Is it safe for seniors to donate blood?

As our population ages, the need for donated blood is also increasing. The good news is that there are more healthy older adults who may be interested and eligible to donate blood. You might be wondering what the age limit is for donating blood. The short answer is there is no age limit, as long as you meet all of the eligibility requirements.

Restrictions on blood donations are designed to protect both blood donors and the recipients of the donated blood. The Red Cross said that older blood donors do fine as long as they don’t have the medical conditions that make them ineligible.

Some of the conditions that make a person ineligible to donate blood, regardless of age, include: dementia, a recent history of cancer or a heart condition, hepatitis, HIV, infection, and some heart rhythm irregularities. Blood donors may also be rejected for other reasons, including intravenous drug use or a history of certain infections or travel to areas where certain infections are common. There are also many medications that disqualify individuals for blood donation.

Every time a person goes to donate blood, they are screened for conditions that make them ineligible. It’s good to remember that even if you were once declined for blood donation, it doesn’t necessarily mean you will be denied again. Read this if you need a little extra motivation to get yourself into the donation chair. You can also read this article to learn a little more about the blood donation process.