The doctor explained what it means when the cause of death is called “old age”

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Although many people die peacefully in their sleep, this does not mean that they simply died of “old age.”

People often say that friends and relatives died of “old age”, but this is not always medically correct. In fact, it can be quite complex, which is why “old age” is so rarely listed as the official cause of death.

The likelihood of developing health problems increases with age. Our cells stop renewing, the immune system weakens, and the body becomes more damaged. Common problems include dementia, heart problems, and high or low blood pressure.

Although many people die peacefully in their sleep, this does not mean they simply died of old age.

The reason many elderly people die quietly in their sleep is because their swallowing systems don't work, they inhale food, liquids, saliva into their lungs, catch pneumonia, and die.

Our mobility declines with age, which means that elderly people fall more often and get injured. This can lead to hospitalization, where the patient is at risk of an infection that he cannot fight.

In this case, the cause of death is not only old age, but also complications arising from conditions that accompany aging.< /p>

Doctors do not always know the exact cause of death of an elderly person because they may have slightly overlapping conditions, which can make it difficult to establish an official cause.

Doctors should not give a single cause of death old age — or even “senile delirium” or “senile infirmity.” However, there are “very limited circumstances” where this is acceptable:

• there is a gradual decline in the patient's general well-being and functioning;
• no identifiable illness or injury is known to have contributed to the death.

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