[ourmandave]

This reminds me of an interview with neurosurgeon and author Henry Marsh who had prostate cancer.

He described how he's arranged to end his own life should he get alzheimer's or dementia as he didn't want to waste away. But he explained that he has access to knowledge and things ordinary people don't.

[dj_gitmo]

I looked into this recently and it seems like it is basically impossible to pre-arrange assisted suicide for alzheimer's or dementia. Even in countries which allow death with dignity. I find it very strange because it’s so common and I’m sure many people would prefer DWD in those circumstances.

[tsimionescu]

The big problem with Alzheimer or dementia is related to consent and timing. People's memory dissolves pretty slowly. You'd almost certainly not want to be euthanized when you've just started forgetting where you've put your keys more often. Many would rather be euthanized than continue being a burden when they have stopped even remembering that bathrooms exist or who their family was. Between these extremes you can have many years, maybe even a decade, of good and bad days, weeks, months.

[awakeasleep]

To me, it doesn’t seem strange at all because I’m thinking about how complicated the system would have to be to carry out such a directive.

[wahern]

You can do it in Canada. Canada is on a euthanasia tear, and something like 3-4% of all deaths are by euthanasia or assisted suicide, and on track to reach double digits in the coming years. But euthanasia for dementia is a fine ethical line to navigate (Canada notwithstanding) because consent is either absent or suspect when the time comes.

[KellyCriterion]

In Switzerland, there are four agencies - one treats foreigners as well (Pegasos Association)

[parpfish]

shouldn't finding a way to kill yourself be pretty easy, even without legal DWD? you can overdose on OTC meds, or get a knife, or (in America) pick up a gun.

[lostlogin]

> DWD? you can overdose on OTC meds, or get a knife, or (in America) pick up a gun.

Someone with sound mind is likely to worry about what’ll be left for loved ones to clean up.

And someone suffering dementia/Alzheimer’s may well forget the plan.

[throwaway173738]

None of these things guarantee death and if you fail they come with some awful complications. Overdosing on Morphine is probably the easiest, most humane way to die.

[dj_gitmo]

Once you reach that state, you cannot accomplish anything like that.