Quote:
Originally Posted by superyob
Absolutely not! We do not need a legalized mechanism for the ending of a person's life...
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I tend to think here you're looking at it the wrong way.
The aim of this would be to put
control back in the hands of the person whose quality of life has deteriorated to the point they do not want to continue.
The decision to enact their own plan would be theirs. Not the government's, not their family's.
The decision to not enact their own plan would be theirs. Not the government's, not their family's.
If there is no plan in place then the status quo remains.
Obviously the person involved would not take this decision lightly as there would be a certain point where things are irreversible.
I'm not saying a 'Dying With Dignity plan' would work in every case and if there is any ambiguity then maybe it's not enacted.
In cases of dementia this is difficult. My partner is a PCA (Personal Care Assistant) in the local Aged Care facility and is a month off being a nurse. She works in the Dementia Wing, so I hear the stories of her day and the stuff they get up to every single shift she works. Do I think dementia warrants a 'Dying With Dignity' plan...well actually I don't as this leads society down a slippery slope where we just divest ourselves of anyone we don't think are 'useful'. Although it's definitely not 'dignified' and there is no control it is painless and largely manageable. Severe catatonic dementia or end-stage Alzheimers is more difficult and would need some debate.
If a person with dementia has a stroke, is incapicated and has a plan in place from before dementia was fully in place covering this eventuality, then yes maybe it is time.
The main aim of my argument is to give people who have no future but severe and unremitting pain until the end, who know they have no future but severe and unremitting pain to the end, a bit of CONTROL.
You may think this particular argument is unlikely, there was a case in the news last year of a lady with severe and terminal bowel cancer who had an obstruction towards the end that caused the last part of her life to be vomiting faeces. She was aware and cognisant to the end...now what would you do if that was your mum, sister, grandmother, niece, aunt or daughter?
Meanwhile let's get dementia and Alzheimers looked at, they're a nasty way to end a life...