Choosing the time to die - Suicide and the Elderly

It has recently come to my attention that some individuals that I know are seriously trying to amass a treasure trove of narcotics with which to end their lives in order to avoid ending up in a nursing home or elder care facility.

These aren't depressed individuals. These people are lucid, very healthy and very much in control of their lives, but they adamantly refuse to be a burden to their families and do not want to end up in a home. Now they do not plan on doing this anytime soon but they want to be ready.

What are your thoughts on this?

Personally I understand their decision and having seen what happens to a lot of folks in the nursing homes, I don't blame them. However I know that some members of their families would put them in a home right now under lock and key if they knew about their plans..

I'm 50. I have no desire to live beyond my ability to care for myself, or beyond reasonable health and fitness. When the time comes, I'd much rather choose the place and manner of my death than drag it out in an increasingly difficult world for the elderly who come from the working class. I don't have family to care for me, and wouldn't burden them if I did.

There's a lovely and tranquil beach in Mexico where, if I'm lucky, the coyotes and gulls will one day pick my bones clean.

I would rather control the end of my life too.

The poor lady is completely out of it due to Alzheimers and the home she was in was feeding her these special hormones to make her hungry in spite of the fact that she didn't want to eat. It seemed so cruel to force her to take meds and then force her to eat when she didn't want to...

That's the ugly truth of it.

How can anyone else tell someone what to do with that life?

I am just worried that they may share their plan with their kids as part of their preparations. I warned them against it but I don't think they know their kids as well as they think....and I know that one of their children is very religious and would find the whole plan an abomination...

Stocking up now for an event years away could lead to a very disappointing experience.

if it's over a year old- it's CRAP.

I think their best bet would be finding a physician who would provide the meds but I am not sure that is something that is easy to do...

I don't have any rights to tell someone else what they can and can't do with their body or life. None at all.

a razor blade and a warm bath.

it worked for the romans.

I was really against assisted suicide. However after watching her on her death bad, wasting away while sucking on ice cubes, I think an individual has a right to decide. The decision should be made by no one else except perhaps under the care of a "licensed" doctor, and the immeadiate family.
The first ammendment gaurantees the right to practice religion, the religion of that person's faith, not mine, and certainly not Dubyas. If a person wants to die with dignity than I say let there last days be at peace. Who are we to interfere with another persons religious beliefs?
I have young onset parkinsons, when my body stiffens there are times like i am experience waking rigomortis. There are days when I have to crawl to use the toilet, or I need help to stand out of a chair.
Right now my mind is strong but I signed a living will that says if I reach stage v of pd I dont want to be kept on machines.
You got to love this world. The powers that be don't want stem cell research to improve the quality of life, but they don't want to give me the right to end it either. They also dont want me to have affordable health care either and want to get rid of my social security insurance. Now I cant even pray in certain churches for a cure. Good goly miss molly I miss President Clinton and Carter. They wouldn't stand by and watch the GOP torture me daily.

kidney failure after collapsing in her home. My mother, her only child, authorized dialysis, and gran woke up hooked to machines, something she had always looked on with complete anathema. She rejected the treatment. The hospital kicked her out, because she was "choosing to die and they didn't want her dying in their care." (lovely folks)

My mom was furious with her -- accused her of selfishness, the whole nine-yards. I helped gran check into a nursing home/hospice. Two weeks later, she died.

She pretty much raised me, and tried to teach me to be a good person. One thing she always talked about was a person's right to choose how to live their lives -- and to end their lives.

I miss her as much today as I did 20 years ago, but I respected her decision then and I respect it now. It wasn't for me, or my mom to choose for her.

They keep trying to get rid of this "death with dignity" law that it took the people two elections to get. If one more state chose a law like it, then it would end up in the supreme court and get kicked in a couple of days. Do the pill thing and be prepared for yourself.
The Hemlock Society still exists (founded in OR) but is not very active now. There are a large number of natural plants, herbs, that occur in nature that would never be suspect if you should wish to find and use them. Many are likely right in your neighborhood, as many are used as ornamental plants and flowers.

and remain in a vegetative state until every penney of our families money and livelihood were gone. My father suffered with Alzheimer's. I don't want to do anything like that to my family. I think assisted suicide should be nationwide. People should not dictate our sex lives or how we wish to die because of their religious beliefs. I think this is another valid argument about separation of church and state. I'll stay out of their bedroom (oooh, the thought) and will not engage myself in their medical considerations, so I politely ask them to stay the fuck out of mine.

I watched a close relative die from this disease, over years and years (or rather have her self die early on, and then exist for years, in a horrible living death). And to be callous, to use financial resources that could have given a young family a first home, paid for several college educations, etc. I do not want that for myself, should I be afflicted with this disease. I do not want the loss of dignity and self-control, I do not want a penny spent on me that could be put to better use by the truly alive. I've made this known to my family.

But, practically, would one have one's faculties in a state to make a decision to end one's life? And how, and where, without involving others, who might be placed in legal jeopardy, as well as the personal pain involved?

I see myself fighting like hell against other diseases, to live. But Alzheimer's, IMO, is not life. My relative, in fact, would often chant, hauntingly, "I'm dead. I'm dead."

and I would never question his choice. He was 97.

He died like he lived - with great dignity.

Especially if they're worrying about "inconveniencing" others.

Have specific health problems already appeared? What's the prognosis? Have advance directives been completed? Have end-of-life issues been discussed with relatives? (This is not just for "old folks"--remember Terri Schiavo.) If the body has problems but the mind is OK--is home health care a possibility? Have they checked out care facilities that are not "nursing homes" but more secure than living on their own?

Of course, home health care is expensive & not covered by many insurance plans. Long term care anywhere is expensive--especially in one of the better institutions. Good medical care--wherever it is administered--can include treatment for depression & pain relief. But any health options keep getting harder to afford.

Yes, a graceful exit is sometimes the best option. But our economy makes the problems of aging even harder.

And opiates don't have a long shelf-life.

is "Duty to die." Yes, nursing care is expensive. Health care in general is expensive. Elderly people in poor health generally aren't earning money and therfore are a financial drain on their families. Some ethical systems say that such a person should die if they are an economic hardship for their family. I don't subscribe to that point of view though. People shouldn't have to die just because they are a finacial liability. I would dread the day that society would decide this and deny health care to anyone who is not expected to make a full recovery and go back to work.

for every one of its citizens.