Alzheimer's and euthanasia

Question

I am worried about the potential for getting alzheimers in the future. Being 38, this should not be for around 30 years if I get it. Hopefully. But, you never know.

I really do not want to live with the long arduous process of living with it.

If I end up getting Alzheimer's I want to be euthanized. I dont know how this would work though. Because of the requirement for consent. Gets very tricky. I think there is quality of life for the first while post diagnosis. Maybe the first 4 years post diagnosis. But how do you work out the point to die? Once you don't have quality of life then you dont have capacity to consent. Faced with this situation I think I would just choose to die earlier rather than face the possibility of no longer being able to consent and having to go through the horror of going through years with no quality of life.

sp19690 · Accepted Answer

If you don't live in a state that allows euthanasia you could always go to switzerland to do it if it came down to it.

Anyonymous1 · Answer

Thanks for your thoughts. That sounds very hopeful. I might watch the movie Still Alice but may well find it a bit distressing given my family circumstances. Will see how it goes. Would be great if there is a way to cure it, Such an awful awful disease. I would much rather go via the Big C or Heart disease. Not that I want either of those but given the choice I would,

pamzimmrrt · Answer

I just hope I don't forget where I put the pills,, ( Still Alice sort of)

Midkid58 · Answer

I watched my dad lose himself in the dementia that accompanied his battle with Parkinson's. I see my mom slipping more and more into her own world. My MIL is hateful and horrible--natural traits made worse by dementia....

I've had several long talks with my SIL who is a dr who believes in physician assisted suicide. He has agreed to aid me in the process when the time is right.

We don't live in a state that has legalized this, so we 'joke' about taking a little overnight trip to Oregon in the future.

A lot more of us feel this way than we care to voice. My dad begged me to OD him on his morphine--and it wasn't possible. That experience alone made me know that's NOT what I want for my family to have to go through.

Geaton777 · Answer

Physician-assisted death or "medical aid in dying" is legal in eleven jurisdictions: California, Colorado, District of Columbia, Hawaii, Montana, Maine, New Jersey, New Mexico, Oregon, Vermont, and Washington.

Visit https://compassionandchoices.org/ (formerly the Hemlock Society) for more information.

Watch the movie "Still Alice" (2015 starring Julieanne Moore).

I've worked in med-tech for 40 years and I can tell you that in 30 more years I would be astonished if the scientific community hasn't found a cure or treatment (or at least the actual cause) of ALZ and dementia. Because of computing power, overall knowledge is doubled every 18 months. Finding a cure is one of the Holy Grails of medicine, so companies and universities all over the world are very motivated to pursue research. I'd wait another 10 years before you gave this another thought. For now just live your life and seek joy. Blessings!

Alzheimer's and euthanasia

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