Suicide Among The Elderly

[TiredHorse]

A long-ish read, and full of genuine tragedy as rational elders are trapped in a rigged, for-profit care system:

Sorry, this content is not available in your region.

At least Paul Andrews is sensible, and I really want to know more about professor Dena Davis:

"Andrews has come to believe that elderly people should be able to decide when they're ready to die.

"I think it's a human right," he said. "If you go out when you're still functioning and still have the ability to choose, that may be the best way to do it and not leave it to other people to decide."

That's a view shared by Dena Davis, 72, a bioethics professor at Lehigh University in Pennsylvania. Suicide "could be a rational choice for anyone of any age if they feel that the benefits of their continued life are no longer worth it," she said.

"The older you get, the more of your life you've already lived — hopefully, enjoyed — the less of it there is to look forward to," said Davis, who has publicly discussed her desire to end her own life rather than die of dementia, as her mother did."

 

[-L-]

I read the entire article, and I honestly find myself siding with the elderly people in this article, (big surprise there).
If your life no longer brings you any happiness or joy, and or if your dying of a terminal condition like stage four throat cancer like in the first case.
Who is anyone to tell you to stick around? Especially if you have to live in deplorable conditions, in a poorly run care facility that only cares about you for the profit you generate for them.

We live in a age where we are not only living but thriving, with modern science and medical treatments, (we have effectively started preforming god-like mericals).

In the past we were always struggling to survive, we didn't have time to think much in the way of life or philosophy. As it was always just a matter of tending to daily tasks for survival.
A lot of the very things we take for granted now that give us more time, are the very things that lead to unhealthy coping mechanisms, bordom, loneliness, and depression. We have more time to think and question things then ever before.
So with all the advancements we have made within even the last one hundred years have brought on other problems we never accounted for.
I guess my point is in the past people didn't really have the time, to question things on such a deep level as we do now.

We also didn't have such long life expectancy's, as I said we are now preforming what is akin to mericals in medical advancement. And with that comes longer life expectancy, and survival rates from what may have been considered medically untreatable conditions in the past.

The issue and downside with this though is that with life longevity, life quality goes down for the elderly as their bodies are slowly degrading, and shutting down. Life longevity has also created more health issues that never existed in the past, due to old age and pushing the body past what was ever thought to be possible for life expectancy.
They are left in care facilities that are often in very poor condition and often underfunded with what is often burned out, cold unemphatic staff running the place.

And to add insult to injury they talk about further suicide prevention measures like suicide proofing the facility in various ways.
In my opinion that only makes it feel more prison-like, and it fails to address the actual causes and issues that drive the elderly to the point of suicide to begin with.
And in my personal experience, being in and out of suicide proofed psych wards has only ever made me want to die even more.. (I see it almost as a challenge).

I personally believe sometimes people are just at a point where they are just ready to go.
And when your in your 80s, 90s or even older, who's business is it to tell you otherwise?

I believe that life is inherently meaningless, nothing we do really matters in the grand scheme of the universe.
So life only means as much as you want it to and you define your own meaning and purpose, and when that begins to fade, and when there is no further pleasure or quality of life for you I believe you should be able to leave. Provided its given enough time and consideration to all available options at your disposal.

At this point I feel I am going in circles as my mind is rather foggy, but these are just my thoughts.
Thanks @TiredHorse for giving me some food for thought.

 

[Superfluous]

@TiredHorse - your link text here says "Sorry, this content is not available in your region.". Click the link - oh yes it is

 

[Soul]

@TiredHorse - your link text here says "Sorry, this content is not available in your region.". Click the link - oh yes it is

Not for me - it says it isn't and it truly isn't. (TiredHorse isn't the one who chose to have it say that. I see that message all the time on youtube, for example, because the publishers restrict what countries can view their stuff.)

 

[Superfluous]

Not for me - it says it isn't and it truly isn't. (TiredHorse isn't the one who chose to have it say that. I see that message all the time on youtube, for example, because the publishers restrict what countries can view their stuff.)

Yeah, I know it's due to my location. Just found it funny that the link also works.

 

[ExitTheDay]

All I can say about this post is... Fuck cancer and fuck that nursing home!

 

[Soul]

Fuck being elderly or otherwise vulnerable:

How the Elderly Lose Their Rights

Guardians can sell the assets and control the lives of senior citizens without their consent—and reap a profit from it.

www.newyorker.com

(Apparently a way to prevent this is to "pre-appoint" one's own guardian ... better yet don't get old.)

 

[Severen]

These people just needed Yoga and vitamin D... What a tragedy...

 

[Final Escape]

These people just needed Yoga and vitamin D... What a tragedy...

Lol!

 

[TAW122]

Good find @TiredHorse and yes I agree with Paul Andrews and Dena Davis's statements in the article.

Also @-L- makes really good points, especially when facilities and society's efforts focus on suicide prevention rather than focusing on improving quality of life and solving problems, root causes that lead people to want to suicide. If they want actual suicide prevention, they should focus on making conditions better for people so those who didn't actually want to die (if their QOL was better) would actually want to live for real.

As for me, I speak for myself mainly, but I'd go the Martin Manley way (guy died EXACTLY at age 60, no more no less and exactly the way he had planned to die, suicide via firearm).

 

[TiredHorse]

Improving QOL is a lot more expensive than installing escape-proof windows. Can't have anything bite too deeply into the bottom line of the for-profit assisted living industry, can we? And we certainly can't have them dying early and reducing profits by not being there to buy into the industry at all!

 

[Ruffian]

A long-ish read, and full of genuine tragedy as rational elders are trapped in a rigged, for-profit care system:

Sorry, this content is not available in your region.

At least Paul Andrews is sensible, and I really want to know more about professor Dena Davis:

"Andrews has come to believe that elderly people should be able to decide when they're ready to die.

"I think it's a human right," he said. "If you go out when you're still functioning and still have the ability to choose, that may be the best way to do it and not leave it to other people to decide."

That's a view shared by Dena Davis, 72, a bioethics professor at Lehigh University in Pennsylvania. Suicide "could be a rational choice for anyone of any age if they feel that the benefits of their continued life are no longer worth it," she said.

"The older you get, the more of your life you've already lived — hopefully, enjoyed — the less of it there is to look forward to," said Davis, who has publicly discussed her desire to end her own life rather than die of dementia, as her mother did."

TiredHorse thank you for posting this, but I just can't bring myself to read it. I'm having a hard time right now with another reason I stay here IRL & on SS - my dad is really getting bad with dementia. When I was around 15 we had a talk and he asked me to make sure if he was unable to care for himself that I would be sure to help my mom "pull the plug." Not in a creepy, weird way, he just had a big life fear of it. I need to broach the subject of living will, last wishes, etc. with my mom and sister. We have a history of dementia (and Huntington's & suicide). I know we can't assist with a suicide or anything, and this isn't the exact place for support with that. I just find it thoughtful that you posted it, and when I'm ready, I will come back to it. Again, another reason this site is helping me realize this isn't the appropriate time for me to leave. I figured with everything people struggle with here, someone will understand what I mean.

 

[TiredHorse]

TiredHorse thank you for posting this, but I just can't bring myself to read it. I'm having a hard time right now with another reason I stay here IRL & on SS - my dad is really getting bad with dementia. When I was around 15 we had a talk and he asked me to make sure if he was unable to care for himself that I would be sure to help my mom "pull the plug." Not in a creepy, weird way, he just had a big life fear of it. I need to broach the subject of living will, last wishes, etc. with my mom and sister. We have a history of dementia (and Huntington's & suicide). I know we can't assist with a suicide or anything, and this isn't the exact place for support with that. I just find it thoughtful that you posted it, and when I'm ready, I will come back to it. Again, another reason this site is helping me realize this isn't the appropriate time for me to leave. I figured with everything people struggle with here, someone will understand what I mean.

I am so very, very sorry. Both if my posting of this has made your difficult situation worse, and for the situation itself. I can barely imagine what you're facing, and I doubt my imagination does it justice.

I wish I could offer something that would make things easier for you. I suppose all I can do with any real effect is to assure you that your foresight is wise and that no, you don't want to read this article right now. It was difficult and infuriating for me; I suspect it could be agony for you.

You have my complete sympathy, and my profound respect and admiration for your decision to delay your own end for the sake of your family. Your chosen path is the definition of altruism.

 

[Ruffian]

I am so very, very sorry. Both if my posting of this has made your difficult situation worse, and for the situation itself. I can barely imagine what you're facing, and I doubt my imagination does it justice.

I wish I could offer something that would make things easier for you. I suppose all I can do with any real effect is to assure you that your foresight is wise and that no, you don't want to read this article right now. It was difficult and infuriating for me; I suspect it could be agony for you.

You have my complete sympathy, and my profound respect and admiration for your decision to delay your own end for the sake of your family. Your chosen path is the definition of altruism.

No - it did not make it worse, I'm actually becoming more grateful for SS than I ever thought I would when I first signed up. There just isn't anywhere else like it for people facing these complex and intertwined issues. I'm really reflecting on my life and beliefs right now, and I'm being really careful SS stays protected and private and away from pro-lifers trying to interfere with our community. Someone on here WAS bothering me earlier, but there's an ignore button for a reason. Thank you for your kind words.