El presente artículo ofrece una reflexión bioética a raíz del trato ofrecido a las personas mayores enel contexto de la pandemia de COVID-19. Como punto de partida, expone una paradoja evidenciada alponer el cuidado del adulto mayor en el centro de las medidas adoptadas ante la enfermedad pero que, ala vez, en algunas ocasiones, ha ofrecido la distinción por edad como único criterio para determinar el ac-ceso a recursos y tratamientos en situaciones de escasez. Surge entonces la pregunta sobre cuál es el tratoadecuado a las personas mayores. Utilizando como ejemplo de referencia la Convención Interamericanasobre protección de los derechos humanos de las personas mayores, en el presente artículo se aborda laproblemática de la asignación de recursos escasos en la tercera etapa de la vida en tiempos de pandemia.Se concluye que la pandemia es una oportunidad para reflexionar sobre el respeto y que le debemos a cadaser humano en todas las etapas de su vida.(AU)
The present article offers an analysis from a bioethical perspective of the treatment provided to seniorcitizens in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. To begin with, the article highlights the paradox thatexists when measures are adopted for the care of elderly people during a pandemic, and in some occasionsthe age of the patient is the determining factor for deciding whether to provide care or not in cases ofscarcity. The question that arises then is: What is the adequate treatment for senior citizens? Using theInter-American Convention on the Protection of the Human Rights of Elderly Persons as a point of referen-ce, this article assesses the problem of the scarce resource allocation in the Third Age during a pandemic.As a conclusion, the pandemic is a great opportunity to reflect on the respect that we should give to everyhuman being at every stage of his/her life.(AU)
Humans , Male , Female , Aged , Old Age Assistance , Health of the Elderly , Pandemics , Nursing Care , Coronavirus Infections/epidemiology , Bioethics , Human Rights , Ethics, Clinical
The present article offers an analysis from a bioethical perspective of the treatment provided to senior citizens in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. To begin with, the article highlights the paradox that exists when measures are adopted for the care of elderly people during a pandemic, and in some occasions the age of the patient is the determining factor for deciding whether to provide care or not in cases of scarcity. The question that arises then is: What is the adequate treatment for senior citizens? Using the Inter-American Convention on the Protection of the Human Rights of Elderly Persons as a point of reference, this article assesses the problem of the scarce resource allocation in the Third Age during a pandemic. As a conclusion, the pandemic is a great opportunity to reflect on the respect that we should give to every human being at every stage of his/her life.
COVID-19 , Pandemics , Aged , Attention , Female , Human Rights , Humans , Male , SARS-CoV-2 , United States
