• Assisted dying or voluntary euthanasia
• Refusing  life-prolonging treatment
• Refusing life-prolonging treatment – a guide for relatives
• Avoiding feelings of guilt

Assisted dying or voluntary euthanasia

Some people want to die if their quality of life has become intolerable. At the present time, assisted dying or voluntary euthanasia is legal only in some states.

Refusing life-prolonged treatments

However, it is possible to refuse life-prolonging treatments. This is done by making an Advance Decision (living will) and giving it to your doctor and to your next of kin. If you have not made an Advance Decision, and become so ill that you are unable to make decisions for yourself about your end of life care, your next of kin will be consulted by medical staff.

Refusing life-prolonging treatment – a guide for relatives

Many people make it known that they would not wish to be resuscitated or to receive life-prolonging treatment if their quality of life was to suffer due to a debilitating illness. For other patients, when it is clear to the medical team that treatment is not helping their condition and that they are beginning to die, the doctors will decide to begin to stop, or withdraw, these treatments.

In the case of an emergency admission to hospital, for example after a major stroke or heart attack, you may feel it necessary to inform medical staff about the wishes of your relative. However, it is important to understand that any decision about continuing or stopping life-prolonging treatment is the responsibility of doctors. They will respect the family’s thoughts and feelings, but they are not asking next of kin for permission to withdraw life-prolonging treatments.

It can be very upsetting to be involved in such discussions on behalf of a relative who is unable to make their wishes known for themselves. So, take your time to talk through any concerns you may have with medical staff, and also with other relatives and the GP and be sure to put your desires in writing in the format required by your state before the time comes when the decision needs to be made.

Avoiding Feelings of Guilt

Making the decision to end the life of a loved one is never easy. Even though they may be experiencing great suffering or no longer capable of sustaining even a basic quality of life, for many it goes against their basic nature to make that decision.

Even when the relative is convinced that it is in the best interests of their loved one, the fear of feeling guilty for having made that decision can be a very powerful emotion.

Making the decision jointly with others, either within a family setting or within the social or medical community, can help to ease the sense of individual responsibility and share the burden of the feelings that may be experienced at a later date.