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The title was changed and not necessarily for the better. This is a piece about the right to die with dignity, the right for elderly people to say "Yeah, I'm re

The title was changed and not necessarily for the better. This is a piece about the right to die with dignity, the right for elderly people to say "Yeah, I'm ready to let go. Heroic measures to keep me technically alive make no sense at this point." In some cases, you aren't prolonging their life. You're dragging out their death and torturing them to do so. https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=19598562 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=19598562 I am also reminded of the scene in Aliens 3 where the android asks Ripley to simply shut him down because he's lost so much functionality that keeping him "alive" has no appeal for him.

e40 3y ago
Yep, my mom (84) had an older friend years ago. Had a medical directive that said "do not resuscitate" and her daughter ignored it. She spent a year in hospice before she died totally angry at her daughter for not following directions. Her quality of life was terrible. My mom has talked about this many times and sternly told me not even think about ignoring her directive.
jgeada 3y ago
But there is so much money to be made on the heroic measures front! Estimates range from 12% to 25% of lifetime healthcare expenses are accrued on the last year of life [eg https://www.cms.gov/Research-Statistics-Data-and-Systems/Research/ActuarialStudies/downloads/last_year_of_life.pdf https://www.cms.gov/Research-Statistics-Data-and-Systems/Res...] For profit healthcare is an obscenity.
Arrath 3y ago
I'll always remember my Great Uncle, who begged my Grandfather every time he saw him, to bring him a pistol so he could end it and escape the torture that was his chemo treatments. There is absolutely a point past which all quality of life is destroyed and it isn't worth continuing care.
- bluefirebrand 3y ago
  It's really unfortunate that we're socially very willing to let people suffer if that's the status quo, but helping someone end their suffering is considered horrible and is in many cases criminal. Just look at the recent online discussions around the MAID program in Canada. It's meant to be a compassionate end of life for people who have lost all hope, and people are twisting it to mean that Canada is just going to start euthanizing people instead of providing healthcare.
  - DoreenMichele 3y ago
    Yeah. Homelessness: "Personal issue." "Not our problem." "It's you're fault for being junkies and crazies and has nothing to do with the general lack of affordable housing." Incurable torturous medical stuff and want it over with: "No mercy for you. Heroic measures every step of the way until the bitter end." It's sadistic.

e40 3y ago

Yep, my mom (84) had an older friend years ago. Had a medical directive that said "do not resuscitate" and her daughter ignored it. She spent a year in hospice before she died totally angry at her daughter for not following directions. Her quality of life was terrible. My mom has talked about this many times and sternly told me not even think about ignoring her directive.

jgeada 3y ago

But there is so much money to be made on the heroic measures front! Estimates range from 12% to 25% of lifetime healthcare expenses are accrued on the last year of life [eg https://www.cms.gov/Research-Statistics-Data-and-Systems/Research/ActuarialStudies/downloads/last_year_of_life.pdf https://www.cms.gov/Research-Statistics-Data-and-Systems/Res...] For profit healthcare is an obscenity.

Arrath 3y ago

I'll always remember my Great Uncle, who begged my Grandfather every time he saw him, to bring him a pistol so he could end it and escape the torture that was his chemo treatments. There is absolutely a point past which all quality of life is destroyed and it isn't worth continuing care.

bluefirebrand 3y ago
It's really unfortunate that we're socially very willing to let people suffer if that's the status quo, but helping someone end their suffering is considered horrible and is in many cases criminal. Just look at the recent online discussions around the MAID program in Canada. It's meant to be a compassionate end of life for people who have lost all hope, and people are twisting it to mean that Canada is just going to start euthanizing people instead of providing healthcare.
- DoreenMichele 3y ago
  Yeah. Homelessness: "Personal issue." "Not our problem." "It's you're fault for being junkies and crazies and has nothing to do with the general lack of affordable housing." Incurable torturous medical stuff and want it over with: "No mercy for you. Heroic measures every step of the way until the bitter end." It's sadistic.