Has coronavirus made you think more about your own end- assisted suicide?

[womaninatightspot]

I have thought for a long time that end of life care needs reforming and that the choice not to go on should be respected for those with terminal illnesses. I've found myself thinking over the course of the pandemic that I really don't want to end up in a home when I'm old/ infirm/ demented nor would I want my care put upon my family. Ideally it'd be nice to have a "jolly good innings" and then die quietly in my sleep but its not the reality for lots of us.

I've heard the thin end of the wedge arguments but honestly some of the stories I've read about the reality of caring for the elderly/ terminally ill have been awful. I wouldn't let my dog suffer that way. Do you think there will an appetite for reform as we've all spent much too much time looking at death statistics or will every life seem somehow more precious and be encouraged to drag out to it's natural end?

I have thought about this for myself and I know my parents would too if they had the choice rather than the extended old age in a care home or similar.
I actually think public attitudes on this are more liberal than you'd think.

I feel that for all it’s fantastic achievements medicine seems to now focus on quantity of life over quality which is entirely the wrong way round

I think it's reassuring that in countries where Euthanasia/ assisted suicide are allowed it only makes up 4%ish of overall deaths. Majority of those from cancer. Most people will choose life However if you're destined for a grim end due to something incurable, I think most of us would advocate that individual having a choice. I think dementia is a pesonal fear (family history) so I'd like it to be included.

Support Dignity in Dying if you want to help bring a change in the law or to learn more about the current situation. I am 60 and very much hope by the time I am ready to go (I think about 75 atm) I will be able to choose when. I do not want to be a burden on my family or the state. I want the choice to take my own life to be mine when I am ready but in an organised and efficient way. We cannot keep making longer life possible when it brings with it pain, madness and misery to many and when so much money is spent (in my opinion wasted) if there is no humane 'opt out' option. For me it is a pragmatic thing to do and I have no qualms about it.

As individuals many people have such thoughts about end of life, assisted suicide.

As a nation we seem to be very different. So much noise, sound and fury, signifying nothing much at all!

Falalalala lala la la

Having watched my Mum die painfully, without dignity and with an inadequate level of medical care, I'm absolutely convinced that I want the right to make my own decision when my time comes. I hope it comes to pass in the U.K. If not, I'll be on the plane to Switzerland.

OP (and others on this thread), you can add your name here to support Dignity in Dying:
www.dignityindying.org.uk/

@LunaNorth

Falalalala lala la la

🤭

I've always thought about it. I fully support dying with dignity euthanasia on home soil with loved ones.
If I did develop a degenerative condition I'd definitely consider saving for Switerland.
The dying with dignity bill has been brought to the government in Ireland recently.
I'm sure there is a UK dying with dignity campaign.

Oh I see pp attached campaign link UK.

I've signed up with dignityindying. I do agree that vulnerable people need to be protected but other countries have managed to do this safely. The life expectancy in Switzerland, Netherlands and Belgium is the same or better than the UK so it's not that their elderly populations are being killed off. People are just being given a choice.

Op I think end of life torture is utterly disgraceful and terrifying and barbaric in the UK.

It's horrendous what we make frail sick people endure and its scares me.

We wouldn't let prisoners sentenced to death have long drawn out painful deaths... Even with drivers it's hideous.

Sanctity of life for terminally ill people who will never recover!! Some over 80..for every moment we make people suffer its a stain on our society.

To answer the original question, not one bit. I recognise that some people's end of life is horrible and their death is a release, and can accept no more treatment other than palliative, but feel euthanasia would be a slippery slope.

It's not offering abusive relatives anything except like anything else very small amounts of abuse.

I should be able to now, sound of mind and young be able to have a legal document stating my wishes, at various points when I would like to go.
A terminally ill 80 year old man with weeks to go?

Having cancer last year made me plan an exit strategy. I got some raised eyebrows when I mentioned it

Personally I wouldn't want to be a burden. I wouldn't feel forced to take steps to end of life it would be my choice.
When the day comes I can do longer live independently toileting, feeding, mobile is when I'll set plans in motion.
Hopefully it won't be for along time and secondly on my own soil.
I think the bill will be successful in Ireland in the near future.

I think that views on euthanasia it will shift as we have increasing numbers of frail elderly

I’m against it..

Imagine how the relatives of an elderly person would start expecting them to want to end their life and who makes that decision and who makes sure there is no pressure on people to end their lives because of inheritance or to reduce care duties.

I think it’s a huge ethical issue and I’m on the side of not encouraging this

I would rather we invested massively in elderly care and hospices BEFORE even having the discussion about euthanasia.

IF we massively improved elderly care and hospice care and people still wanted to look at legal routes of euthanasia then so be it. If you talk about euthanasia in the context of our current state of care for the elderly and terminal then that would be tipping the scales hugely not because of the moral/ethical core of the issue but the socioeconomic shit show on the ground.

If people want it despite good quality of care and hospice options that's one thing, if people want it because of the lack of those options and the utter absence of dignity and choice then that's something different entirely imo.

Forcing people to die slow, lingering, traumatic deaths is not ethical and shames us as a society.

If somebody freely chooses such a death that is their choice, but it is abhorrent that we force such inhumanity on people who do not want it.

TheHoneyBadger

I agree with what you said.
It looks problematic when this is being offered as a solution to lack of elderly care.. instead of investing in that sector more.

And so talks on euthanasia can take a pause

The hospice movement is based on ideology. They should not have the power to block people from a humane chosen death - thereby inflicting extreme suffering and trauma on the dying person as well as those who love them - any more than the church should have that power.

What about younger people having unimaginable horror inflicted on them in the meantime? This is not just about elderly people.