Advanced age, per se, is not a contraindication to colectomy and ileostomy for inflammatory intestinal disease and for multiple colonic tumors. Such operations are well tolerated if performed on an elective basis. Elderly patients accept and manage the ileostomy as well as younger patients. As in younger patients, both overall health and the quality of life improve after operation. Such medical problems as are found in elderly patients who have had ileostomy are the same ones found in patients of comparable age who have not undergone ileostomy. Given the proper indications, the surgeon should not hesitate to perform ileostomy in an elderly patient simply because of anticipated difficulties in stoma management. The elderly can manage an ileostomy as well as younger patients, and, although a slightly higher incidence of ileostomy-related complications occurs in the aged, these complications can generally be managed without serious morbidity.