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LaPorte nursing home resident overdoses on heroin

Stan Maddux Times Correspondent

LAPORTE — A 64-year-old nursing home resident here overdosed on heroin this week.

"We do continue to see the increase in that older age group," said Amber Hensell-Hicks, executive director of Frontline Foundations, which has treatment centers in LaPorte and Chesterton.

Hensell-Hicks said the number of people in older age groups using heroin is increasing, but is still far fewer than younger people.

LaPorte Police reported two staff members at the Golden Living Center found the woman on the floor Thursday looking confused and bleeding from her nose. The woman said she had taken heroin.

Police said a small amount of the drug was then located inside her purse. She also said a man related to another resident of the nursing home gave her the heroin, telling her to "take a little," said police. The woman was transported to LaPorte Hospital and later a treatment facility.

A copy of the report was given to the LaPorte Metro Operations Unit, a team of drug investigators from LaPorte Police and the LaPorte County Sheriff's Office, to investigate further.