January is National Blood Donor Month, and there’s no upper age limit for blood donation. What should seniors know before rolling up their sleeves?
If you’ve donated a pint of blood in your lifetime, you’re in a special group. About 37% of the U.S. population is eligible to give blood; however, only 3% do. If that percentage bumped up to 4%, blood shortages would disappear. The medical community considers blood donation safe for eligible people, and while various factors affect your eligibility, being too old isn’t one of them.
The World Health Organization sets a general guideline for blood donor age between 17 and 65. However, especially with the population of adults over 65 expanding rapidly as a percentage of the overall population, and the need for blood remaining as constant as ever, experts are beginning to question that wisdom. The American Red Cross sets no upper age limit, and as far back as 2004, a study concluded that blood donation was as safe for 60 to 71-year-olds as it was for younger donors overall. In fact, when these researchers compared the number of mild adverse reactions in the group of participants ages 66 to 77, they found it was lower than the number for the under-20 age group. Another study showed that donors in their 80s were three times less likely to experience complications from blood donation as compared to 18 and 19-year-old donors. Overall, the donors in their 80s had about as much risk as donors in their 40s.
In other words, there’s evidence that healthy people in their 60s, 70s, and 80s can give blood just as safely as the youngest donors, if not even more safely.
Who Needs Blood?
When they donate with the American Red Cross or a local blood bank, most people give one unit (one pint) of whole blood. According to the Red Cross, 29,000 of these units are needed every day in the United States–that’s a pint every 2 seconds. People need blood during chemotherapy treatments and after serious accidents. Babies and adults with sickle cell disease need regular blood transfusions.
The fact is, there’s no way to synthesize blood, so in order to meet these needs, our medical system relies on altruistic donors to give blood regularly. January was designated National Blood Donor Month in 1969 to celebrate the generosity of donors
and to encourage people to give during the winter months, when weather and seasonal illness tend to keep donors home.
The biggest pro of giving blood is the knowledge you’re doing something good for your community. And the Red Cross makes the experience as pleasant and friendly as possible by providing incentives and snacks. Interested in giving blood for the first time or returning to the blood bank after a hiatus? Here’s what you need to know to give safely.
Considerations for Blood Donors
Blood donation is considered quite safe, but there’s always the possibility of adverse reactions. In a 2007 study of almost 5,000 donors ages 18 to 66, only 63 (1.3%) experienced any kind of adverse reaction, and only 0.2% had a serious reaction. Mild adverse reactions include:
● Bruising at the donation site
● Dizziness or lightheadedness
● Sweating
More serious and rare complications include:
● Fainting
● Vomiting
The American Red Cross sets a rather long list of requirements for donors, regardless of age. Here are some questions to consider before donating.
● Do you weigh under 110 pounds?
● Are you feeling sick or recovering from illness on the day of donation?
● Are you prone to dizziness or at high risk of falls?
● Does your doctor advise against donating blood because of any medication you’re taking?
If you answer yes to any of these questions, you’re probably not eligible for blood donation. Before rolling up your sleeve, you’ll answer a list of questions and have your blood pressure, temperature, pulse, and iron levels measured to determine your eligibility.
Anyone with a short-term or permanent deferral from giving blood can still support the cause. Blood drives happen in churches, community centers, schools, and libraries. Consider starting a drive near you, or volunteering at an existing one. Volunteers are needed at blood drives to help check in donors and offer them snacks after donation.
As the Red Cross often says about giving blood: “The need is constant. The gratification is instant.” And thankfully, the year you were born is no barrier. Find out more about blood donation during National Blood Donor Month at RedCrossBlood.org.
