Thank you Bill, I hope you meet your end in the manner that you choose.

Amen, Bill! You speak for hundreds of thousands. My brilliant mother withered away in a nursing home, the final EIGHT years of her life spent with no cognitive capacity, bedridden, incontinent and with nothing to live for. Because she had been so fit and strong, her heart just kept beating. You wouldn't inflict this end on a dog.

Yup! Nailed it. You have done well in speaking out so clearly at the end of a long life.
Would we could see such clarity and courage in our elected representatives.

Bill what a dignified post, Bill I would like you to end life as you feel you should be able to, your decision no one else's, unfortunately we have those people who deny people that choice, Governments being the main culprit and the religious right not far behind, what sort of Christians are they, life is not sacred, wars prove that which they are only too happy to be part of and agree with. but like yourself and millions of other people want a dignified death, but for goodness sake they rave on "life you must remember is sacred" what utter crap.

Euthanasia or its threat is not a cure for depression, aged depression, alcoholism, drug addiction, endless self pity, loneliness, boredom, poverty or fear of the future, or the unknown; or to manipulate family members/exploit their guilt/exercise familial control, when force is no longer available, excetera etc!

In any event, it already happens, with all life support (food, water O2) routinely withheld (nil by mouth) and ever increasing doses of painkillers guaranteeing a peaceful passing.

And routine in just about any hospital; but particularly in small country ones where patients and their "REAL" problems are usually well known to the local medical fraternity.

And virtually guaranteed by a living will!

Make sure that it's one discussed with your family, given they could conceivably withhold essential consent at the very end!

And if that should be enough assurance for those who fear the pain and suffering of that end!?

A law could be passed preventing doctors from being prosecuted for providing such service; and all that's really needed; and without ever actually formalizing so called euthanasia!

Things now happening in other parts are demonstrating that euthanasia, once made law, always leads down a slippery slope to other things like children, with a still treatable conditions, allowed to access this (vastly less costly) informed consent service?

And why pay people pensions, costing thousands of dollars a year, when for a few cents and a handful of pills, they can be "humanely disposed of", with their mortal remains recycled as pet food or fertilizer; say in exchange for a plaque on a wall?

Thus saving caring and concerned families; particularly those with slim wallets, the cost of funerals?
Waste not want not!
If we want to devalue human life, why stop at euthanasia?
Rhrosty.

Good on you, Bill. I have nursed geriatrics and have seen them linger with no quality of life. The number of times a patient asked me to help them die! Euthanasia should be legalised for a human who is lucid but trapped in a diseased and/or deteriorating body that will not get better, and wants that option to end their suffering. As Bill stated in his article, his mate was relieved to know there was someone who would help "ease him out." Often, just the knowledge they have a choice is all they need, and many will battle through to the bitter end. Bill is wise to be prepared, and I wish him all the luck in the world.

My mother was still living in her granny flat beside my house, with a lot of help, into her 98Th year. The treatment she received, or didn't receive, particularly from the casual weekend nursing staff, during a few days in a major Queensland public hospital, meant she never walked again.

We wanted her to go into the local country hospital for some physiotherapy treatment so she could come home, but no, her platelet count was too high for them to handle they said. Take her to the local nursing home they said. If they considered the nursing home more competent than they were, god help us.

Worse than for many others, she was still mentally sound. She could still recognise all the family, & talk sensibly. She lay in bed on her back, wishing to die, for 7 months.

I visited her 6 days a week, as I could imagine how dreadful it was for her. The Nursing home staff were amazed. Some of their patients were lucky to see anyone fortnightly.

I promised myself I would not go out that way. I'd left it too late to help her, we had expected her home, but I won't make that mistake myself.

Good luck Bill. I hope you get a satisfactory result.

Are we talking about suicide or the killing of another person ? If suicide, then with a bit of imagination, one can think of plenty of ways to do it, so when the time comes, just do it. I'm tossing up between walking into the sea; and falling off a cliff, although that would be too messy for someone else to clean up, so it'll probably be the sea.

But don't confuse the two different issues, suicide and taking someone else's life, no matter how selfless and noble we try to make it. It surely is up to the individual, not someone else - that opens the door to all manner of impropriety, to say the least.

If someone has trouble sleeping, as is common with us oldies, someone could leave a bottle of sleeping pills beside their bed, preferably (if it was me) next to a bottle of really good whisky.

But let's not let yet another OLO thread drift imperceptibly from suicide towards the taking of someone else's life, even 'for their own good', to 'stop their suffering', to 'give them a dignified ending'.

Joe

We already devalue life by having wars, when are all you OLO people against VE going to stand up for the untold misery wars create, you won't, because you agree with war, hypocrites abound

Joe, what if you were incapacitated and unable to get to the sea to drown yourself?
If you and others aren't willing to support voluntary euthanasis, then that's fine, you can just linger on until the 'natural end'.
But surely this should be a matter of personal choice?

Countries that currently support voluntary euthanasia have not seen a mad rush for these services, and neither has there been any further 'slippery slopes' towards doing away with all the aged or disabled.
So what is the real problem here then?

Ah Suse,

The next step in the 'slippery slope' is to argue the case for someone who is not only incapacitated, but unable to communicate their wishes, etc., yada yada. Incapacitated, how ? Unable to lift their hand to their mouth ?

Yes, of course, IF someone is near the end, i.e. within hours or a day or so, and needs to have their pain relieved, even IF the morphine or whatever may hasten their end, then yes, of course, IF they clearly understand the consequences, and in a public space like a hospital, with treatment administered by health professionals according to a recognised protocol, not by relations, then okay.

But someone who is insensible -and not in pain - no, that's closer to murder. A relation involved ? That's getting close.

Just trying to tease this out :)

Joe

Ah Joe,
no one is suggesting we let relations do the final injection though are we?

It will always be a health professional who should give the injection, and it will only be given if we have had specific instructions re when the right time will be......from the express wishes, signed and witnessed by a non-related person, of the patient.

As far as I can tell, this is the way it is done in the European countries that allow voluntary euthanasia for terminally ill people.

Yes, we do currently try and 'assist' patients in their last days and hours of a terminal illness, but many have already been pleading with us to end it all long before they lose consciousness and linger for yet more weeks or days during which the family then takes over pleading with us to end it all.

But we can't, because we would be put in jail......

Hi Suse,

I agree with your first two paragraphs. But they do seem to be contradicted somewhat by the last two :)

Basically, the 'agreement' has to be between the patient and the health professionals, with heartfelt urging from relations and friends, BUT no authority to be involved otherwise.

Of course, sometimes the 'agreement' is implicit, with the judgments of the health professionals of the patient's wishes paramount. Of course, upping the dose of pain-killers or sedatives may shorten the last few hours of a patient, without any intention to do so.

That seemed to be how it went for my wife, who asked for something to let her get a good night's sleep, and that was that. She may have thought she still had a few more days - the doctors had told her earlier that she had two weeks, but it turned out to be only four days or so. So she may have thought that she still had a week or more, but her system was just too far gone. But she went very peacefully and calmly. We were chatting on her last night about travel and conferences and she asked "How much does a plane tyre cost ?" Her last words :(

She chose, not us. That's how it has to be.

Loudmouth "She chose, not us. That's how it has to be."
Yes indeed, the very definition of voluntary euthanasia.

I am glad your wife had such a peaceful death, but many don't.
There is no way of knowing whether that final medication to help her sleep actually caused her death though, or whether it was the disease process.

None of us knows what the future has in store for us and our loved ones. Choosing to refuse food is not a humane or dignified end.

http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-19341722

My dad passed away at home with all of his family. Daily visits from silver chain and pain management plus his wife and daughters there comforting him. He passed away peacefully.
My mum after being misdiagnosed with secondary cancer spent, her last lucid days in hospital. Besides insufficient pain management, she suffered the pain of a broken arm. While still continent, after constantly pressing the call button to no avail, she attempted to take herself. Her whole arm was black and blue and not treated because she was terminal. In hindsight I should have pushed the doctor for more pain relief. We weren't allowed to care for her at home where she wanted to be. It was horrendous to the very end.
When my mother-in-law became unable to take care of herself, my hubby and I gave up our company house and jobs, packed everything including mamma cat and six kittens for the twelve hour drive to her residence. I was pretty much appointed her carer and worked in with the silver chain nurses. I would administer pain relief if required in their absence. I was a difficult time as I had never had to take on such a responsibility, as well as all the emotions.
I realized once she became non communicative people stopped going in and talking to her. I explained that the hearing is the last of the senses to go, she will hear and understand. There was excitement when sometimes the slightest smile would appear.
She passed away in her own bed, surrounded by loved ones, having had to only deal with minimal pain.
It would be wonderful for terminally ill to be cared for in their own home surrounded by friends and family. Silver chain (or other)nurses are involved and help through out. They are very compassionate and dedicated people. I couldn't recommend them highly enough.
We made a big sacrifice and a little step backwards, but were gifted the opportunity of the two precious months loving and giving the best care possible. A blessing for her and for us.

Having worked in a nursing home for several years it is definitely not a place I would like to see a friend or loved one live out their days in. I say this, as in my experience the ratio of nurses to residents can be one to eleven. It can be very difficult demanding and definitely frustrating, for nurses, patients and families. The feelings of neglect are high simply because you cannot dedicate the time you would like to. In my opinion all nursing homes should be non for profit and dedicated to providing adequate staff for a more manageable ratio.
Bill you are so correct in recommending a health care directive. Once a person with dementia etc becomes bed ridden has lost all faculties, quality of life has ceased. Having made the decision to refuse life prolonging intervention, adequate pain management and comfort should be provided, meeting the instructions of the health care directive. Being compassionately and humanely eased out.
I wish you all the best Bill

I totally agree with you jodelie - it is important and wise to have a living will dictating your wishes should you become incapacitated, in a coma, or losing/lost the ability to communicate compis mentis. It's confronting to work in a nursing home.