Elderly Great-Grandmother in Australian Nursing Home Tasered by Police

According to local media reports on Thursday, Australian police tasered a 95-year-old great-grandmother with dementia inside her nursing home, resulting in her hospitalization with unspecified injuries.

The incident occurred at Yallambee Lodge, a nursing home in southern New South Wales, when staff called the police on Wednesday after the woman, identified as Clare Nowland, was allegedly carrying a knife.

New South Wales state police released a statement acknowledging that the woman “sustained injuries during an interaction with police at an aged care facility,” but did not mention the use of a Taser.

The 95-year-old is currently receiving care at Cooma District Hospital, as stated by the police.

The police further stated that a critical incident team will investigate the circumstances surrounding the incident and that the investigation will be subject to independent review.

Specific details were not provided by the police.

According to Sydney’s Daily Telegraph newspaper, Nowland, a mother of eight, was discovered in her walking frame holding the knife when the police arrived at the nursing home and subsequently tasered her.

The Snowy Monaro Regional Council, which operates the nursing home, confirmed that an incident took place and expressed support for staff, residents, and families during this challenging time. The council refrained from commenting further due to the ongoing police investigation and out of respect for the privacy of those involved.

The Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) previously reported on Nowland’s 80th birthday celebration, during which she went skydiving in Canberra.

Relatives of the woman, who had reportedly resided in the nursing home for five years, were present at the hospital but declined to provide comments, according to the ABC.

Requests for comments made to the regional health department’s media manager and hospital went unanswered.