You might ask your internist what the survival rate from resuscitation actually is--both in and out of a hospital. I gather it is lower than I assumed from watching medical shows on television! It is a good question--hope you find good answers. Maybe share what you find out with readers here?

@sbcarcht You have posed a thoughtful question. No doubt there are many members here who may not have family, or nearby family if there was a medical need.

Here is a great website I found, from POLST.org, a non-profit. It discusses the differences between an advanced medical directive and a POLST.

Personally, I have both in place, and like @mir123 commented, I also have a 5 Wishes document. Although it is not technically legal here in Oregon, it was first created when I lived in another state, and subsequently it was made part of my planning materials.

Discussing with your internist what actions or non-actions you would want, documenting it all, and making sure proper friends/family/medical facilities have this information, can give you peace of mind if you are ever in a position to not be able to answer for yourself.
Ginger

I am 74 years old, live alone, no family, no caregiver. I will soon have a DNR because CPR with elderly folks may cause more problems.

“ The main concern when choosing whether or not to perform CPR on elderly patients is the quality of life after resuscitation. CPR can have long-term side effects, and many patients who survive CPR wish they had not had it. Some of the risks of CPR include:

Broken chest bones. Smaller people or people with more fragile bones - such as the elderly - are at a high risk of broken ribs or a broken sternum as a result of CPR. Studies show 81% of people who receive CPR have broken ribs afterward.

Neurological damage. When the heart stops, blood stops flowing to the brain, causing the brain to be deprived of oxygen. Brain damage begins to occur four to six minutes after the brain stops receiving oxygen. In general, around one-third of the people that survive CPR end up with neurological problems due to lack of oxygen to the brain.

Vomiting. It is not uncommon for vomiting to occur during chest compressions. This can lead to stomach contents aspirating into the lungs, which can lead to infections like pneumonia.

Other complications can arise, like organ damage or internal bleeding.

The recovery process after CPR can be long and often requires a lengthy hospital stay in intensive care. The underlying conditions that led to the need for CPR play a huge role in the outcome.”

From the website, https://www.griswoldhomecare.com/blog/2023/july/cpr-on-elderly-long-term-side-effects-of-cpr/