Am I Too Old To Be An Organ Donor?

Some older adults would like to help others but they are concerned that their age and health may be a barrier. Regardless of age, virtually everyone can donate something. If an individual's heart is not functioning well, the liver might add years to another person's life. Jim Wagner of the San Diego Eye Bank says that donors are accepted up to the age of 80 and sometimes older. "We are looking for corneas in good condition," he notes. The cornea can be transplanted, and with use of glasses, contact lenses, or laser surgery, can be corrected to provide good vision for another person."

Lillly Barba, M.D., medical director of LBTC, which specializes in kidney transplants, said her oldest transplant recipient is 77. As people live longer, there will be more older transplant recipients and, for this, older donors will be needed. "The best match for an older patient is an older kidney," Barba said.

There have been cases where people up to 80 years of age were able to donate organs. The deciding factor is related to the person's physical condition rather than age. There should be no problem recovering organs from a person who is 70 years of age and healthy. The following are some estimated age limits for each organ that can be donated. (Please note that these may vary widely from program to program, so always assume that you can donate these organs at any age until told otherwise.)