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The Forum > Article Comments > A better life, even if it's a shorter life > Comments

A better life, even if it's a shorter life : Comments

By Jonathan J. Ariel, published 9/1/2015

'Old age is not a battle. Old age is a massacre': Philip Roth in Everyman

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It should always be the individuals choice as to whether they want an early exit from life..Ive seen enough people slowly die horrible deaths to know that I would want that option if I ever had the misfortune of facing a slow lingering and painful death. Whether I take up that option at the time should be totally up to me and not the legal system.
Posted by Crowie, Sunday, 11 January 2015 7:38:30 AM
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Exactly Crowie, exactly!
Just as those who favor euthanasia, those who don't also don't wish to have the beliefs of others, even a majority forced on them.

Currently it's is possible to make a living will, which can even include being denied food and water at the end, if that is your wish, along with the instruction, you remain free to change your mind at any time.

And there comes a point, where the ill should be handed on to hospitals and professional care, particularly if the carer has a queasy stomach or faints at the sight of blood, vomit or regurgitated faces.

Such indignity as is felt, is invariably provided by the shocked audience and lack of privacy.

Nobody seems to mind when a baby needs nappies, but resent the hell out of them, when the elderly for one reason or another, usually substandard health care, obtain preventable incontinence!

Their passings could occur at the date destiny has proclaimed; rather than the whim or caprice of "distressed" rallies; least they and the manner of passing have to be repeated, in life after life.
To reach unto the Kingdom of heaven ye must be born again!

Interestingly, there are those who would defer that date, only to find, even if they owned all the gold in the world, they couldn't buy a minute longer that that decided by destiny.

However, and is the topic of the thread, quality of life in the latter years can and should be vastly improved, even on pragmatic economic grounds, as simple cost saving measures!

As opposed to managing various conditions, in order to swell the coffers of big Pharma, who surely must earn as much as 70% of their revenues, via providing extremely expensive/highly lucrative pills and potions, for old folk, who would be better served by preventative medicine, that prevented them getting the "manageable" illness in the first place!
Rhrosty.
Posted by Rhrosty, Sunday, 11 January 2015 8:51:22 AM
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Sells

By all means feel free to skite. Sorry to say that I missed your articles when they were published, but just read them and enjoyed them very much.

The matter of Advance Care Directives was raised by a few. The following link may be on interest:

https://www.tag.nsw.gov.au/advance-care-directives.html
Posted by Jonathan J. Ariel, Sunday, 11 January 2015 11:14:38 AM
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"who would be better served by preventative medicine, that prevented them getting the 'manageable' illness in the first place!"

Jolly good idea, so what punitive action, er sorry, legislative encouragement, might you and others here propose to dissuade people who (say) ride motorbikes and engage in risky sports?

What about the thousands who use illicit drugs? -Why should an alcoholic or drug user occupy a bed in IT or even in hospital?

The elephant in the room is that health policy is hopelessly idealistic and misdirected in its aim to restore everyone to peak "wellness" (the definition is broad!), when quite obviously there are those who knowingly and quite deliberately decide over and over again to trash their minds and bodies and to horrendous costs for taxpayers.

Give me ANY DAY the ninety year old who has always contributed to society, hot about, endeavored to be independent and wants to be around for the great grandchildren.

I sense a nastiness in threads like this, that has no understanding of the potential life that can be led in elder years, has no respect for the old and frankly, just wants the 'greys' to walk off in the snow so that their assets can be taken (and re-distributed to non-relatives the leftists demand).

Australia is not the best place in the world to be 'mature aged', make no mistake about that. The rudeness and disregard, even contempt, for the aged are getting worse, if that is possible. Why? What has changed the culture since WW2 to make it that way?

What about a better life, where everyone takes responsibility, chips in and strives to be the model citizen? The 'old' have generally survived because they were and are model citizens, who too care of themselves (small servings of ordinary wholesome food they prepared, for starters) did their share and paid taxes too.
Posted by onthebeach, Sunday, 11 January 2015 1:09:41 PM
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