There are now 5 States who have passed legislation to help people on their way when there is no hope of recovery. Also legal in Canada since 2015 Australia next year .
What are we waiting for ?
What are we waiting for ?
Death with Dignity legislation in U S A
- Thread starter ianrut
- Start date
In the case of people with AZ finding out how someone without capacity can make a decision like that unless it has been made before their capacity came into question.
Would people feel or actually be pressured into saying yes? Could or would someone feel that by doing it they might save the inheritance for their children or might the children tell them that?
There are many issues both moral and legal that would need to be addressed and AZ would make the issue much more complicated.
OK where people have certain diseases that don't affect the mind they may be able to but muddy the waters with AZ and it's a whole different ball game.
Those who are in favour of assisted dying often fail to see that some people find the whole idea repugnant and vice versa so it'll be two lots of people arguing neither of whom can see the other's point of view.
31 states in America still have the death penalty doesn't mean we have to bring it back just because they do it, doesn't make it right.
K
Would people feel or actually be pressured into saying yes? Could or would someone feel that by doing it they might save the inheritance for their children or might the children tell them that?
There are many issues both moral and legal that would need to be addressed and AZ would make the issue much more complicated.
OK where people have certain diseases that don't affect the mind they may be able to but muddy the waters with AZ and it's a whole different ball game.
Those who are in favour of assisted dying often fail to see that some people find the whole idea repugnant and vice versa so it'll be two lots of people arguing neither of whom can see the other's point of view.
31 states in America still have the death penalty doesn't mean we have to bring it back just because they do it, doesn't make it right.
K
I think that assisted dying is suitable for someone with a disease that does not affect cognition. My SIL's ex did so a year ago. He had a terminal disease but his mind was intact. In that circumstance, it's acceptable to me. It's not something that can be done overnight either. I believe it took a couple of months to set up.
But assisted dying is NOT suitable for anyone with cognitive impairment, in my opinion.
But assisted dying is NOT suitable for anyone with cognitive impairment, in my opinion.
I would like to be "helped on my way" when I am actively dying. What is the point in spending days or weeks unable to do anything but die - except for family who cannot let go?
I am cynical enough to believe that people have been 'helped'on their way for donkeys years. I agree that capacity is a huge issue and also believe that the right legislation could be a way of making sure this doesn't happen.
Ignoring the problems does nothing to solve them. There are many people who do not have dementia who would like to avail themselves of assisted dying and are unable to do so because there are other people in our community who do.
Assisted dying legislation will become law next year but only in Victoria.
Ignoring the problems does nothing to solve them. There are many people who do not have dementia who would like to avail themselves of assisted dying and are unable to do so because there are other people in our community who do.
Assisted dying legislation will become law next year but only in Victoria.
Since all of the us states exclude people with dementia from death with dignity legislation (I haven't checked Canada or Australia but suspect they conform as well), I fail to see how this is relevant to this forum.
Many, many years ago, I worked at a Coroner's office (not a pathologist like on tv shows, the Coroner who runs inquests into cause of death). He had a policy where he would never rule a death as "suicide" . because he believed that for a death to be suicide (and essentially, that's what assisted dying is), the person had to be of sound mind at the moment they did whatever they did to die. And if they had succeeded, there was no way of knowing, but he felt that had they been of sound mind at that moment, then they would not have killed themselves.
personally, I agree with @Kevinl . With elderly, frail people, and with "the inheritence" being gobbled up on care, I think it would be far too open to the potential for emotional manipulation being applied. My own mother, who does not have dementia, and lives independently, worries constantly about the "what ifs". What if she needs care or treatment later that costs a lot, and it uses all her savings? What if the value of the house falls, and we can't get much for it? What if she needs a nursing home, and we have to sell it? I keep telling her, we've all been managing perfectly well. We've all got a roof over our heads, thankfully. She should spend her money on keeping herself safe, well and comfortable.
And of course, I would differentiate between "helping someone on their way" and "allowing nature to take it's course" when someone is already dying. My husband died of aspiration pneumonia. Treatment wasn't working, and he could no longer swallow. Artificial feeding or IV fluids would have been extremely distressing for him, and would just have prolonged his death, not extended his life. So, I opted for just keeping him comfortable in his own bed in the nursing home, and letting him pass away in his own time, peacefully.
personally, I agree with @Kevinl . With elderly, frail people, and with "the inheritence" being gobbled up on care, I think it would be far too open to the potential for emotional manipulation being applied. My own mother, who does not have dementia, and lives independently, worries constantly about the "what ifs". What if she needs care or treatment later that costs a lot, and it uses all her savings? What if the value of the house falls, and we can't get much for it? What if she needs a nursing home, and we have to sell it? I keep telling her, we've all been managing perfectly well. We've all got a roof over our heads, thankfully. She should spend her money on keeping herself safe, well and comfortable.
And of course, I would differentiate between "helping someone on their way" and "allowing nature to take it's course" when someone is already dying. My husband died of aspiration pneumonia. Treatment wasn't working, and he could no longer swallow. Artificial feeding or IV fluids would have been extremely distressing for him, and would just have prolonged his death, not extended his life. So, I opted for just keeping him comfortable in his own bed in the nursing home, and letting him pass away in his own time, peacefully.
And a diagnosis of dementia doesn't automatically judge that they no longer have capacity.
And some people would say that if someone did take their own life then they were definitely not of sound mind. But I think that is too simplistic and ignores the many complications of aging, modern medicine, and the problems of caring, family and a whole bunch of issues concerning the person's sense of self and independence.
People in Australia often sought medicines overseas to bring home but the main comment was that now they had it to use if they wanted to, they felt more reassured about their future.
How well our legislation works will depend on how well it has been constructed and how well it is implemented.
At least some people won't have to resort to some of the bizarre methods they have done in the past.
