What can I do to avoid unwanted life-prolonging care?

[Czerwonitz]

I'm gutted but not surprised by the assisted dying Bill result in Holyrood and I'm really quite terrified at the thought of something bad happening and being kept in institutional care in a life I don't want.

I know advanced directives are not legally binding (and I hear that clinicians are currently so paranoid of being accused of assisting a death that some truly awful situations are being dragged out for years even as the family ask them repeatedly to stop it).

Is there anything I can do to make sure that I'm not kept alive in a state I don't want? (Would be grateful to hear from anyone who has to deal with decision making at work about whether there are things I can do to make things clear).

I live in Scotland if that makes a difference but I get the sense it's all a bit uncertain. I hate that this is something to have to worry about (unless you're most MSPs it seems).

I don't care (in the kindest possible way), I know myself. Being reliant on someone to bring me a glass of water is unbearable now I can't live with someone having to take me to the toilet. Just hope to God I get enough warning or a clean and quick natural death.

I don't think so, as such, but people who have a life-limiting illness generally get given some sort of trajectory that may be expected (if they want to) so they can consider the various scenarios that might crop up.

If you are currently well and this is hypothetical, you need to think of various scenarios. So, if you had a cardiac arrest due to low potassium, where the only treatment needed was a potassium drip and CPR until your heart could restart, would you still say 'no CPR'? How about a car accident where you needed blood and perhaps some surgery? And so on.

If you feel strongly, then get it documented. They should check every time medical treatment is needed in case you've changed your mind though.

I handed my Advanced Directive in at the surgery and there is a Drs note on my records that it's been added and that I had full capacity when it was made.

My husband and children know my wishes and this has taken the responsibility from them should they need to act as POA so they don't have to make a distressing decision.

The thing about just handing it in is they can't possibly know if you had capacity at the time (how do they even know you were the one who submitted it). All feels a bit of a fob off.

I produce these documents for a living.

Ultimately, you can give your family permission to make these decisions on your behalf, but medical professionals can still go against them.

I get what you're saying: but the law applies to all, so though YOU won't change your mind in the future, I might.
I guess my problem is the idea of someone committing their future self to oblivion. Maybe if Future Self can say no (but what if non verbal or past that point of consistency or only in the moment?)

Though if I were in severe pain with no hope of improvement I'd prefer a shortened life with a dignified ending.