Elderly patients condemned to early death by secret use of do not resuscitate orders

The Telegraph ^ | Oct. 16, 2011 | Laura Donnelly and Alastair Jamieson

[wagglebee]

Pinged from Terri Dailies

[cycjec]

Some otherwise entirely admirable ppl are totally discomfited
by the sight of routine life-support measures, not realizing
what “advance directives” really mean nowadays.
Each DNR directive should be based on an assessment of
the particular patient, and not based on age alone.
*ALSO* a DNR *should not* mean DNT “Do Not Treat” for
other remediable conditions.

[cycjec]

It’s not only in Britain. I’ve read of unauthorized DNRs
several times, going back many years.

[prairiebreeze]

There are appropriate circumstance for DNR and it sounds like you made the decision carefully and thoughtfully. Of course, the big (make that huge) difference from the article is that you are a relative making the decision and not a hospital, doctor ...or janitor.