Dutch patients with dementia to request euthanasia

Fellowship for kindred spirits.
User avatar
TheresaB
Mod
Mod
Posts: 1607
Joined: Wed Feb 03, 2016 9:46 am
Location: Front Range, CO

Dutch patients with dementia to request euthanasia

Post by TheresaB »

I resonate with Annie in this article, Wanting to die at 'five to midnight' - before dementia takes over. I think I'd like to have this same option if it ever came to this, but how to determine when is the right time?
-Theresa
ApoE 4/4
mike
Senior Contributor
Senior Contributor
Posts: 849
Joined: Fri Mar 09, 2018 4:55 pm
Location: CA - Sonoma County

Re: Dutch patients with dementia to request euthanasia

Post by mike »

Watching my dad waste away, I know he would have wanted this option. I know that I would. I would rather not have to do it too soon though. None of this 5 to midnight bit. We should be able to make a living will that defines at what point it is time to go. Like in the article - "when I no longer recognize my grandkids" or what have you.
Sonoma Mike
4/4
User avatar
MarcR
Mod
Mod
Posts: 2017
Joined: Wed Mar 05, 2014 8:28 pm
Location: Sammamish, Washington, US

Re: Dutch patients with dementia to request euthanasia

Post by MarcR »

Point ...

Sandy Bem's story: The Last Day of Her Life

... and counterpoint:

What our own Nords learned from his father.

Over the past few years my own father's journey has moved me from Bem to Nords. His younger self would be appalled at the diminishment and indignity, but his current self lives humbly in the moment and enjoys each day.
rrmolo
Contributor
Contributor
Posts: 57
Joined: Fri Sep 01, 2017 1:08 pm
Location: Brookfield

Re: Dutch patients with dementia to request euthanasia

Post by rrmolo »

Having gotten a lot of satisfaction from helping to care for my father in his last demented years I am resigned to let the play end itself for me. When my brother took him to the nursing home he said "I don't know what these good nuns can do for me here." Well the good nun in about 15 months gave my brother a call re my fathers pneumonia. Between the two they decided not to treat it and allow him to stay in the home and let nature take its course. I had time to make it there and say my good byes. With all the nursing home rules now I wonder it the good nun and my brother would be allowed this latitude.
User avatar
CarrieS
Contributor
Contributor
Posts: 408
Joined: Thu Jun 22, 2017 12:21 pm

Re: Dutch patients with dementia to request euthanasia

Post by CarrieS »

rrmolo wrote:Having gotten a lot of satisfaction from helping to care for my father in his last demented years I am resigned to let the play end itself for me. When my brother took him to the nursing home he said "I don't know what these good nuns can do for me here." Well the good nun in about 15 months gave my brother a call re my fathers pneumonia. Between the two they decided not to treat it and allow him to stay in the home and let nature take its course. I had time to make it there and say my good byes. With all the nursing home rules now I wonder it the good nun and my brother would be allowed this latitude.
I had my mother sign a Living Will while she was still "of sound mind" which was by the skin of my teeth and probably done on the last day the lawyer could legally allow it. We also had a Do Not Resuscitate order and I had Durable Power of Attorney (I could make medical decisions) that I kept of copy of in my purse. 20 years ago, I had to race in to the hospital after she was transported for a fall to run interference and decide if she really needed to be poked and hooked up to machines or if a kiss on her boo boo would suffice. Over the course of 10 years, I was gratified to find that attitudes had started to change and quality of life was the concern rather than just saving a life. If we could improve her quality of life, by all means we took measures. When she developed aspiration pneumonia and it was clear that this was probably going to be "it", the Palliative Care & Hospice Teams showed so much love and respect to her as she took her time to pass over (in her care facility) that I am eternally grateful for them. I'm not sure how rules have changed either but for me, getting the legal paperwork done in the early stages allowed for a more peaceful transition. I'd like to have the option of euthanasia but I'm not sure that I could "pull the trigger".
APOe4/4
Functional Medicine Certified Health Coach
National Board Certified Health & Wellness Coach
Certificate for Reversing Cognitive Decline for Coaches (FMCA)
Certified Fermentationist
Karina52
Contributor
Contributor
Posts: 46
Joined: Thu Jun 28, 2018 12:42 pm

Re: Dutch patients with dementia to request euthanasia

Post by Karina52 »

interesting discussion and one that I'm sure we all have very individual thoughts about. Being able to leave this existence on my own terms is far more comforting than the idea of spending years in a vegetative state not knowing the faces of my 4 beautiful children, my dear husband, my grandchildren or my other loved ones any longer. I have watched Phyllis Shacter's TED talk on her husband's choice to end his life by VSED (Voluntary stopping eating and drinking) as his AD progressed to near midnight and I am resolute that I will not end up being spoon fed and not remembering who I am. Knowing I have options, should my 4/4 status express itself in the future, has given me a peace of mind that was absent in the initial months after finding out about it.
User avatar
Josiah
Contributor
Contributor
Posts: 53
Joined: Thu Dec 20, 2018 12:16 pm

Re: Dutch patients with dementia to request euthanasia

Post by Josiah »

I'm prepared to handle this matter myself, since in this county we are nowhere as enlightened as the Dutch. I will have to do it somewhat preemptively because it requires some executive skill, but I've thought about this a lot, I've had a good long life, why spoil it with a miserable death.
E3/E3 male age 84
Richard McG
Contributor
Contributor
Posts: 82
Joined: Sat Dec 29, 2018 7:00 pm

Re: Dutch patients with dementia to request euthanasia

Post by Richard McG »

All the best Josiah with your decision. In Canada, we have a "dutch light" option for euthanasia. Not the best but a little better than what our American cousins have. All human beings of sound mind (prior) - to horrible disease make their wishes known and carried out by the medical community.
52 years of age, 4/4, BMI ~19, Omad, No cognitive decline as of yet ;)
User avatar
slacker
Contributor
Contributor
Posts: 2127
Joined: Wed Aug 03, 2016 6:20 pm
Location: Kentucky

Re: Dutch patients with dementia to request euthanasia

Post by slacker »

My husband and I have discussed moving into a "palliative care" mode if I reach a certain nebulously defined cognitive decline stage. Keeping me comfortable without any life extending interventions. Stop all meds/supplements, no dietary restrictions, no antibiotics for pneumonia, no heroic medical interventions etc. He can accept this approach, but does not support euthanasia. (He may change his mind if the day comes that I am more of a handful than the present! ;) ) The big dilemma is how to clearly define the cut off point. Have any of you come up with a good description for family members / medical surrogates to follow?
Slacker
E4/E4
hairyfairy
Contributor
Contributor
Posts: 107
Joined: Thu Oct 11, 2018 10:12 am

Re: Dutch patients with dementia to request euthanasia

Post by hairyfairy »

As a single person living alone, a diagnosis of dementia would be a total disaster for me. I dread having to go into residential care, mainly because the kind of treatment patients receive leaves a lot to be desired. Also, I don`t want to descend into the so called second childhood that it dementia. I didn`t enjoy the first one, so Iv`e no wish to go back for second helpings. I`d choose to be euthenised as soon as I was diagnosed.
Post Reply