Medical Aid in Dying (MAID)

Mitch86

Mitch86

Member
Location
Connecticut, USA
One feature the US never adopted is Medical Aid in Dying (MAID). Those over age 80 and those with terminal illnesses desperately need this kind of law. Why should dying folks have to suffer terribly for years just to die? I believe 11 US states have MAID but 39 states do not.

As death approaches, many folks use up their entire estates on medical bills, nursing care and nursing homes just to die in the end. This problem affects every social class. Some die quick but others die long, terrible deaths in pain and terrible impairment just to die.

I'm 90 years old and I do not fear death. I fear a long, SLOW death with pain, impairment and total loss of most or all of my accumulated wealth over many years. It would take a courageous government to bite the bullet and pass laws to enable the suffering to die. My only hope is that I die from a sudden heart attack in the end without a long, drawn out dying process.
 

IMO, MAID rules should be passed in every State. If a person suffers from a condition that cannot be cured, why should they have to suffer for months, or years? Currently, the only ruling that can be of help is a Do Not Resuscitate form that should be completed as part of a persons wills, etc. The only ones who gain anything from our current systems are the doctors and hospitals, etc., that can sustain life until the patient and medical insurance runs out of funds.
 
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'Disturbing': Experts troubled by Canadaā€™s euthanasia laws
ā€˜Disturbing': Experts troubled by Canadaā€™s euthanasia laws

https://www.pbs.org/newshour/world/...grappling-with-patients-requesting-euthanasia

Some health care workers in Canada grappling with patients requesting euthanasia​

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c3wxq28znpqo
Apr 3, 2025 ā€” BBC News reports on assisted dying in Canada, where some say it's now easier to choose to die than get support to live.

I BELIEVE IN DEATH WITH DIGNITY, BUT CANADA ISNā€™T THE BEST EXAMPLE.
 
Pepper said:
NYState very recently passed a law allowing this, like last week, I think.
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The state assembly passed the bill but it still has to pass the senate and then the governor will have to sign it into law.

I think itā€™s a great first step but it still limits it to people of sound mind with less than six months to live.

Personally, I would choose it over six expensive months in hospice.
 
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Aunt Bea said:
The state assembly passed the bill but it still has to pass in the house and then the governor will have to sign it into law.

I think itā€™s a great first step but it still limits it to people of sound mind with less than six months to live.

Personally, I would choose it over six expensive months in hospice.
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My friend used to fundraise for Calvery Hospital Hospice in the Bronx. She said it was a party environment, with people yukking it up, drinking alcohol, and smoking cigarettes. I asked her to find out if cannabis is allowed. I'm seriously considering this as a future option.
 
Pepper said:
My friend used to fundraise for Calvery Hospital Hospice in the Bronx. She said it was a party environment, with people yukking it up, drinking alcohol, and smoking cigarettes. I asked her to find out if cannabis is allowed. I'm seriously considering this as a future option.
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It would be at our local hospice operated by a group of Catholic nuns.

Itā€™s a great home like atmosphere in two small buildings where everything is tailored to the needs of the individual.

You can eat McDonaldā€™s every meal or a volunteer will cook to order.

The payment is on a sliding scale from zero to around 8k/month.

They also provide in home hospice care.
 
MACKTEXAS said:
This is a complex issue. It provides potential for the government to incentivize Medical Aid in Dying to reduce the expense of long-term care, and it raises ethical concerns about devaluing life and shifting healthcare priorities.
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Indeed. Great possibilities for misuse so we walk a thin line.

More complex than ever before when we consider the inverting demographic pyramid in "progressive" economies along with increasing longevity which exacerbates the condition.

We've already seen ever-advancing thresholds for full pension (Social Security in the US) eligibility and discussion of pushing that up further. How soon before nominally-democratic governments decide to begin trimming the fat from above as well?

All it takes is a relaxing of euthanasia requirements and public campaigns of encouragement in media. Once the nose of the camel is in the tent as in Canada it may already be too late.

Remember the "Peace Centers" in the classic dystopian film Soylent Green?

 
This may sound morbid but I think we should all have a suicide kit, I hope to decide my own exit time regardless of the law or others. I have a small trinket box and under the lining I have enough pills to put me out for good. My thinking is if I ever end up debilitated or in a home I can ask one of my kids to make sure they bring me my little box, if anyone looks in the box all they will see are some keepsakes from my life. I just hope I'm not so far gone I forget about it!

I also have a death book, labled as such. It contains copies of my estate papers, where all monies and investments are and instructions for my after life affairs.
 
One way to end suffering near the end of life is just to stop eating and drinking for 2 to 3 weeks. In that way all suffering ends without the use of any drugs. My geriatrician told me that, if I go down this path, he would visit me every day until I'm gone. I'm 90 years old now.

I was already in the care of Vitas Hospice for 3 weeks during October, 2018.
 
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PurplePower said:
If I want to commit suicide, I donā€™t need anyoneā€™s permission.
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I doubt it's that simple. I've pondered suicide for many years, and now know I couldn't easily do it. I certainly wouldn't be able to do physical, painful harm to myself (slitting wrists, shooting, hanging), it would have to be done with pills. Getting a hold of the right pills, dose etc. also not easy. So....I'm stuck here.
 
Mitch86 said:
One way to end suffering near the end of life is just to stop eating and drinking for 2 to 3 weeks. In that way all suffering ends without the use of any drugs. My geriatrician told me that, if I go down this path, he would visit me every day until I'm gone. I'm 90 years old now.

I was already in the care of Vitas Hospice for 3 weeks during October, 2018.
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And how was that hospice experience?
 
It is situation dependent.
In 2017 a dear friend was taken off nutrition and water, death was eminent we were told at hospital. hospital want to move them to a hospice but the partner would have never lived with if the person died in transit in a van across the city
I sat with their partner for 11 days. it was awful the Drs work 3 days and rotated out ....... one said he had seen people last a month like that ...
On the last rotation a very nice Dr asked how we were doing I told her "we were Ok with the end but not believing it took this long... it was awful I would not wish on others" She said "I understand she is pain" and told us to use the button as much as we were allowed and upped morphine orders .... the nurses knew what was happening but plausible deniability would cover it. she passed soon after.
 
C50 said:
This may sound morbid but I think we should all have a suicide kit, I hope to decide my own exit time regardless of the law or others. I have a small trinket box and under the lining I have enough pills to put me out for good. My thinking is if I ever end up debilitated or in a home I can ask one of my kids to make sure they bring me my little box, if anyone looks in the box all they will see are some keepsakes from my life. I just hope I'm not so far gone I forget about it!

I also have a death book, labled as such. It contains copies of my estate papers, where all monies and investments are and instructions for my after life affairs.
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I agree, just knowing you have the option is often enough to carry on for one more day.

My fear with self help options is that I will screw it up and prolong my life as a vegetable.

I would prefer a medically tested and approved option.
 
Marcy Sheiner said:
I doubt it's that simple. I've pondered suicide for many years, and now know I couldn't easily do it. I certainly wouldn't be able to do physical, painful harm to myself (slitting wrists, shooting, hanging), it would have to be done with pills. Getting a hold of the right pills, dose etc. also not easy. So....I'm stuck here.
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My neighbor's friend is living a nightmare. Her husband was determined to end his life via handgun, and all he ended up doing was disfiguring his face and losing an eye. Their lives are now chaos...
 
Mitch86 said:
One way to end suffering near the end of life is just to stop eating and drinking for 2 to 3 weeks. In that way all suffering ends without the use of any drugs. My geriatrician told me that, if I go down this path, he would visit me every day until I'm gone. I'm 90 years old now.

I was already in the care of Vitas Hospice for 3 weeks during October, 2018.
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Did we not have a thread about your geriatrician?
 
Jeni said:
It is situation dependent.
In 2017 a dear friend was taken off nutrition and water, death was eminent we were told at hospital. hospital want to move them to a hospice but the partner would have never lived with if the person died in transit in a van across the city
I sat with their partner for 11 days. it was awful the Drs work 3 days and rotated out ....... one said he had seen people last a month like that ...
On the last rotation a very nice Dr asked how we were doing I told her "we were Ok with the end but not believing it took this long... it was awful I would not wish on others" She said "I understand she is pain" and told us to use the button as much as we were allowed and upped morphine orders .... the nurses knew what was happening but plausible deniability would cover it. she passed soon after.
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I activate my father's living will and have been facing the consequences ever since.
 
Vitas Hospice was very nice. They supplied nurses 24/7 and a doctor visited me once per week. Since that experience a doctor visits me at home every 2 months. The doctor comes from the Home Visit Department of the Geriatric Unit of my nearest hospital.

I also have a Living Will on file with my Geriatrician. He told me, if I start to die, he would just keep me comfortable and not try to heal me at all.

I have no pain or impairment. I spend my time playing chess at Chess.com and Civilization VI at Steam.com. I also read eBooks from Kindle and listen to audible books from Audible.com.

My wife serves as my care giver.
 

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