It’s not a cakewalk for the elderly. I think some patients would want to remain communicative with loved ones rather than fade away unconscious over weeks.

We should be upfront about the odds of a full recovery and allow room for thoughtful discussion around patients’ wishes. The frenzied environment of ICUs during a pandemic isn’t conducive to this, so we need to be deliberate and talk about it as a country. The “job one is saving lives” rhetoric may not be best for patients and their families.