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Dementia expert: I fear impact of ‘assisted dying’ on vulnerable adults

A renowned expert in dementia and the health and social care of older people has urged MSPs to vote against ‘assisted dying’ legislation before the Scottish Parliament.

In a significant intervention in Scotland’s debate, Professor June Andrews OBE has warned that legalising assisted suicide would endanger vulnerable adults.

Writing for The Scotsman, Professor Andrews, a former ethics advisor to the Royal College of Nursing who has worked in the NHS, in government, and in academia said: 

“My experience in caring for older, frail people and people with dementia makes me think that this is the wrong path for Scotland. The dangers are clear when you consider the practical and ethical problems of applying a law that permits you to end someone’s life, especially if the people involved have dementia, or are afraid of the condition.

“I haven’t seen any discussion about this by the Bill’s supporters. There needs to be a calm assessment of what could go wrong for people with dementia and frail older people. Laws must be drafted in a way that makes them work in practice but the thinking around issues like dementia is full of muddles. Consider the question of eligibility.

“The definition of terminal illness included in the Bill is an advanced, progressive condition that a patient is unable to recover from, which is expected to cause their premature death. Dementia would clearly fall under this definition. Yet, the legislation also states that people with a mental disorder will not be eligible. Which is it?

“I don’t know how this problem could be solved given the difficulties involved with screening for dementia. People often receive an official diagnosis very late. A rule against giving people with dementia access to assisted suicide would be impossible to uphold. And there’s no guarantee that such a rule wouldn’t be overturned after being challenged on discrimination grounds.”

Professor Andrews also raised the issue of healthcare inequality, adding:

“I know that older people, given the choice, may choose an assisted death to get out of the unplanned mess that is the current health and social care crisis. I fear for people who would opt to die because they feel that dementia is a death sentence – when with proper care, people can live well and with dignity for years before they reach the dependent stage that seems to be most fearful for some.”

And she warned that some older people may feel a ‘duty to die’ for the sake of relatives:

“Some years ago, I interviewed a widow in England who lived alone with her son who had never been able to keep his job. He had his mother’s house to live in, and his benefits. If she was going to a care home, she’d have to sell the house from under him to pay for it. She wanted to die quickly and leave her house to him, to keep him safe after she’d gone. It was an earth-shattering conversation for me as I realised, indeed, she needed to die to keep him safe. 

“Dilemmas of this kind would arise in homes across Scotland if assisted suicide was introduced. It would be foolish to ignore this issue – as uncomfortable as it is. Many families are facing the surprise that an anticipated inheritance is not coming their way now but it’s going to pay for care. How could this not have a bearing on people’s approach to ‘assisted death’? A ‘right to die’ for some could end up as a ‘duty to die’ for others.”

The professor concluded:

“I fear for the families and carers of older people under pressure to take a new, relatively inexpensive, way of being relieved of the burden of elder care. I worry about living in a society where some people who want to suicide get stopped by nurses and others get helped because we “see why it’s sensible for them to just die”. We are meant to be a proud nation. I predict that this hubris will lead us into shame and contempt from future generations.

“I’m glad to make sure my name is one that spoke out against it not as a matter of religion or faith but just because it is not safe or practical to try to implement state sanctioned killing of people, even with their consent.”

ENDS

About Better Way

Professor Andrews supports the Better Way campaign, which opposes assisted suicide, sets out an alternative vision, and provides a platform for marginalised voices.

 The campaign is supported by experts in several fields including medicine, disability advocacy, and sociology. Find out more: Website | Social media

Contact us: admin@betterwaycampaign.co.uk

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