Bathers Over 60 Are High Risk

Statistics for Spain this year have shown that cases of drowning have skyrocketed among 60-year-olds.

According to the Ministry of Health, drowning in the water is more common from the age of 60 onwards. More than 35 per cent of those who die from drowning are people over 65, writes Nuis Diario, Thursday, July 27.

From January to June this year, 169 people died in Spain from drowning. The age group with the most victims was 65 to 74 years old, with 34 deaths, followed by the 55 to 64 age group, with 31 deaths.

Data from the Royal Spanish Federation of Rescue and Lifesaving reported that June 2023 was the second month with the most drownings since 2015, with a total of 57 deaths.

Why Are Over 60s High Risk?

Francisco Cano, director of Prevention and Safety at the Royal Spanish Lifeguard and Rescue Federation indicates that there are several reasons for this.

The elderly are the ones who spend the most time on the beach, so they are more exposed to the dangers. ‘They go to the beach very early in the morning and then also in the afternoon, when the lifeguard service finishes, which is used to remind them of the different regulations,’ says Cano.

‘Moreover, this is the group of people who pay the least attention to the rules, some don’t like to be told what to do, and many of them carry out activities in the water alone,’ he adds.

Cano also pointed out: ‘When faced with a situation that requires certain mobility or dexterity in the aquatic environment, their speed of reaction, movement and displacement slows down as they get older.’

Also, older people generally start swimming during the summer months, something they have not done in the months beforehand. Another factor is people’s diet which is also different in summer.

The Beach Can Be Hazardous

As with all ages, more than 60 per cent of drownings tend to occur on the beach. Private swimming pools are next on the list; public swimming pools with lifeguards being the safest.

Sometimes drownings of elderly people can occur in seemingly innocuous situations. Cano recalls: ‘The other day an elderly person was walking along the beach when, suddenly, a wave came with considerable force, knocked her off balance and threw her to the ground. The next wave dragged her out to sea and we had to rescue her.’

Sometimes there are other factors that cause drowning, Cano explained: ‘For example, it can be, due to cardiac arrest. You can be walking along the beach, without any obvious risk, have a heart attack and fall into the water.’

Advice From The Experts

It is very important that the elderly always swim accompanied and in places where the lifeguard service can see them. The fact that a person can swim does not mean that they cannot drown.

‘On a beach with a yellow flag, a person who does not know how to swim and is cautious is not going to go into the water beyond their depth, whereas if they know how to swim, because of a false sense of security, they are going to be more exposed. Often more people end up dying if they know how to swim than if they don’t.’

Cano recommends not going into the sea beyond waist-deep water. ‘Staying in up to the waist gives us much more traction on the ground and makes it easier to get out without having to swim, simply helping us with our legs to reach the shore,’