[bcrl]

Anyone can deteriorate quickly. My sister (mid-40s) was in a hospital for 3.5 weeks before Christmas due to an infection that rapidly progressed into sepsis. Even now 2 months later she still needs to use a cane to walk around and is out of breath climbing a single flight of stairs. Bodies are remarkably fragile. From initial onset of symptoms to septic shock was less than 24 hours.

[moi2388]

Anyone in principle can, but the elderly actually do.

There is a reason they don’t work anymore, and that they get frequent doctor’s checkups.

If you think the population from age 25-55 deteriorates as quickly as the population over 70 I don’t know what to tell you.

[bcrl]

It is more a question of frequency. That is, the elderly deteriorate quickly more frequently than younger folks do. Younger folks can still deteriorate quickly under the right circumstances, but at a population level, that is a much lower frequency given that the average younger adult has more resilient immune system and greater muscle mass than someone in their later years.

Heck, I'm in reasonably good health, but if I get hit by a car crossing the road this evening, I could deteriorate quickly overnight due to injuries and be dead tomorrow. It's just less likely for me than it is for an elderly person that has poor vision and moves slowly while crossing the road as I am more likely to be able to spot a hazard and move out of the way.

[chneu]

Exactly. Lots of instable mental health conditions that make driving unsafe(mood disorders, schizophrenia, etc) can onset in people's 20s with almost no warning, as well.

A decent traumatic brain injury can happen at any time and most people never go to the doctor for those, too.