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I know of several sad stories where the efforts to save their lives ended in broken ribs or other injuries.

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You put your question under the Alzheimer's/dementia category. If the person has dementia, the time is now for a DNR imo. I prayed daily for my mother to die so she'd be out of her misery with dementia, and she lived to 95+. I thought that was a cruel punishment, personally. Her signed DNR was useless, however, because advanced dementia and CHF killed her.
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Personally, I agree with Lealonnie. I was lucky that both my parents did living wills in their mid-70s (I urged them to do it) with me as their DPOA and health care proxy. They both included strong DNR, no artificial nutrition, no intubation, etc. And when my dad was diagnosed with dementia a couple of years later, we knew it was all the more important to maintain his wishes. He said at one point a few months before his death, around the time he went into hospice “I lived a good life and am not afraid to die.” That comforts me a lot when I think back to decisions I made including nothing but oxygen and comfort meds when he developed aspiration pneumonia and died shortly thereafter. It’s what he wanted. And what I would want for myself if I were elderly with dementia.
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Reply to Suzy23
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This doesn’t exactly answer your question—in my previous job, I was required to take advanced life saving every three years. The last two times we did it, a paramedic from the city did the training, a city of about 350,000. One of my coworkers asked him in his years of experience how many times he’d seen CPR actually work. He said “honestly, never” He explained it, done correctly, was brutal, especially on the elderly, and really didn’t work. He cautioned us not to believe what we all see on tv, the miracle recoveries portrayed are the few, rare exceptions.
My dad always made it clear with each hospitalization, even though the documents were in place “don’t go pounding on my chest!” He rightfully feared it, far more than death. With a dementia patient, seems to me a DNR is a kindness
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PeggySue2020 Sep 25, 2024
In 2013, I saved some guy who had collapsed on the street next to our patio where we were sitting. I remember running to him and going into rote mode with the training I’d most recently gotten in 2006. The model I used was 30 compressions to two rescue breaths. The guy came to when I had my finger in his mouth to clear his airway. He bit down, the paramedics came, and I had to go to the er too for a human bite wound.

It was still worth it.
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It is up to the person him/herself to carry out an advance directive for themselves that is detailed in what wishes they have for their future. If they have not done this but DO have a POA or guardian, then that person can respond to any hospital admissions that the person doesn't wish resuscitation. This should all be discussed NOW with the person's doctor.

Generally when ambulances are called to a scene they legally MUST attempt reviving a person unless a POLST is hanging in their home (this is an MD paper done with patient/patient representative in the office, enumerating exactly what resuscitation measures may be done and may not be done).

My own personal decision now for my life is to not be resuscitated. What is YOURS and what measures have you taken to insure it is seen and acted on?

You are correct that in the elderly resuscitation is almost never successful, and as a retired RN I can assure you that your assessment that the ribs are often cracked is correct. I have heard them under my hands. Be comforted that the dead don't FEEL this discomfort, and few survive to worry about it later.

Decisions of this sort are plan-ahead. and in the hands of the person involved, or their agent (POA, guardian, next of kin.) and their doctor.
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Alva, my directives are in place. As I am reasonably healthy, I choose resuscitation at this point. My mother, when she reached age 90, decided on DNR. That was before she developed signs of dementia (and she lived to age 95 before she died of complications of dementia).

For me personally, if I were to develop a serious debilitating issue that I'm better off escaping before it becomes its worse (like ALS, Parkinson's or dementia in early stages when I could still sign such an order), I'd sign a DNR. I was just curious when others might think they'd do it.
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AlvaDeer Sep 25, 2024
You make all this clear in your Advance Directive now. Kaiser has a beautiful one designating what a quality life means to you, and when you would wish to not be resuscitated. So that you would designate that if you were ever diagnosed with any illness in which you had no ability to direct your care and were unable to make competent decisions for your own life you would not wish to live, nor to have heroic measures to prolong a lift of quanity of days without your version of quality. I did my own DNR at age 70. I already knew I had a good quality of life and wouldn't want to be BROUGHT BACK FROM THE DEAD under any circumstances were I to die. I was an RN. I have very little taste for old age and all its losses. I am more than ready to exit and have zero fear of death. But lots of fears of living on.
Most people do not want to live when their minds are no longer their own.
It's important to say THAT in your advance directive when your mind IS your own.
Most don't understand that you can write up any length of document to attach to your advance directive.
It isn't a money maker any more to keep you alive in hospital. With a good advance directive SCANNED INTO YOUR CHARTS you are protected from all of the what ifs. It it is just some simple pulled off the internet--not so much.
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