Should the elderly be hospitalized if they have corona?

In every severe catastrophe Nature rules, not man. IF and only if scarce resources are used wisely more will survive. Some will have to go without, some will have to die. Somebody decides what is wise and what is foolish given the circumstances -- but those decisions are subservient to Nature, which forces those decisions.

 

FoxHastings said: ↑
I'm sure you won't (don't want to) read what I post since it shows a blatant hypocrisy from some ….


I am pointing out the hypocrisy of those who think only they determine when life is precious or convenient.

How they quickly change their tone when they want convenience..

Denying hospital care to an 80 year old , a BORN LEGAL CITIZEN, whether you think they are "precious life" or not, IS killing them.

YOU find them "inconvenient".....so YOU think you should decide whether they live or die...

Yup, no human should decide the elderly( OR ANY OTHER GROUP THEY DON'T APPROVE OF OR DEEM WORTHY) lose their right to health care... the right to life.

 

This is getting very boring for me. I added my opinion. I'm done with it.

 

Frankly they were better than you. I heard a few talking about it at the beginning when it was really bad. At one time anyone older than 65 was just being left to die, they could only give them a bed and medication to help with the pain of death...they left people in their homes if they did not think they could do anything for them, not necessarily 80, I think some in their 50's maybe even 40's but it was not an easy call for them. Their hearts were broken at what they were doing. They did not hold it against the patients as you seem to think. They were heartbroken they could not help.

 

Thank G-d, the Coronavirus Epidemic is a shadow of the Flu about a century ago. Thus, the situation is not as desperate.

 

My Autism is more of expertise then a problem -- I have lived as an Aspie 24/7 for 50 years.

 

oh so elderly starts at age 80?

In my book its 65.

 

And if one is 19 years old, 40 and 50 are elderly.....just sayin'

 

My profession is a housekeeper.

 

Thank G-d, almost no one in Modern USA justifies the Holocaust.

Sadly, many people justify abandoning sick people to die.

 

Yes, it would be sad if the US couldn't care for it's sick but it would prove beyond a doubt that the US is NOT the "world's greatest country" and Trump couldn't make it great or even adequate...

 

Agree 100%. Society must care for all people.

 

Funny how the "important" younger generation hasn't come up with a cure for Corona yet.

 

The system used to determine admittance practices in an overwhelmed hospital is a triage based system, much like this one based on a flu pandemic. It is designed not to waste vital resources, labor and bed space in a hospital setting. It envisions setting up or using preexisting quasi alternative sites for lesser levels of care with communication and transport systems playing a vital supportive role. The idea is determine who most needs hospitalization based on the symptoms presented and criteria that are predictive of medical outcome under different levels of intervention. Its a very good read.
"The Pandemic Influenza Triage Tools were developed by a group of healthcare professionals with varied expertise in ED triage and public health preparedness and response. Project team members included staff from the CDC-HPA, ORISE, and the developers of the Emergency Severity Index (ESI). The triage tools were developed after a thorough search of the literature on pertinent topics, including pandemic influenza, clinical prediction rules for ED patients, and in-patients with respiratory illnesses (i.e.predicting the need for hospital admission for patients with community-acquired pneumonia), ED triage, and disaster triage. Specific clinical criteria for the Pandemic Influenza Triage Tools were developed from the literature on seasonal and H1N1 influenza, the ESI, other ED triage systems, pediatric risk adjustment, and community acquired pneumonia...."

The symptoms themselves, with their severity largely measured by vital sign assessment, are the real 'deciders' here. Age is not used to deny care to anyone. Comorbidities are not used to decide disposability. Being very young or very old is one of the comorbidities that are predictive of medical outcome and as such is used to determine possible enhanced need, not to deny medical care. Everyone gets screened and everyone is stabilized as able, before being sent away or transported elsewhere.

Another point to mention, that is not being discussed, is that the idea here is that these quasi care sites could be designed to do the triage in their localities for the public as well as receive referrals from the hospital. ( Not sure this is realistic though for both practical and legal reasons ) All the assessment requires is an RN and some basic vital sign equipment. These are two way streets, not one way streets. In other words in a mass pandemic, you might drive up to the local blood bank, any doctors office or any nursing home and a RN there might screen YOU as you present yourself for triage, based on your symptoms and vital signs so that the local hospital is not overwhelmed with the entire task.
https://www.cdc.gov/cpr/healthcare/pan-flu-app/files/PITA-UserGuide.pdf

Here is a link to ESI the more common and broad based triage algorithm for all ED's not specific to a pandemic https://www.ahrq.gov/professionals/systems/hospital/esi/esi2.html

 

We would be ready to exterminate a considerable number of the congress and senate using your age example.

 

Many relatively young people can not be productive. For instance a 50yo man with Moderate Autism. But All Humans have value.

 

they can pick up garbage and clean stuff. they can paint things.

if we are going to pay their bills they should be expected to contribute to society, however they can

 

I do work as housekeeper for my parents. No formal agreement of course -- we are a family.

But most disabled people in USA have very little support.

 

no im talking about a 7 hour a day job for the taxpayers.

pick up garbage.

clean

paint

we pay you so you should work for us

 

My parents support me and I work for them. No formal arrangement in the family, of course.

But tens of millions of disabled people in USA have very little.