#>LiVeWell Senior's Health A NEWSLETTER WITH IMPORTANT HEALTH INFORMATION FOR SENIORS April 2014 LiVe Well-Be a Donor Don't rule yourself out from being an organ donor. No one is too old or too young. The condition of your organs is more important than age. Some 35 years old with a history of alcohol abuse may have a liver in worse condition than a 60 years old who has never consumed alcohol. Doctors will examine your organs and determine whether they are suitable for donation if the situation arises. There are a few absolute exclusions such as HIV infection, cancer, and systemic infection. | The website www.organdonor.gov now features information on organ ! donation geared towards people 50+. There you can find information on 1 j how to register to be an organ donor in Utah and you can also sign up when | you renew your driver's license. We live in a remarkable time. More people are living healthier lives and know the importance of exercising and eating healthy. That means people are in better shape than ever. Because of this people are donors and recipients at later ages than anyone would have earlier expected. Here are a few facts: • If you are sick or injured and admitted to the hospital, the number one priority is to save your life. • There is no cost to donors or their families for organ or tissue donations. • Federal law prohibits buying or selling organs in the US. • An open casket funeral is usually possible for eye, organ, and tissue donors. Throughout the whole process the body is treated with care, respect and dignity. • People can recover from comas, but not brain death. They are not the same, brain death is final. • Act today, you can't help others unless you make the first move. Please consider organ donation as the final act of love and generosity towards others. (Source: Mayo clinic, National Institute on Aging) *9* Intermountain McKay-Dee Hospital