Study Questions Immediate Dialysis for Frail Older Adults

Research suggests delaying dialysis may offer a better quality of life for seniors with kidney failure.

Immediate dialysis extends life by only nine days on average for seniors.
Patients starting dialysis right away spend 13 more days in hospitals or care facilities.
Older adults delaying dialysis live slightly shorter but have more time at home.
Side effects of dialysis include cramping, fatigue, and significant lifestyle changes.
Doctors may need to frame dialysis as symptom management rather than a life-extending treatment.