Blog

National Blood Donor Month

Written by: Cypress HomeCare Solutions

January marks National Blood Donor Month. U.S. News reports about 1 in every 7 people who come to the hospital are in need of blood. Around 60% of blood donations come from people over 40, and three-quarters of these donations are from people over 50. Here’s what you need to know if your older loved one wants to give blood.   

Is There an Age Limit?

There is no upper age limit on donating blood. However, if your loved one is 65 years or older, there may be some health risks involved in donating blood. What’s important is that your loved one meets the eligibility requirements. In order to donate blood in Arizona, there are a few requirements:

  • Be at last 17 years old
  • Weigh at least 110 lbs
  • Be in good health and feeling well

The last point is crucial for older adults desiring to donate blood.

When Can an Older Adult Not Donate?

The are many common reasons for one not being able to give blood:

  • Being sick
  • Having low iron
  • Having travelled to a malaria-risk country
  • Being on a certain medication

Therefore, it’s not an older person’s age that may restrict them from donating, but their health and the medications they may be on. Here is a full list of medications that make a person unable to donate blood.

How Caregivers Can Help

If your loved one has a trained caregiver, that caregiver can help them determine whether they are eligible to donate blood. They can help them find out if they meet the weight requirement and check to see if any of the medications they might be taking would disqualify them. To ensure your loved one is healthy enough to donate, their physician should be consulted first.

They can also provide caregiving after the blood donation. Many people, regardless of age, feel dizzy or faint after donating blood. An in-home care provider can be with your loved one to make sure they are safe after donating blood. For Phoenix in-home care services, contact Cypress HomeCare today.

Help your loved ones save lives by seeing if they can donate blood today.  

We’re here to help.

Call (602) 264-8009 or contact us to learn more about home care services.

Contact Us