Assisted dying

In answer to another post, my Mum had a living will but when she got flu in her care home a young doctor visited and was determined to give her antibiotics. My sister and I battled with him not do give them. It was horrendous as you feel you are trying to kill your Mum. In the end, he relented and she didn't die then anyway! Carried on for another miserable 4 years just lying in bed.

I believe everyone should have the choice. The law - when changed - needs to be written very carefully to avoid any opportunity for coercion

I worry about that too

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.

I'm sorry to hear that, mabon.
My condolences to you and yours.

That sounds reasonable as long as greedy relatives don’t have access. Often a family member who rarely, or never, visits can appear and take over. Happened recently with some in laws and it’s the last thing those genuinely grieving needs.

Condolences mabon

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

Totally for it

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 trust the process and those involved, implicitly?
How have you get to that state of affairs?

I have very mixed feelings on this subject as do many of my friends. The main concerns being that some vulnerable individuals could be persuaded into opting for assisted dying especially if there is money/property involved and, on the other hand, we do not want to see our loved ones suffering.

MPs must be allowed a free vote and should take the views of their constituents into account.

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 ???

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...

Sincere condolences mabon.

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

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.

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

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}

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

assisted dying obviously

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

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

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?