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The Forum > Article Comments > Who can tell when it is right to die? > Comments

Who can tell when it is right to die? : Comments

By Pat Power, published 8/2/2011

Euthanasia that is a cost saving measure is immoral and unethical.

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skeptic, "I disagree with those that are reticent to admit that euthanasia is reducing the argument to an economic level."

Agreed and that has ramifications for seniors in an environment where:

- all agree that aged care system is broken, but there is no political will to fix it;

- the vulnerable in the community are sinking further and further into poverty, hastened by such 'initiatives' as user pays and ramped up government taxes and charges;

- there are scant funds for palliative care and no increases in sight;

- politicians regularly blame seniors and 'baby boomers' for their own inadequate planning and profligate wastage of public funds and encourage stereotyping and intergenerational jealousy; and

- despite the very obvious discrimination against seniors in the community, for example in public employment, they have no effective representation.

The very sad reality is that other fundamentals such as the abysmal town planning in Australia (and very poor population decisions are part of that) also discriminate against anyone who is not in the youthful prime of life, without any restrictions on their mobility.

While I support the concept of euthanasia I am unconvinced it has anywhere near the support for it that is claimed by the Greens. For starters, such surveys are often poorly designed. Restrictions in the use of results are poorly understood and usually not quoted. It is likely that many of those completing the 'surveys' were unlikely to be personally affected, had very little understanding of the problems of the ill and aged and were prescribing for other, unknown and anonymous individuals - not the best way to collect adequate, informed opinions.

It also crosses my mind that the political interests who are active in promoting euthanasia, specifically the Greens, have been noticeably absent in calling for improvement to the aged care system. Surely the first priority should be those basic improvements to sustain the health and quality of life of seniors.

An ombudsman or equal rights commissioner for the aged is needed desperately. Trust the Greens with your Grandad's welfare, not likely!
Posted by Cornflower, Tuesday, 8 February 2011 10:49:14 PM
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I have a horror

Of nursing homes. Pill better

Than hara kiri
Posted by Shintaro, Tuesday, 8 February 2011 11:01:48 PM
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The Soylent Green solution.

Don't let them get near those nursing homes, eh Shintaro?
Posted by Cornflower, Wednesday, 9 February 2011 12:09:14 AM
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Why is everyone assuming that it is predominantly the elderly and residents of nursing homes who would ask for euthanasia were it legal?

Most elderly people actually die at home or in a hospital actually.
At any one time there is only 5% of the elderly actually residing in nursing homes. The bulk of them live in their own home, with relatives, or in a retirement village.

I have nursed many, many people in their own home, or in hospital, who have begged to'be put down', or 'not even a dog would be forced to live in this way'.

Yes, there are deaths that are very peaceful, but there are also many that are not.

Australia has some of the best hospices and community palliative care teams in the world.

Even so, people still suffer as they die.

I wish it wasn't that way, but it is.
Posted by suzeonline, Wednesday, 9 February 2011 12:53:05 AM
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"Crass" or not, the economics of obstinately keeping worn out and diseased old bodies alive after their use by dates has to be considered. If a person's body wants to die and the owner has no objection, what's the problem? If someone's quality of life has deteriorated to such an extent that they want to die, what's the problem? Even if someone has existential reasons for wanting to die, it shouldn't be a crime and might even be considered a case for medical assistance if the patient can persuade a few experts..
Death is the most banal thing there is in life, but like life's other deep mysteries, we make a fetish of it a) by sacralising it and b) by keeping it under wraps. We're all far too shielded from death in this society of "ordered freedom," from the abattoirs to the operating theatres to the palliative-care wards. Kids today never so much as see a chicken killed and death is reverentially dreaded out of all proportion with its common as mud occurrence. That is in the seemly and wealthy West.
It is immoral and immodest to preserve life beyond its usefulness and beyond reason while children starve elsewhere.
Let's work on immortality once we've put a stop to unnecessary infant mortality, and once we've secured a half a dozen more planets to spend our long retirement years on.
Longevity is overrated, an imposition on the living when it defies all reason, and a burden to the infirm when they would prefer the blessed release of death.
Posted by Squeers, Wednesday, 9 February 2011 7:20:03 AM
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Not so Cornflower. The Greens released an Aged Care Policy in 2010 with positive views from within the Aged Care Sector (see 3rd link below).

http://greensmps.org.au/agedcare
http://greensmps.org.au/content/media-release/greens-launch-comprehensive-aged-care-reform-agenda
http://www.agedcareinsite.com.au/pages/section/article.php?s=Breaking+News&idArticle=17612

This debate is heading towards the absurd. The Greens and other advocates are not advocating the 'right' to die by individual choice as a 'solution' to ageing population. Give me a break.

I agree with Cornflower's observation that baby boomers are being scapegoated (wedge politics) for the failure of adequate planning by governments, but that does not assume a secret agenda of economic rationalisation by euthanasia advocates.

The baby boomers represent a large voting population and if the aged care sector is inadequate votes will be lost.
Posted by pelican, Wednesday, 9 February 2011 8:42:58 AM
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