I was going to add something to this article from the DPS News rather than simply re-post it, but feel it is all I need on my blog today. Hopefully it will open up the conversation about death and dying, and give many of my readers who are pro-euthanasia something to think about as an alternative. I must say, I think I agree with Mr Houle.
‘Intelligent’ debate on death
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An “intelligent” debate on end of life care is essential as Australia’s population rapidly ages.
The statement comes from American futurist and author, David Houle, who was a keynote speaker at the MedTech 2012 conference in Sydney last week.
Mr Houle claims if older Australians started making arrangements about their death, it would lower their end-of-life costs by 50%.
But people have been too afraid to talk about their deaths, according to Mr Houle.
“If we all know we are in the same boat, why not have a conversation about it?” he says, as reported by The Herald Sun.
“We’ve somehow moralistically thought that death is something we can’t talk about, and as a result, caring for the ageing, caring to keep people alive and end-of-life care is disproportionately expensive to society.”
Mr Houle adds, you can choose to be kept alive and you can choose not to, but he doesn’t believe we give people a choice.
“That’s because the medical profession makes so much money in keeping people alive – they have a vested interest in not having a conversation about it.”
He believes an “intelligent” conversation about death will “eliminate euthanasia”.
New technologies to help people look after themselves – whether through an app, mapping their genetic code or bionic technology – were suggestions made by Mr Houle last week.
We can help ourselves by making sure we have an Advanced Care Directive drawn up – this is a legally binding document that shows what medical treatment you want in the future if you’re unable to tell anybody – eg. if you have dementia, if you’ve had a stroke, a heart attack etc.
It varies between each state, but if you google tha term you’ll find standard documents online on Australian sites
At least it helps you to think that you won’t be kept artificially alive if you don’t want to be.
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Yes, having the Advanced Medical Directives is VIP… although many mursing homes and doctors visiting them refuse to abide by them, which makes it challenging to allow a loved ones wishes to be abided by.
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This is such an important topic. First, you are right in that we need to talk about it. And not just once, but again when we or family members are sick and the outcome is uncertain. I knew mom didn’t want “extraordinary measures” but we never defined that.
When she was hospitalized and not doing well I had a very hard time getting the primary physician to give me realistic prognosis information even knowing she had multiple problems. She would have chosen to stop procedures, daily xrays and scans, dialysis, etc. if she had been told they were not going to cure her.
The doctors wanted to keep trying when we finally talked about hospice as an alternative, mom only lived 2 days after starting hospice. I still regret not pushing that discussion sooner. Mom needed a break from the pain and the tubes and she didn’t want dad to visit her when she was all hooked up like that.
Really the money spent the last week or two of mom’s life should have been spent giving her palliative care rather than curative care. She would have had an easier death and the Medicare system would have saved a small fortune.
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We do need to talk about it, and start the conversations.
It is difficult though; I recently thought it should be many years earlier, when we are still well, but maybe we simply can’t think with ‘real’ clarity it needs when we are well, as we simply cannot think we might die or be diagnosed with a terminal illness tomorrow???
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Before you or your loved one is sick, you don’t really know the prognosis and the immediate issues of concern. That is why we need a continuing conversation starting when we are young, and then again when the real issues confront us.
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I know I cannot make this decision for someone else, as I have been confronted with the possibility. I would think that almost every Doctor would be of like mind, and I disagree with the comment that they keep it that way for financial gain. (perhaps there are a few exceptions).
I have witnessed a close relative saying “I wish it (death) would hurry up”, as she was in excruciating pain from cancer.
There you have two circumstances about euthenasia that are so much at variance, and keep me of two minds.
My own GP raised the subject with me, for my opinion. I did not have an answer for him, but he went on to suggest that quality of life and freedom from pain are the key ingredients in wanting to continue to live. I haven’t given it much thought since then as I have been able to put the question off till tomorrow, thankfully.
I guess it is easy to make comments as a “third” person, but when it comes to thee and me, and now, then the senses start to become very prickly. (the only word I can find to describe that uneasy feeling)
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Oh Jeff… I agree with your choice of the word ‘prickly’ 1000%. I too remain in two minds about it.
And perhaps you are right, the financial gain by doctors is the last thing from their minds. It is more likely the Hippocratic Oath they take to ‘save lives’.
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