Aussie Dr. Death's Hypocrisy

Aussie Doctor death Philip Nitschke keeps spreading the pro-deather word. I had to chuckle when I read that he's concerned that killing Alzheimer's patients might be called murder. He shouldn’t worry, it's already being done as "medical care" in the Netherlands.

Euthanasia a hot topic

EUTHANASIA advocate Philip Nitschke will meet Bendigo residents on Saturday.

Dr Nitschke will hold a public meeting and then a closed seminar on voluntary euthanasia including what drugs are accessible.

He said questions were increasingly raised about Alzheimer’s disease and dementia and it tended to be a condition that limited people’s choices. more

Netherlands: Killing Alzheimer's Patients Begins

Here's more on the news out of the Netherlands that doctors are now killing people suffering from Alzheimer's. Prediction: Soon euthanasia will be available in the Netherlands for any reason, at any age.

Legally killed: 21 dementia victims given lethal injections by Dutch doctors in 2010

Dementia sufferers are being killed by doctors in Holland under the country’s euthanasia laws, official figures are to reveal.

A total of 21 patients with early-stage dementia, including Alzheimer’s, died by lethal injection last year, according to a forthcoming annual report.

This is the first time dementia sufferers have been included in the country’s euthanasia statistics. more

Netherlands: Unsurprisingly, Now They're Killing The Defenseless

Wow, really? They're now euthanizing Alzheimer’s patients in Holland? I'm shocked. Surely this isn’t the slippery slope? And hey, what happened to the part of the euthanasia law that said patients requesting death had to be in their right mind? I guess I'm too picky . . .

Euthanasia on the rise in Holland: now being applied to patients with dementia

Euthanasia is on the rise in the Netherlands, and it is taking an even uglier turn than many would have expected.

Cases of euthanasia have risen from 2,500 in 2009 to 2,700 in 2010; but even more shocking, last year 21 persons suffering from the early stages of dementia, but who were otherwise in good health, were euthanized. All of these 21 “mercy killings” were subsequently approved by the official euthanasia follow-up commission. more

Pro-Deathers Want Assisted Killing For Alzheimer's Patients

One of the key pro-death defenses is that people who want assisted killing or euthanasia be in their right mind. Predictably, the prodeathers in the UK are pushing the envelope - that people NOT in their right mind should be able to undergo assisted killing or euthanasia. It's all so predictable.

Hay Festival 2011: people with Alzheimer's have a 'right to die peacefully', says Professor Lewis Wolpert

Prof Lewis Wolpert urged the Government to look again at the issue of euthanasia. The 81-year-old emeritus professor of biology at University College London has written a book, You're Looking Well, which explores the process of getting old.

Speaking at Hay Prof Wolpert, patron of the charity Dignity in Dying, said: "One of the most terrible things about ageing is Alzheimer's. People with Alzheimer's have a nightmare time and those who look after them have an equally nightmare time. It's a major problem. Of the problems associated with ageing, Alzheimer's I regard as probably the worst. It is absolutely terrible. And it's still not terribly well understood. more

Aussie Pro-Deathers Deliberately Muddy The Waters For Their Ends

An important caveat has surfaced in the Aussie euthanasia debate The pro-deathers are confusing the public about that this is all about. That's exactly what the pro-deathers want - confusion so they can sway the debate to their side.

Alzheimer’s Australia: euthanasia debate “clouded in confusion.

The Australian Christian Lobby has welcomed an Alzheimer’s Australia report examining end-of-life planning for people suffering for dementia.

The report, “Planning for the End of Life for People with Dementia Part 2”, found the current debate surrounding euthanasia has left patients and their families “clouded with confusion” and unsure of their rights. more

Yes, Alzheimer's patients Need Care & Support, Not Euthanasia

Here’s an excellent piece reminding us that there are actually professionals who care for and support people with Alzheimer’s disease, versus the barbarians in the Netherlands and Belgium who think these people should be euthanized.

Giving Alzheimer’s Patients Their Way, Even Chocolate

PHOENIX — Margaret Nance was, to put it mildly, a difficult case. Agitated, combative, often reluctant to eat, she would hit staff members and fellow residents at nursing homes, several of which kicked her out. But when Beatitudes nursing home agreed to an urgent plea to accept her, all that changed.

Disregarding typical nursing-home rules, Beatitudes allowed Ms. Nance, 96 and afflicted with Alzheimer’s, to sleep, be bathed and dine whenever she wanted, even at 2 a.m. She could eat anything, too, no matter how unhealthy, including unlimited chocolate. more

Yes, You DON'T Have To Be Sane To Ask For Euthanasia

Yes, it’s true – you don’t have to be in your right mind in the Netherlands to be medically killed (so much for the pro-deather assurance that only people in their right minds could ask for this) But see here how far things have gone: trying to rationalize why it’s Ok to kill people who aren’t of sound mind. Disgusting.

Euthanasia for elderly people suffering from dementia

In the Netherlands, physician-assisted suicide is possible for people who suffer from dementia. But in practice, it's a complicated process. more

Here’s a fine example of the popular attitude toward assisted suicide – the horror story, and then the “brave” declaration of favoring assisted suicide. It’s this popular perception that is the most effective pro-deather propaganda.

I weep to see mum like this . . . if I ever get dementia, I’ll go to Dignitas

SINGER turned reality TV star David Van Day cradles his mother's hand and speaks softly to be sure she is sleeping.

"Mum... Mum... " Penny, 83, continues to breathe deeply.

The frontman of Eighties pop band Dollar and former contestant on hit show I'm A Celebrity then makes a shocking statement.

Looking at his sleeping mother, he reveals he would take his own life if he was ever diagnosed with her condition.

Referring to the assisted suicide clinic in Switzerland, David confesses: "If this happens to me and I'm diagnosed with dementia, I'll head straight to Dignitas." more

Let's Experiment On Alzheimer's Patients, Shall We?

Well, ethical guidelines around research on any subject, human or animal, are important and appropriate. But there are always bioethicists will in to push the envelope. We're now starting to see calls for redrawing ethical guidelines to include people who of their own volition cannot consent to participating in research. The commonsense answer, of course, is that if they can't consent (e.g., because of Alzheimer’s) they cannot participate. BUT some people are willing to change this. Read this about suggestions of rewriting the rules to experiment on people who can’t give their own consent.

New ethical guidelines needed for dementia research

How do we handle the ethical dilemmas of research on adults who can’t give their informed consent? In a recent article in the journal Bioethics, ethicist Stefan Eriksson proposes a new approach to the dilemma of including dementia patients and others with limited decision making capabilities in research. more

Would Euthanasia Be An Option Were It Not For The Pro-Death crowd?

There's no doubt that watching someone decline due to alzheimer's disease isn't easy. It's equally true that the psychological toll on loved ones is significant. However, I can't help wondering after reading this story that perhaps this man wouldn't be suggesting euthanasia for his wife if the culture of death wasn't so prevalent, leading to suggesting it as another, previously unthinkable option.

‘It breaks my heart’

A Hampstead man whose wife is being cared for at a Jacksonville Alzheimer’s facility says he should have the right to help his wife end her suffering by ending her life.

Jack Barnes, 81, has been married to his 80-year-old wife Faye for 59 years. He said they have had a long, fulfilling life together and now his wife wants to “die with dignity,” but North Carolina law does not permit euthanasia.

“It doesn’t make sense to keep her alive,” he said. “She’s basically dead.” more