Nearly 500 Quebecers have died choking on food since 2021

Coroners' reports reviewed

491 reports

A review of 491 coroners' reports found nearly 500 deaths from food choking in Quebec since 2021, 216 of them in long-term care homes or hospitals.

In some cases coroners found staff ignored diet orders or reacted too slowly, including a 92-year-old served toast cut in two when his diet called for small pieces.

Coroners recommend better first-aid training, closer supervision at meals and respect for prescribed diets. A union representative says workload and short training for fast-tracked attendants play a part.