It's something more and more of the public support, but the government will never even let it be discussed. It's not uncaring to want it, it's actually caring. There is no fun in seeing someone you love in constant pain, needing around the clock care, never going to get better and feeling like a burden. They should be allowed to end their life under their own terms with some dignity.
New to Tattle Life? Click "Order Thread by Most Liked Posts" button below to get an idea of what the site is about:
I like the idea (I say I like the idea loosely, but you get my drift) of being able to die on 'your terms' if you are terminally ill and things like that but I do worry that making it legal would open a whole can of ethical worms. Who knows what'll happen in the future?
I also worry that someone might feel like (or be told that) they are a burden on their 'family / carers / society' and choose to die sooner than they actually want to.
Yeah thats what I mean when I say a whole ethical can of worms. Its a topic that needs so much research, care and thought before its ever discussed in Government though.
There at least needs to be a start - research and studies into this will get a lot more traction and funding if the government would at least start to entertain it as something that people might want.
I don't worry too much about the idea of people "feeling like a burden" and choosing to go before their time - in a world where we could choose medically assisted death there would be a lot of psychological and medical safeguards and processes to go through, not just a case where Granny feels guilty and can just wander down the pharmacy and get her Euthanasia Pills.
I also think that idea takes away a lot from the older generation and those who are terminally or long term ill, that we'd worry they're too weak to make their own decisions over life. If someone terminally ill or elderly DOES feel like a burden and like this isn't the way they wish to live the short rest of their life, feeling guilty and miserable, who are we to say that they don't get to make that decision?
For me it would be more of a concern that unscrupulous people could take advantage of vulnerable people, or that vulnerable or mentally ill people could make decisions that they wouldn't normally. But again, I'd expect there to be very serious and robust systems in place to ensure that anyone was acting of their own free will and wishes.
I'm torn really . I know it is acceptable to euthanise pets ,and we say it's best for them and kinder to let them go rather than live in pain.
Maybe only make it legal for certain situations at first . I think there are more aspects to human euthanasia than someone's live ending
Maybe only make it legal for certain situations at first . I think there are more aspects to human euthanasia than someone's live ending
Yeah I agree in a way. Start with things like the terminally ill and of a sane mind etc. But even then, not everyone will agree and there’s always going to be such hard conversations to be had and situations to be dealt with.
I'm so torn with this topic too. In general I agree with it being an option but like the poster above said, a can of worms with all the different scenarios! Would need really robust checks in place for each case and even more discussion when it's not an issue of age or a terminal illness!
Look at what happened when governments were put under pressure to make adoption easier. We now have trafficked children. Wealthy people are able to cut corners and pick a child from anywhere in the world, Africa or Asia etc, handover some some cash and the process is all done and dusted in a few weeks.
I agree in essence that people should be able to decide when to end their life but I'm glad the government are being cautious. It's not something that can be rushed through. Like any new system/set up it's open to abuse. There are a whole range of issues with regards to the safeguarding and risk management of the process. You can't just copy and paste what other countries are doing.
I agree in essence that people should be able to decide when to end their life but I'm glad the government are being cautious. It's not something that can be rushed through. Like any new system/set up it's open to abuse. There are a whole range of issues with regards to the safeguarding and risk management of the process. You can't just copy and paste what other countries are doing.
If an animal was in pain with no quality of life, we have the choice to put them out of their misery. Why would you not give your fellow human a choice of ending their misery? Would you rather let them die with respect and their dignity than to die not knowing where they are, in horrific pain or so drugged up they don’t know what’s happening?
When my dad found out he had cancer he refused treatment, no one could prevent that, it was his right. I don't really see how euthanasia is any different to refusing treatment.
However, because euthanasia is illegal he had to be in serious pain and suffering with terminal restlessness before he was given midazzolam in a syringe driver. Midazzolam, given in this way is believed to bring on death sooner because the patient can't eat or drink so basically starves to death. In effect, my dad was euthanized because I asked for him to be put on the syringe driver but his death was more cruel and prolonged than it would have been if euthanasia was legal.
My dad supported euthanasia and should have been allowed a more dignified and peaceful death than being deprived of food and water for 48 hours.
We are actually in a situation where terminally ill people are put on midazzolam in syringe drivers in order to bring death on sooner because this is the only option doctors have to end their patients' suffering. Nobody questions the ethics of the doctors that prescribe this and nobody thinks that reducing patients' suffering is unethical, when it is arguably more cruel than administering an injection that kills instantly and painlessly.
I don't regret asking for the syringe driver for my dad as I know he wanted the pain to end but I know that he was in more pain and discomfort for longer than was necessary. I don't know if I have explained myself very well but I ultimately think that euthanasia would be a kinder practice than what is currently happening.
However, because euthanasia is illegal he had to be in serious pain and suffering with terminal restlessness before he was given midazzolam in a syringe driver. Midazzolam, given in this way is believed to bring on death sooner because the patient can't eat or drink so basically starves to death. In effect, my dad was euthanized because I asked for him to be put on the syringe driver but his death was more cruel and prolonged than it would have been if euthanasia was legal.
My dad supported euthanasia and should have been allowed a more dignified and peaceful death than being deprived of food and water for 48 hours.
We are actually in a situation where terminally ill people are put on midazzolam in syringe drivers in order to bring death on sooner because this is the only option doctors have to end their patients' suffering. Nobody questions the ethics of the doctors that prescribe this and nobody thinks that reducing patients' suffering is unethical, when it is arguably more cruel than administering an injection that kills instantly and painlessly.
I don't regret asking for the syringe driver for my dad as I know he wanted the pain to end but I know that he was in more pain and discomfort for longer than was necessary. I don't know if I have explained myself very well but I ultimately think that euthanasia would be a kinder practice than what is currently happening.
I think it should be legal. I think it’s more unethical to let someone who is suffering carry on suffering.
Obviously it would need to be carefully managed but I’m 100% in support of it being legalised. I’ve had people in my life that have lived in pain for many many years and to see them struggle is just heartbreaking, taking a huge emotional toll on not just them but the family as a whole. I will always love the people I lost with all my heart, but I would trade having less time with them in an instant when they lived in so much pain and it felt that they were gone long before they passed
100% think it should be legalised and that it should be an option for those who would otherwise face a long, drawn out, painful, distressing death. We have the medication to allow those suffering to pass away peacefully with dignity on their own terms. I can’t understand why on Earth we don’t already have this in place.
Out of curiosity, what do people think about cases where the person isn't suffering from a terminal illness but from a psychiatric illness or personality disorder? It seems like doctors in the Netherlands can't agree
Obviously put a big trigger warning for reading this article
The troubled 29-year-old helped to die by Dutch doctors
In January Aurelia Brouwers drank poison supplied by a doctor and lay down to die. She was 29.
www.bbc.co.uk
I think this is a lot more complicated, but ultimately, if a person wants to die, surely it is kinder to allow them to do so with no margin for error. I worked in care when I was younger, one of our service users had brain damage from a failed suicide attempt. He was desperately unhappy and frustrated but no longer had the ability to end his life. Having worked with him and met his family I think he should have had the opportunity to die with dignity. However, not all cases would be like this and I can see why ethicists and doctors are caught up in disagreements over it.Out of curiosity, what do people think about cases where the person isn't suffering from a terminal illness but from a psychiatric illness or personality disorder? It seems like doctors in the Netherlands can't agree
Obviously put a big trigger warning for reading this article
The troubled 29-year-old helped to die by Dutch doctors
In January Aurelia Brouwers drank poison supplied by a doctor and lay down to die. She was 29.www.bbc.co.uk
I’ve worked in care of the elderly for over a decade, and I’ve given palliative care to countless people in that time. Some passed quickly and peacefully, unfortunately many don’t. I’ve also had to watch some of my own family members pass away slowly and painfully due to illness that was never going to get better. From my experiences both professionally and personally, I’d agree with a law for Euthanasia to be made legal. Obviously it goes without saying that it would have to carefully planned and implemented, and with very special consideration. It’s a delicate subject but I am for it. If I was suffering and was not about to get any better, I’d hope to be able to pass with dignity and be able to decide when to end my pain.
I volunteer for Age UK and I visit an elderly lady weekly. She has every single health problem going bless her and has chronic arthritis. I am sure given half the chance, she would jump at the option (as upsetting as it would be for everyone around her)
Anyone remember the “Liverpool Pathway”? Up until 2014, NHS Trusts were starving the elderly to death without pain relief and sometimes without the families’ knowledge.
I love the theory of euthanasia - everyone should be able to have control over their death in the same ways as they have rights to life.
However the shades of grey settled in after watching my dad go into hospital with a broken foot and be kept there following weeks of exceptional incompetence and nursing mismanagement and come out half his weight, bed sore ridden and ill. I wouldn’t trust any of those night hags masquerading as nurses or their doctor / consultant lemures to have any input over any practice of euthanasia. Pretty sure the last thing the staff on that particular orthopaedic ward needed was the power to put down patients they have taken against or consider a waste of resources.
You also have to keep in mind that the old fashioned approach of death by morphine ended properly with Harold Shipman and it will not be coming back. It’s also a terrible burden to stick on others to kill you, even for those NHS “Angel” types and the idea of the kind of person who’d be skipping between euthanising patients lives leaves me cold.
Perhaps artificial intelligence is the answer?
I love the theory of euthanasia - everyone should be able to have control over their death in the same ways as they have rights to life.
However the shades of grey settled in after watching my dad go into hospital with a broken foot and be kept there following weeks of exceptional incompetence and nursing mismanagement and come out half his weight, bed sore ridden and ill. I wouldn’t trust any of those night hags masquerading as nurses or their doctor / consultant lemures to have any input over any practice of euthanasia. Pretty sure the last thing the staff on that particular orthopaedic ward needed was the power to put down patients they have taken against or consider a waste of resources.
You also have to keep in mind that the old fashioned approach of death by morphine ended properly with Harold Shipman and it will not be coming back. It’s also a terrible burden to stick on others to kill you, even for those NHS “Angel” types and the idea of the kind of person who’d be skipping between euthanising patients lives leaves me cold.
Perhaps artificial intelligence is the answer?
I remember the Liverpool Care Pathway. It was horrific.
