Drowning alert for over-55s
Drowings in Tasmania last year rose 25% and almost half the victims were aged more than 55.
Royal Life Saving Society national manager for research and health promotion, Richard Franklin, told the Hobart Mercury that older people were particularly vulnerable for several reasons.
“There are people that remember their old glory days but haven’t been back in the water for a long time and haven’t really tested themselves in the water,” Dr Franklin said.
“We find that we get some of these older aged groups in the water, particularly guys, and they tell us they can swim 10 laps and they swim a lap and at the end of it they are sucking in deep breaths because they have forgotten what it takes.”
The total number of deaths by drowning last year was 13 compared with the five-year average of 10. Fishing-related accidents accounted for five of the 13 drownings.
The figures show six people drowned in a Tasmanian ocean or harbour, two in a river, creek or stream, three in a bathtub or spa, one at a beach and one in a dam.
Dr Franklin said it was important for even experienced water users to not get complacent in and around the water.
“Those of us who enjoy being around the water, we often think it is not going to happen to me, that it always happens to someone else,” he said.
“And that is not true. It can happen to you and you need to make sure you are keeping yourself safe.”
Royal Life Saving Society Tasmania general manager, Julia Fassina, said that more work needed to be done with the 55 and over age group.
Even people experienced around the water needed to show vigilance in Tasmania’s conditions, she said.
