Assisted dying

* sick of Esther Rantzen popping up on tv every five minutes*!

Smileless2012

I hope the majority vote in favour.

Me too.
I witnessed enough with my mum and brother.
I don't want my adult children doing and seeing the same with me.

rocketship

I'm a Canadian. We have had assistance in dying for quite a while now, and it was a huge blessing for many many folks.

The process for those applying for MAID [Medical Assistance In Dying] is rigorous and well monitored.

The person applying must be mentally competent and be able to give final consent at the time the procedure is done.

** I am a strong advocate of 'Advanced Consent' which would allow a person to choose ahead of time the criteria they want used to access MAID. For example in cases of dementia, at this time they are not able to give final consent so languish away in a care bed.
We are working hard to get Advanced Consent added.

Do you have a view on reports in the UK that people in Canada are being encouraged to choose MAID as they are poor/homeless/disabled? Apparently there was crowd funding for a man who had already got one doctors signature for his death and who said he didn't want to die but it was better than homelessness, I think he was called Amir Farsoud. I believe he is still alive.

I think this is the sort of slippery slope that worries many people. It seems unbelievable to me that in a rich western country people might feel they are too poor to live.

Love

I do understand this - it is so very very hard. Sending a hand hold.

it takes 2 drs and a social worker to section someone for the longer sections of the mental health act, the social worker is there to check people's civil rights, you need the same for someone to be considered for assisted dying, to ensure people aren't being persuaded to choose death, or that they don't feel guilty for causing others care for them etc. and that is guiding their decision. The issue of mental capacity is not straightforward, there are many grey areas which need to be dealt with in this decision by someone professional, outside the family and with skills to speak to all concerned in this decision or there will be opportunity for foul play. Once this is in place, I support assisted dying.

rocketship

I'm a Canadian. We have had assistance in dying for quite a while now, and it was a huge blessing for many many folks.

The process for those applying for MAID [Medical Assistance In Dying] is rigorous and well monitored.

The person applying must be mentally competent and be able to give final consent at the time the procedure is done.

** I am a strong advocate of 'Advanced Consent' which would allow a person to choose ahead of time the criteria they want used to access MAID. For example in cases of dementia, at this time they are not able to give final consent so languish away in a care bed.
We are working hard to get Advanced Consent added.

Sounds good.

When my 93 year old father lay dying, he begged me to put him out of his misery. He was in constant pain, sometimes crying out or screaming when anyone tried to move him. Given that we couldn’t help him, he decided that his only option was to refuse any food and drink, so that the end would come sooner. He made the point that if he allowed an animal to suffer in such a way, he would be prosecuted. It was extremely distressing trying to care for him and watching him suffer so terribly. He was a wonderful father and I felt enormous guilt at watching him suffer and denying the help he was begging for.

Both my parents ended up in care homes with dimensia. One home despicable and fought us tooth and nail to prevent us moving him because it was so bad. Mums was better but still not where I would want to end my days. She often said ‘ you can live too long’ and I think she was right. My husband died in a hospice, really well cared for but his last weeks were dreadful for him and us to watch. Those last few days were all I could think of for a long time. I swore then to myself I will go when I want to. It’s my life and I should be able to decide when I am ready to leave it. So yes I’m very much in favour of assisted dying.

Love

The statement that excellent end of life care is available is a load of poppycock.I have just watched my husband die in absolute agony.

I’m so sorry

MissInterpreted

I am absolutely in favour of it. Yes, safeguards would be needed to protect the vulnerable, but we should all have the right to die with dignity. We don't let our beloved pets linger on in suffering, so why should humans have to?

I agree.

Well I hope it doesn't take the form of gradually starving and dehydrating people to death like that Liverpool Lack-of-Care Pathway

The statement that excellent end of life care is available is a load of poppycock.I have just watched my husband die in absolute agony.

We don't even have the benefit of the same gp, seeing us into, and out of this world, who is a family friend.
Who will administer the injection, or oversee whatever means is chosen?

Someone you don't know from Adam?

I totally agree. It should be a choice that’s open to those who want to take it.

It is people who dont need the safeguards who are saying let's do it. Those who need the safeguards or support people who need the safeguards know the reality.

Who will make sure the safeguards are followed?
Who do you trust to do it?

assisted dying obviously

Mabon, sorry it should have been a bunch of flowers.

mabon1

I agree, My daughter in law has been battling cancer for seven years, in unbearable pain until she was rushed to hospital on Thursday, she died there.

Mabon {flowers}

Iam64

I’ve never been a fan of Esther but all credit to her for keeping this issue on everyone’s minds

I've not always been a fan of Esther Rantzen. I didn't enjoy her on That's Life. I thought her being involved in her later years setting up Silverline was quite good and used to tell customers I sensed were lonely about it. I totally agree with her on assisted dying. Esther Rantzen can afford to go to Switzerland so she hasn't raised the issue for her own benefit. People without her means should not imho be left with having to endure horrid pain before they die anyway or maybe refuse food so they have a horrible death or decide they must die by their own hand earlier than they would have wanted because they're afraid if they don't they won't have the ability to do so when their terminal illness becomes unbearable and they can't involve their family in case they are prosecuted. The status quo in other words may be hastening death, not prolonging it, because of the fear of advanced illness taking away people's options. There must be safeguards. I don't think anybody is arguing against safeguards

Madgran77

*keepingquiet Why do people assume everybody dies in great pain? As a former nurse for twenty years and lots of deaths I rarely came across this. A similar situation with my family members- good end of life care ensures this does not happen in people who are terminally ill*

I'm not assuming that and volunteering in a hospice for years directly working with patients, I am well aware of what can be done in good palliative care. I am also well aware of the fact that a) palliative care does not necessarily create a quality of life that someone feels is worth living! b) appropriate palliative care is not always available or even considered in hospitals when "preserving life" is the driving force for medical personnel.

Hospices are working to widen their influence on good palliative care in hospitals; care homes; availability in the home which is good but more funding is needed! We have an ageing population with increasing frailty needs as people live longer!

And even with all that surely people with a life limiting illness and only 6 months to live are entitled to have a say in when the quality of that life is just not worth it. The assisted dying bill is about those people not a much wider range.

You will also be aware with your experience that 6 months prediction, does often not hold, no-one knows for sure when it is the last 6 months of anyones life. My late mother was given a week on CHC she lived 2 years. My late husband was given Maximum 6 month on CHC and lived 8 years. To this day I wouldn't have chosen assisted living for either of them. However my late partner wanted to die, the last at least 12 months of his life. due to cancer treatment, mobility and general exhaustion with life. when they eventually put the driver in his arm, I wished for him they would make the morphine strong enough to end his life, but no, they kept it as low as possible in case he rallied, he did not and died 3 days later. My lovely son had an accident and was on life support for a week, he never came around, and had the option been there I am sure the medical profession would have switched off sooner. As it was, the week gave us all the chance to be with him, say our goodbyes and accepting him being a donor which was his choice. I think only people themselves should be able to make that final decision and only if they have capacity at the time.

For me, the thing with consent is that you should be able to withdraw it...

Sincere condolences mabon.

Yes, in an ideal world where there would be high quality end of life care available, pain would be managed adequately and people wouldn't feel coerced...

Having lost both parents to cancer , spending their final week of life in excellent hospices, I feel very strongly that assisted end of life would have been the best answer for both of them! We couldn’t afford to take them, particularly mum, to Switzerland but would have liked the option as would she! My dad wanted a “big” injection the night before he died peacefully , thank goodness !
I would like to have the option under strict safeguarding rules ! Maybe you could register as you do for organ donation or for DNR ???