Thread: Euthanasia an option for me

Both my parents recently went into a nursing home. My 87 YO fath suffered spinal injuries at 84 and was confined to an electric wheel chair. My 82 YO mother is suffering some level of Altzeimers, is rather frail and even with 14 hours/week of in home support was unable to properly care for dad, particularly when he fell out of the chair. Mum's licence has been revoked because of the Az and we live out of town with no public transport. My folks are asset rich cash poor but unable to divide off land from their property because of zoning laws and they are not entitled to a pension even though they both worked full time (and paid tax) into their late 70s.

The option for me and the family were bleak, I could resign my employment move onto the farm and attempt to survive on a carer's pension until we had to sell the farm and home out from under ourselves.

Now they are in the nursing home it costs us $60,000 per year for their care and its nothing special.

It is the worst of all choices, but I could still not consider euthanasia.

Diana

Originally Posted by Lotz-A-Landies

but I could still not consider euthanasia.

i dont think you should be considering euthanasia for someone else. only yourself.

Originally Posted by Eevo

Originally Posted by Lotz-A-Landies

but I could still not consider euthanasia.

i dont think you should be considering euthanasia for someone else. only yourself.

The problem is that it's the slippery slope as I mentioned earlier.

Some people will be coerced into euthanasia and others, possibly well meaning, will comply.

I agree with Euthanasia in principle, but what worries me is how difficult it would be to frame the legislation, how it would work in practice and what loopholes may be found.

Where I think more practical gains can be made, without resorting to legislation, is in the field of palliative care. I understand that it cannot resolve everyone's situation, but to me this is far more important.

Cheers,
Jon

As a basic idea I have no problems with euthanasia except that many older people do not want to be a burden on their families and will take that option even if they do not - likewise many will succumb from family pressure to end it.

For sure many older people are strong enough to withstand these sort of pressures but many are not.

Garry

life without living, is no life at all.

Originally Posted by goingbush

Soylent Green

Was going to mention that movie.
Also, I should mention "The Mission".
Why?
In The Mission, the indigenous people euthanised the third child as they believed their environment could not support a growth in population.
In Logan's Run, the inhabitants of the domes were euthanised in Carrousel at 30 (in the book it's 21) as their environment was finite.
In Soylent Green, euthanasia was encouraged as the world was extremely over populated.
All reasons that do not come into play here. Here (from the ABC programme), are we not discussing "end of life care"?
With the "Baby Boomers" now getting into the age they require end of life care, the Aged Care system is going to come under great pressure. We should be aiming to get it sorted sooner rather than later.

Originally Posted by Mick_Marsh

.................................................. ..
With the "Baby Boomers" now getting into the age they require end of life care, the Aged Care system is going to come under great pressure. We should be aiming to get it sorted sooner rather than later.

The problem is that if the politicians as the population to choose were to allocate funds:
a) age care
or
b) Olympic games, AIS, or any other activity for the elite few.

You can bet that people will would choose b and if the politicians do not put the question to the people and go for a it will be a political suicide.
That is reality, priorities and attitudes including "I am ok, bugger you Jack"

Dammed this turn into political issue

Lets go back to two choices
1)Loose your dignity and suffer pain in an age care institution.
or
2) Pull the pin and have few pills.

PS: I just wonder which kind of health get the old sick inmates in a hospital jail.............