81-year-old woman found unconscious in parked transport van outside senior living facility in Bala Cynwyd

Authorities in Lower Merion Township responded to a distressing incident involving an elderly resident at The Residences at Bala Cynwyd on Monday afternoon  as staff members members discovered an 81-year-old woman unconscious inside a parked transport van in the facility’s parking lot on the 200 block of Rock Hill Road.

She had been inside the vehicle after returning from an outing with other residents. When personnel realized she was still inside, emergency responders were called.

Lower Merion Township police accessed the van, removed the woman, and rushed her to a nearby hospital. She was listed in stable condition upon admission.

 Reports indicate she is now recovering and in stable condition.

LCB Senior Living, operators of the facility, issued a public statement expressing deep concern over the incident. Key elements of their response include:

• An acknowledgment that “circumstances leading up to her hospitalization should not have occurred.”
• A commitment to fully cooperate with the police investigation.
• Immediate policy and procedure reviews to enhance resident accounting after external outings and prevent future lapses.

The Lower Merion Township Police Investigations Unit is leading the inquiry into the situation. While specifics remain under review, the facility has pledged to provide all necessary support.

This incident unfolded amid a severe heatwave impacting Philadelphia and the surrounding region. Public health officials repeatedly urged:

• Elderly residents, in particular, to stay hydrated and avoid prolonged exposure to heat.
• Assisted living and senior-care facilities to take enhanced precautions during outdoor excursions.

Heat-related concerns have been increasingly relevant in recent months due to record-high temperatures across the Tri-State area.

The elderly patient’s vulnerability — combined with extreme weather — underscores risks tied to transportation logistics in care facilities.

Most facilities like this one run by LCB Senior Living have stringent resident checklists, especially post-activity headcounts and verification steps before declaring transportation complete.