate incident in the future respect their privacy as well.”
The 60-bed for-profit assisted living and nursing home facility reportedly has a two-star nursing home rating out of a possible five stars.
If you or a loved one suffered injuries (or worse) while a resident of a nursing home or assisted living facility in the United States due to an assisted living or nursing home fall, assisted living or nursing home neglect, assisted living or nursing home negligence, assisted living or nursing home abuse, assisted living or nursing home under-staffing, or an assisted living facility or nursing home failing to properly care for a vulnerable adult, you should promptly find an assisted living claim lawyer (nursing home claim lawyer) in your state who may investigate your assisted living claim or nursing home claim for you and file an assisted living claim or nursing home claim on your behalf or on behalf of your loved one, if appropriate.
Visit our website to be connected with assisted living attorneys or nursing home attorneys in your U.S. state who may assist you with your claim, or call us toll-free in the United States at 800-295-3959.
Turn to us when you don’t know where to turn.