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> Should his directive be respected, ending his life? That's the big ethical/philosophical conundrum of planned euthanasia. Is a personal decision made by the

> Should his directive be respected, ending his life? That's the big ethical/philosophical conundrum of planned euthanasia. Is a personal decision made by the person who still had all their faculties of thought still valid when that same person is suffering from dementia and can no longer relate to that decision? This is a highly personal matter, and the choice may well best be left to individuals (who can choose to defer to their loved ones as well), but that would imply accepting that some people will get to set the conditions for a facilitated death, and have those honoured. In the Netherlands this is an ongoing topic for debate, with a couple of recent cases highlighting the difficult position this type of euthanasia places carers and family — although not acting on the express wishes of their loved one emburdens them in no less a manner. Part of the solution may be a shift in society's perception of a self-chosen death, in that it becomes much more accepted; something that has been happening for the past two decades in countries where euthanasia is possible.

okket 8y ago
There is a kind of middle ground in such a case. Give the person every comfort he/she needs but deny him/her invasive intensive care, essentially no visits to the hospital (but of course basic medical care inside the care facility). For two reasons: First they said they didn't want this life and second, hospitals are ill equipped to deal with elderly with dementia. Usually it is a horror trip for those individuals and they come back in a much worse condition than when they were admitted.
- Freak_NL 8y ago
  What if the comfort they need is not living a life with dementia and not wishing to burden their loved ones with that status quo? With dementia some people revert into a blissful state of ignorance, while for others every day is a new day awakened into a nightmarish state of constant agitation, anger, confusion, and loss. Often this is a state that no amount of therapy or care can address. Couple that with a strong body, and you can be kept 'comfortably' alive for a decade or more. Hardly a humane solution to not wishing to allow people to choose their own death. It also means that in countries with that view codified in law, anyone wishing to avoid that level of personal hell will have to commit suicide long before the need is there — depriving themselves and loved ones of an unknown length of time spent as they please.

okket 8y ago

There is a kind of middle ground in such a case. Give the person every comfort he/she needs but deny him/her invasive intensive care, essentially no visits to the hospital (but of course basic medical care inside the care facility). For two reasons: First they said they didn't want this life and second, hospitals are ill equipped to deal with elderly with dementia. Usually it is a horror trip for those individuals and they come back in a much worse condition than when they were admitted.

Freak_NL 8y ago
What if the comfort they need is not living a life with dementia and not wishing to burden their loved ones with that status quo? With dementia some people revert into a blissful state of ignorance, while for others every day is a new day awakened into a nightmarish state of constant agitation, anger, confusion, and loss. Often this is a state that no amount of therapy or care can address. Couple that with a strong body, and you can be kept 'comfortably' alive for a decade or more. Hardly a humane solution to not wishing to allow people to choose their own death. It also means that in countries with that view codified in law, anyone wishing to avoid that level of personal hell will have to commit suicide long before the need is there — depriving themselves and loved ones of an unknown length of time spent as they please.