Is it kinder to let an old person die if they are failing, as opposed to forcing them to wake up to eat and drink when they have no quality of life and want to sleep all the time?
by 
littlegreycells-failllllllled
ANSWERS: 9
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I would say so but not all would agree. My mother had no quality of life and had asked to die many times. When in hospital with chest infection she was slowly stopping breathing quite peacefully. they were waking her to pummel her chest every two hours. I wanted to ask them to stop but it was My fathers decision not mine. The sister told me after that they would have stopped and let her fade if asked as she was not going to recover. It would have been kinder.
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No, it is not kinder to let them starve to death.
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My mother died through the assistance of Hospice. It would have been cruel to allow her to go on unmedicated and in pain from massive cancer all over her body. WHen her brain shifted, it was the humain thing to do.
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If as stated I would opt for letting them go. On the otherhand most situations are not often as clearly defined -who for examples defines what is quality of life for another and who actully knows the desire of one in such a condition?
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It doesn't sound like there is much more to do than what you are doing. The only other option would be to get a feediing tube into her and feed her that way. You could do that while she slept and then wake her up later just so she doesn't sleep all the time. I know that has to be tough on you. It makes you feel so helpless when a loved one gets to that state.
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Kinder, yes. Legal, no. Not in the USA anyways. Yes the law is stupid but not a thing I can do about it.
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That is their choice - not yours....unless they have no mind left , ( which makes them dead already ), you must honor their wishes in the matter.
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It certainly doens't make you a bitch asking this question, at least you care enough to wonder what the right decision is. I think euthanasia is sometimes the best option, but with the laws in this country... Is she in a nursing home, or living with your family? The best thing I would suggest is talking to her doctor, voicing your concerns and seeing what advice they can offer. They've seen this situation a thousand times and will know how to help you. I'm sorry to hear about your gran, and I hope she and your family don't suffer too much. x
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Personally; I believe it would be kinder to let them go. I believe in euthanasia for people who are too ill to have any quality of life; with no hope of ever improving. After my husband had his horrific accident, we discussed in detail what we would want to happen if either of us were to have an accident or illness rendering us to be in a vegitative state. Neither of us want to be sustained in that manner and have stated so in a living will; just in case. That's a very hard thing to deal with because even if it is kinder; it is still illegal. I knew someone about 23 years ago whose mother was so ill, she begged him to "pull the plug". He finally did it because, he said; he couldn't take seeing her that way and hearing her beg him to please let her go. He and went to jail on a manslaughter charge.
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