BMJ 2000;320:1206 ( 29 April )

Letters

Older Americans hold on to life dearly

The first 150 words of the full text of this article appear below.

EDITOR---The study of Salkeld et al in Australia of the choices of older patients in hypothetical illness scenarios is particularly pertinent to those of us dealing with patients in nursing homes.1 We are struck by the contrasting attitudes and expectations of the elderly patients with whom we are in daily contact. In our experience, most older Americans hold on to life very dearly and usually opt for even noxious treatments, such as chemotherapy, to gain a few months or years of life that is reduced in quality. These attitudes are consistent with observations in patients of 80 years or more who were in hospital, many of them in poor health.2 When they were asked to choose between their current state of health or a shorter life in excellent health, over two thirds were unwilling to exchange even 10% of life expectancy for the benefit of excellent health.2

Basic expectations . . . [Full text of this article]
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Relevant Article

Quality of life related to fear of falling and hip fracture in older women: a time trade off study • Commentary: Older people's perspectives on life after hip fractures
G Salkeld, I D Cameron, R G Cumming, S Easter, J Seymour, S E Kurrle, S Quine, Shanthi N Ameratunga, and Paul M Brown
BMJ 2000 320: 341-346. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

This article has been cited by other articles:

  • Kafetz, K. (2002). What happens when elderly people die?. JRSM 95: 536-538 [Full text]  
  • Bowling, A, Ebrahim, S (2001). Measuring patients' preferences for treatment and perceptions of risk. Qual Saf Health Care 10: i2-8 [Full text]  
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