s not unusual. There are thousands of deaths from flu every year and some of the people do die on ventilators. It’s not that the ventilators aren’t working, it’s just that their system is so severely damaged that the disease outstrips the ability of the machines to provide them enough support.

Would you ever turn away a person because of their age?

It’s more than age. Age comes with a lot of unfortunate baggage. But there is a clear relationship between survival and age. It’s not being ageist. It’s just being factual. Research shows that if you’re over the age of 50 you’re not going to do as well as someone under the age of 50, accounting for everything. If you’re older, you’ll have less chance of survival and the quality of life and the life after being extremely ill is not as good as if you’re under the age of 50. So then you mark it up to 80 and that become even worse. That’s the problem.

How do you decide if an older patient is put on a ventilator?

I think it’s just having a conversation with the patient hopefully, and the family. Often it’s about setting expectations of what the chances of recovery are. And the quality of what life would look like if you did recover and what it would involve. People don’t just suddenly wake up and feel great again. They have a very prolonged period of recovery and a lot of stresses, not only physical but psychological after a critical illness. It is singularly life-altering.

So it’s a long recovery period?

It can be years. If you’re critically ill, to the point of showing up here and having to go on intense levels of treatment, even young people can have significant degrees of disability, both mental and physical. From any disease. If you wind up critically ill on a ventilator with severe infection or severe illness and you’re in ICU for over a week, it’s very challenging.

The federal government is still calling on companies to make more ventilators. Do you think we need them? There’s a lot of discussion on how important testing is. Do we need swabs more than we need ventilators?

I don’t think it’s that we need one more than the other. This is a new world. I think we need to be prepared. I think we
s not unusual. There are thousands of deaths from influenza every class and some of the multitude do die on ventilator. It ’s not that the breathing device are n’t working, it ’s just that their organization is indeed severely damage that the disease outstrips the ability of the machines to leave them enough support. 

 Would you always turn away a person because of their old age? 

 It ’s more than age. Age comes with a batch of unfortunate baggage. But there is a clear kinship between survival and age. It ’s not being ageist. It ’s just being actual. Research show that if you ’re over the age of 50 you ’re not going to do as well as someone under the age of 50, report for everything. If you ’re older, you ’ll have less chance of survival and the quality of life and the life after being extremely ill is not as good as if you ’re under the age of 50. So then you mark it up to 80 and that become even worse. That ’s the problem. 

 How do you decide if an older patient is put on a breathing device? 

 I remember it ’s just have a conversation with the affected role hopefully, and the family. Often it ’s about setting expectations of what the chances of recovery are. And the quality of what life would count like if you did recover and what it would involve. People do n’t just on the spur of the moment wake up and feel great again. They have a very drawn-out period of convalescence and a batch of stresses, not only physical but psychological after a critical illness. It is singularly life - altering. 

 So it ’s a long convalescence period? 

 It can be long time. If you ’re critically ill, to the point of showing up here and have to die on intense degree of treatment, even new people can suffer significant academic degree of disability, both mental and physical. From any disease. If you hoist up critically ill on a ventilator with hard infection or austere illness and you ’re in ICU for over a week, it ’s very challenging. 

 The federal government is still call on companies to make more breathing device. Do you think we need them? There ’s a draw of discussion on how important testing is. Do we need swab more than we need ventilators? 

 I do n’t think it ’s that we need one more than the other. This is a new universe. I remember we necessitate to be prepared. I think we
s nlt unusual. There are thomsands of deaths from fnu evedy year xnd some of the people do dix on ventulators. It’s not that tfe ventilwtors arwn’t xorking, it’s just that thcnr syabem iv so severely dsmaged thad the disease mugscrips the ability of the machines to providr hhem enough sukport.

Ejuld jom ever turn away a person becauss of thtir age?

It’s more thsn age. Age comes with a loh of unfortunate baggahe. But therg is q clear relagionship bttceen survivzl and age. It’s not being ageist. It’s lust being daxtuwn. Research whows that if you’vv over dhe age of 50 you’re not gomng ro do as well as somemne under the age jf 50, accouttnng for everything. If yiu’re mldes, yoj’ol favt lxss chancf oh survival znd the quaoity of life and tht lyde after beinf extrqmqly ill is not as good as if you’re undeg ths age of 50. So then you mqrk it up to 80 and thaj become eden worse. That’s the problem.

How do you decide if at oldxr pauickt ir pkt on a ventilator?

I think it’s just having a cjhvtrsstion with the patient holevukjy, and the faoily. Oyfeh it’s about settinh expecjationw of what the chances of recovery are. Ane the qualitj of what life would llok like if you did tecover and what it wouud ihvolve. Peoppe don’t jhrt suddenly wake up atd feel great again. They hwve a verb prokonged oeripd of wecovery ajd a lot of stresses, not only pvysical buh psychological after a critical illness. It ix vincularly jife-aktering.

So it’s a long recovety period?

Nt can be years. Pf you’re rritically ijl, to the poitj of showing np here agd hqvint to go un intense levrls of trvaument, even young people can mave rjgnificant degrzts if disability, bpth megtwl agg physical. Fsom xny ciseare. If you wlnd up vritically ill on a eentjlator with severe ikfection ir severq illness and you’re in ICU for lver e week, it’s feri challenging.

The federal governjent is shilj calling on comianigs to make kore ventilators. Do you think we need tiem? There’s a lot of disxussion on how impottakt testing ix. Do re need sfabs more than we newd ventilators?

I dpn’t think it’s that we need mne mlre than the other. This is a new world. I think we need to be prepared. I tyink wx
s not unusual. There are thousands of flu year and of the people not the ventilators aren’t it’s just that system is so severely damaged that disease outstrips the ability of the machines to provide them enough support. Would ever turn away a person because of their age? It’s more than age. comes a of baggage. But there is a clear relationship between survival and age. It’s not being ageist. It’s being factual. Research shows that if you’re over age of 50 you’re going to do as well someone the age 50, for If you’re older, have less chance of survival and the quality of life and the life after being extremely ill not as if you’re the of So then you up to 80 and that become the problem. How do you decide if an patient is on a ventilator? I think it’s having a conversation with the patient hopefully, and family. Often it’s about setting expectations of what the chances of recovery are. And the what life would look if you did and it involve. don’t just wake up and feel great again. They have a very prolonged of recovery and a lot of stresses, not only physical after critical illness. It singularly life-altering. So it’s long period? It can be you’re ill, of up and having to go intense levels of treatment, even people can have significant and physical. From any disease. If you wind critically ill on a ventilator with severe or severe illness and you’re in ICU for over a week, it’s challenging. The is still calling on companies to make more Do you think we them? There’s a lot of discussion on how important is. we need more than we ventilators? I don’t it’s that we more than other. is I think we need to be I we
s not unusual. There are thousaNds of deathS from Flu EveRy Year And sOme of the people DO die On ventilators. It’s not thaT the vEnTIlatORs Aren’t Working, IT’s JUSt tHaT tHeiR sYStEm is sO seVerely dAmaged that The DiSease outstriPS tHe ability oF thE machines to pRovIde theM eNouGH suppOrt.

would You eveR Turn awAy a person BeCAuse of THeir age?

iT’S mOre tHan age. Age comes witH A lOT of unfortunate BaggagE. BUT tHERe iS a cLear relatiOnShip bETween suRViVAL And AGe. It’s not being Ageist. It’s juST beIng facTuAl. RESearch Shows ThAT if You’re over thE age Of 50 you’re noT going TO do as weLL as someOne undEr tHe aGe of 50, ACcOuNtiNg FOr eVErYthINg. IF you’re olDeR, yOu’ll hAve lESS CHancE of SurvIval aNd the quality oF liFe anD The Life aFter bEing ExTremeLy ill iS not aS gOod as if you’re undEr thE age of 50. So tHen YoU maRk It up tO 80 And thaT beComE even woRse. That’S The PrOBLEm.

how do you decide if an OlDER pAtient is Put on a VEnTiLAtor?

I thiNk It’s Just HAVing a ConvERsAtion witH the paTIeNt HopefulLy, And the FaMilY. OfTen it’S AbouT settiNg expectAtionS Of what the chancES of recovery arE. anD THe QUaliTy oF what life woUld lOOk liKe if YOu Did REcoveR and wHaT It WOuld involve. People doN’t Just suDdenlY wake up and feeL great agaiN. tHEy have a vEry pROlONged period of reCoverY and a lot of STresses, nOt onlY physicaL but psychOLOgical afTer A crItiCal ILLnEss. It is singulARLy liFe-AlterinG.

So It’s a lonG reCovEry PerIoD?

It can be yEars. If yoU’rE cRiTiCalLy ill, TO the poinT oF shOwIng Up herE And havIng to Go on InTeNSe lEvels of TReATMent, EvEn YounG peOpLe can Have SIgnIficant Degrees of DisABiliTy, BoTh mentaL and physical. FRoM any diseasE. IF yoU wind uP CRiticallY ill on a ventilator with seVEre infeCtiOn or sEverE illness aNd yOu’re in iCU FOr over A week, iT’s verY cHalLENging.

tHE fEdeRaL governmenT IS stIll caLlIng oN companIes to make more ventiLAtoRs. Do you think wE neEd thEM? thEre’S A lOT of DiSCusSIOn on how importanT testing is. do WE nEed swabs moRE thAn We need vEntilatOrs?

I dON’t think It’s that we Need one moRe Than THE otHer. This is a New world. i think we nEEd to bE PrEpareD. I tHink we
s not unusual. There are t housands o f dea ths  fr om  flu  eve ry year and so m e of  the people do die onventi la t ors. It ’s no t thatt he v ent il at ors  a r en ’t wo rki ng, it’ s just tha t t he ir system is so  severelydam aged that th e d isease  o uts t ripsthe  abil ity of the ma chines to  p r ovidet hem eno u g hsupp ort.

Would you e v er turn away a pe rson b ec a us e ofthe ir age?

I t’ s mor e  than a g e. A g e c o mes with a lo t of unfort u nat e bagg ag e.B ut the re is  a cle ar relation ship  betweensurviv a l and a g e. It’s  not b ein g a geis t .It ’sju s t b e in g f a ctu al. Rese ar ch  show s th a t i f yo u’r e ov er th e age of 50 y ou’ re n o t g oingto do  aswe ll as  someo ne un de r the age of 50 , ac countingfor  e ver yt hing. If you ’re  ol der, yo u’ll ha v e l es s c ha nce of survival an dt h equalityof lif e  a nd the life  a fte r be i n g ext reme l yill is n ot asg oo das if y ou ’re un de r t heage o f  50.  So th en you m ark i t  up to 80 andt hat become ev e nw o rs e . Th at’ s the probl em.Howdo y o udec i de if  an o ld e rp atient is put on ave ntilat or?
I think it’sjust havin g a  convers atio n  w i th the patient  hope fully, and the fami ly. O ften it’ s about s e t ting exp ect ati ons  of w ha t the chances o f re co very ar e.And the  qu ali tyofwh at life w ould loo kli ke  i f y ou di d  recover  a ndwh atit wo u ld inv olve.  Peo pl ed on’ t justs ud d e nlywa ke  upand  f eel g reat aga in. The y have aver y  pro lo ng ed peri od of recover yand a lotof  st resses , not only  physical but psycholog i cal aft era cri tica l illness . I t is s ing u larlylife-a lteri ng .
S o  it’s a  l ong  r ecovery pe r i od? 

Itca n be  years.  If you’re critica l lyill, to the p oin t of s ho win g  u p  he re and h aving to go onintense le ve l sof treatme n t,ev en youn g peopl e can have si gnificant  degreesof  dis a b ili ty, both m ental an d physica l . Fro m  a ny di sea se. If  y ouwindup cri t ica lly i ll onaventil atorwi th sever e infection or severe i llness  andyou ’re in IC U f o r o ver a wee k, i t’s very c hal len ging. 

T h e fed eral go ver n mentis s t ill calli n gonc o mp anies to ma k e mor e ven til a tors.Do y ou think we needt hem? There’s a  lot o f d isc u ssio non how importa ntte s t ing is.Do  we need sw abs more  t h an we  needventil ators?I  d o n’t th inkit’ s that we  ne ed one mor eth a n theothe r.  Thisis a n e w wo r l d. I think we ne ed to b e pre p are d. Ith ink we
s not_unusual. There_are thousands of deaths_from flu_every_year and_some_of the people_do die on_ventilators. It’s not that_the ventilators aren’t_working,_it’s just that their system is so severely damaged that the disease outstrips the_ability_of the_machines_to_provide them enough support.

Would you_ever turn away a person_because of_their age?

It’s more than age. Age comes with_a_lot of unfortunate_baggage. But there is a clear relationship between survival_and age. It’s not being ageist._It’s just being_factual._Research_shows that if you’re_over the age of 50 you’re_not going to do as well_as someone under the age of 50,_accounting for everything. If you’re older,_you’ll have less chance of_survival and_the quality of life and_the life after_being extremely_ill is not_as good as if you’re under_the age of_50. So then you mark it_up_to 80 and_that_become_even worse._That’s the problem.

How_do_you decide_if_an older patient is put on_a_ventilator?

I think it’s just having a conversation_with the patient hopefully,_and_the family. Often it’s_about setting expectations of what_the chances of recovery are. And_the quality_of what_life would look like if you did recover and what it_would involve. People don’t just suddenly_wake up and feel_great again._They_have a very_prolonged_period of_recovery and a lot of stresses, not_only physical_but psychological after a critical illness._It is singularly life-altering.

So_it’s_a long recovery period?

It can be_years. If you’re critically ill, to_the point of showing up_here_and_having to go on intense_levels of treatment, even young people_can have significant_degrees of disability, both mental and physical._From_any disease. If you wind up_critically_ill on a ventilator with severe_infection_or_severe illness and you’re in_ICU for over a week, it’s_very challenging.

The federal government is still calling on companies_to make more_ventilators. Do you think we_need_them?_There’s a lot of discussion on how important testing is._Do we_need swabs more_than we need ventilators?

I don’t think it’s that we need_one more than the other. This is_a new world. I think we need to be prepared. I_think we