Medical Treatment Plan & the Elderly

Callahan admits that it takes courage to challenge the prevailing medical viewpoint which emphasizes compassion and charity to all patients. In his article, he asks several questions aimed at stimulating frank discussion about the way society thinks about medical treatment for the dying elderly. Callahan asks: What are the practical implications of a medical treatment philosophy that does not focus on life extension for the elderly? How should the elderly themselves think about the medical, ethical, and legal implications of life extension? What part does advanced technology play in life-or-death medical decisions?

In answering the first question, Callahan outlines practical criteria to be used in determining medical treatment for the dying elderly. He distinguishes between terminal decisions made f

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Callahan asserts that these fears have foundation in fact. Medical advancement in drugs, surgery, and treatment procedures are extending the lives of elderly persons who are brain dead, severely demented, incompetent, or severely ill. It is doubtful that the quality of life for these patients is good. On the contrary, for some it is likely that they will never again experience human emotion or personal interaction. Callahan believes that limiting medical treatment based on advanced age factors is necessary to break the dominance of technology in medicine. In his opinion, a need exists for the medical profession to factor in human values. At present, physicians rely on technology because it works. Technological advances are big business. Billions of dollars are spent on medical research, resulting in constant innovations in technology. Congressmen refuse to cut the budget of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) because society is set on waging a constant war against disease and death. Consequently, physicians tend to put their faith in technology, and its use becomes a "psychological imperative." Although physicians are trained to view patients as collections of organs with no regard for age, Callahan advocates a mo
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Some common words found in the essay are:
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Approximate Word count = 1537
Approximate Pages = 6 (250 words per page)

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