Posted by baseball55 on March 3, 2014, at 19:22:27
In reply to New Recomendations for over 65, testing, Mammo, Me, posted by Phillipa on March 3, 2014, at 11:50:01
> This is sad and disheartening to read. I haven't posted any articles in a long time as they seem to be getting closer to almost just saying "die" when it come to people 65 & older. Now no prostrate exams, Mammograms, all the things that were must haves before. And don't feed by tube or supplemental feedings those anorexia. Sad to me. Or is it just me and getting older? Phillipa
>
Why is it sad and disheartening? Why do you always read these kind of things as saying - just die. The evidence says that these things don't extend life and make quality of life worse. Why treat a prostate cancer in an elderly male when prostate cancer is a slow-growing cancer that will almost certainly not kill him before he dies of other causes? Why see this as saying, just die?Expenditures on end-of -life care are ridiculous because doctors continue to treat things in people well into their 80s and in otherwise poor health. My mother-in-law's doctors wanted to do open-heart surgery when she was 82 and in poor health, though prognosis after open-heart surgery for someone that age is poor. She refused, didn't want to destroy the quality of her life.
Personally, I plan to avoid at all costs the medical-industrial complex that sucks in most elderly people. I see them whenever I go to the doctor, which I rarely do. Frail elders whose lives revolve around their various medical appointments.
Personally, I want no tests, no doctors visits, no heroics.
poster:baseball55
thread:1061722
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20140214/msgs/1061772.html