Dr. Ezekiel Emanuel - Rahm's brother comes under fire for ethics on view of people over 75, no value

[alarimer]

9. I think most people are misunderstanding what he actually said.

Most Medicare benefits are paid out supporting people in the last two years of life, usually for drastic measures meant to keep people alive at all costs. Should my 90 year old grandmother actually get that hip replacement, given her general infirmity at the time?

If it was me, I would have said no.

He's not saying that nobody past a certain age has value; he's making a quality of life argument. He's arguing against the idea that we should all live as long as possible NO MATTER WHAT. He's being rational and arguing that people need to be realistic. Most of us are not special or unusual in any way. We will likely not defy the odds. I don't think he is arguing for any particular policy either, at this point. Only for himself. Which may or may not hold up when that time actually comes. He's picked an arbitrary time, not knowing what the future actually holds. I think that's what has rubbed most people the wrong way. But he is not wrong.

I personally have a checklist of things I am willing to live with and those that I am not willing to live with. So, making provisions like DNRs and living wills is all a part of that too. There are certain diagnoses where I would do myself in rather than wait for the inevitable, painful end. You can tell me that's cowardly if you like, but I don't really care.

But as far as regular aging goes, there is only so much decline I am willing to put up with. And of course this may change, given advancements in technology or medicine in the decades to come.

Also, I think people should not cite Queen Elizabeth or Betty White as examples. They have way more resources than you or I do to maintain themselves. The Queen in particular has hundreds (thousands?) of staff to do all the little things that most of us have to deal with. Plus, it's kind of a cushy job, compared to most of ours. So it's probably that rich and famous people do better than most.