Assisted Suicide

[sp1814]

A very complicated and by necessity, emotive subject...

...but what do you think of the ethics behind assisted suicide?

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-44069885

Are there circumstances where it is not justified?

Are there circumstances where it is?

Would you support a family member who wanted to end their life?

Or does the sanctity of life trump all else?

[cassa333]

Life at any cost is not sacrosanct. There are circumstances where death is preferable to life at any cost and I would support a family member who wanted to end their life BUT it would have to be for the right reasons of course

[Islay]

There's a certain family member I would drive to and help inject!!
But back to the OP I feel that it is entirely up to the individual involved.

[sp1814]

Okay...here’s the question I always come back to...you know when people say that “Death is preferable to the pain that he or she lived with”?

Well, seeing as no-one has any idea what death is like, how can we make that judgement?

We can all make a comparative judgement between two known states, but when one of those states is unknown, surely our decision making process is compromised?

[ToraToraTora]

I’ll give my stock answer for this…
When these cases arise they are normally valid, most would agree they should be allowed to pass away, sadly that’s not really the point. If we allow this as a society it will be mis used, pretty soon we’ll have people marching Granny down to death R us to steal their house. Right to die will become obligation to die, sadly there are a lot of nasties out there, the law is like it is for a reason. What we have now is correct, not perfect but as close to what works as possible.

[Mamyalynne]

Taking the four questions in your OP and being as simplistic as I can ...

1 Yes

2 Yes

3 I can't say never but have been asked twice and twice (for different reasons) didn't carry it through.

4 Not always.

[bainbrig]

I would like to be treated (and I would like my loved ones treated) with the same dignity that we treat our 'pet' animals.

A kind vet with a gentle injection has spared many of my cats a more painful and drawn-out death/

[KARL]

Where someone will suffer continuously shrinking cognitive powers and/or the quality of life with no prospect of improvement, or has a terminal illness which will lead to either of the above, I think allowing impartial individuals or institutions to assist with suicide (Dignitas comes to mind) should be part of law so there will be no adverse repercussions from the deed itself. If a relative came to me asking for assistance I would find the decision very difficult for the reason above (i.e. I am not allowed to by law) and that I would want to help if I were convinced this was the only solution. I would likely choose to assist with travel to anywhere that assisted suicide is permitted. I recognise that conditions can become so difficult that life is not worth living and the choice to die is a reasonable one (my aunt decided she did not want to proceed into dementia after realisation and diagnosis, she stopped eating and died). However, I would have little sympathy for someone wanting to die simply because they are unhappy, for example because life on Facebook is no fun any more.

[anotheoldgit]

spathiphyllum
I would think given the chance and at the end of their lives, some elderly persons would choose to end their lives rather than suffer in some elderly person's home.

They then could pass their home on to their offsprings rather than let the government get their hands on their property.

I think that it is disgusting that those who have worked hard all their lives and scrimped and saved to buy a house, and then have to hand it over to the government so as to pay for their elderly home keep.

Yet those who have been looked after by the state most of their lives, still get the benefit at the end of their lives to live cost free in these homes.

[bainbrig]

Karl: all I'd ask you to bear in mind in relation to Dignitas and travelling to Switzerland is how much more awful it must be for a terminally-ill person to have to contemplate getting it together, getting to an airport, flying, getting a cab to a strange apartment, and so on and on, while feeling like death warmed-up, just to die!

Sod me, if it comes to the crunch for me, I want to die here, in my own flat, hopefully with my own dear one next to me.

BB

[woofgang]

I haver seen 3 loved ones die in suffering despite the efforts of medical staff. Anyone who says that all pain can be properly controlled is either a liar or hasn't seen what happens when it isn't and can't be. In two cases there was nothing I could do, in the third case the person fought and fought and that was their choice. I don't for one second accept the trotting Granny off to DeathRUs argument. Medical staff already assist people to die and have done for many many years. The problem that we have is that this commonly takes the choice out of the hands of the person who should have it, namely the patient. I really do believe that its time to openly discuss such things and put control where it belongs with proper safeguards.

[Islay]

Just to respond to AOG's comment - do you think you have paid enough to pay for care for maybe 20 years in a care/nursing home?
Why should the government cover that if you have a house?

[sp1814]

AOG

I would happily use all my available funds to support me through my twilight years in a home of my choosing because I am sure that what the sale of my house, plus my pension would give me is way better than someone put into ‘council care’ would receive - I understand your point about the state taking what we have built up over our lifetime - but I see elderly care as the same as private dental treatment or BUPA. At the end of my life, I want all my money used to make my life as comfortable as possible.

But at the same time - if I were in excruciating pain, I would want the option of taking my own life. And if my husband were in pain or had zero quality of life, I would want the option of supporting his choice at ending it.