[Velvet]

Originally Posted by MandoMan

I know of two AEDs on my block, but I consider them irrelevant. I live alone. My door is locked. I don’t know who in the neighborhood knows how to use these. They may be shopping or golfing or taking a shower when I need them. If my heart stops, I can’t even call 911. If I thought I was having a heart attack and called 911, could I get the door unlocked or would it have to be broken down? Certainly most people having a heart attack do not need defibrillating. Defibrillating someone whose heart is actually beating is not a good idea, and when you are an old person who has just run a block carrying an AED, you may not be in a position to tell if there is a pulse. It’s not always easy! And then if my heart is restarted, how long did it not beat? The majority of people whose hearts are restarted suffer some level of brain damage. Do I want that, or would I rather be dead? Success with defibrillators is often based on leaving the hospital alive or surviving thirty days, even if the person will never leave a nursing home. I’d rather die.

I think this is true for many who live alone, and in my area it is mostly widows.