Health services must provide a good quality of death, not just life
12 March 2008
Help the Aged today responded
Paul Cann, Director of Policy and External Relations at Help the Aged said:
"Death is unavoidable - but what is avoidable is the undignified and impersonal way in which many older people die in this country.
"Choices must be available for older people known to be dying so they can have the kind of death they would prefer. It's vital that policies are set in place and followed. Health and care services must concentrate not only maximising quality of life for the living but also on providing a good quality of death too.
"Help the Aged believes that the current ban on euthanasia and physician assisted suicide is designed to protect the most vulnerable members of our society. As both are currently illegal in the UK, we are not in favour of a change in the law, but are focusing on researching older people's experiences at the end of their lives to gain a better understanding of the difficulties they face. While we welcome debate which shows society is becoming more sophisticated in facing up to these questions, we would not support changes in legislation in assisted dying."
Abridged.
SOURCE: careandhealth
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