"Tough to Swallow" ~ Alberta Seniors

[Rerun]

Originally Posted by Sliver

Another problem is people just live too long now. We really need to legalize euthanasia. I think a lot of these people would be very happy to die with dignity versus sitting around a depressing home for two decades. Many people outlive their ability to be useful economically and socially, and they also lose that spark that lets them enjoy life. I think it's cruel to not give them the option of choosing when to take their final bow.

Perhaps we should just set up a board of people to determine whether someone is still or ever was, a contributing member of society.... those that fail get the needle! Problem solved.

[Sliver]

Originally Posted by Rerun

Perhaps we should just set up a board of people to determine whether someone is still or ever was, a contributing member of society.... those that fail get the needle! Problem solved.

What are you talking about?

[chemgear]

Originally Posted by Sliver

What are you talking about?

Palin and her death panels? Oh and green text.

[Mean Mr. Mustard]

Originally Posted by Dion

Can you explain why seniors are given sleeping pills before bedtime? I find it hard to believe that seniors in these facilities are put to bed around 7-8 at night only to have them sleep the whole night through to 7-8 in the morn. Maybe i'm wrong, but my understanding is you sleep less as you get older.

Most times it is because seniors request sleeping pills and they are a PRN medication and actually having them sleep a full night assists a great deal with quality of life.

[Rerun]

Originally Posted by Sliver

What are you talking about?

I'm just taking your ridiculous idea one step further. Legalized euthenasia.... my god! Where does it end? Who makes this decision to "legally" end someone elses life just because in your opinion they are no longer contributing members of society and their life isn't worth living.

[Sliver]

Originally Posted by Rerun

I'm just taking your ridiculous idea one step further. Legalized euthenasia.... my god! Where does it end? Who makes this decision to "legally" end someone elses life just because in your opinion they are no longer contributing members of society and their life isn't worth living.

Oh I see. I meant to say assisted suicide. The patient should have the right to decide.

[Dion]

Originally Posted by Sliver

Another problem is people just live too long now. We really need to legalize euthanasia. I think a lot of these people would be very happy to die with dignity versus sitting around a depressing home for two decades. Many people outlive their ability to be useful economically and socially, and they also lose that spark that lets them enjoy life. I think it's cruel to not give them the option of choosing when to take their final bow.

I thinks it's cruel to take advantage of someone who has lost their usefulness to society. Euthenasia/suicide is a cop out for not dealing with the problem these seniors face. We need to help create an enviroment where they are happy and not depressed. Suggesting we should let them kill themselves is disghusting.

[Dion]

Originally Posted by Sliver

Oh I see. I meant to say assisted suicide. The patient should have the right to decide.

How do we know when a person is of sound mind when making a descion like that? For that me that's the problem with your idea. We don't help depressed adults and children kill themselves, so why should we allow seniors to do it?

We shouldn't be treating them as a burden to society and we should not be letting them to feel that way.

[Sliver]

Originally Posted by Dion

I thinks it's cruel to take advantage of someone who has lost their usefulness to society. Euthenasia/suicide is a cop out for not dealing with the problem these seniors face. We need to help create an enviroment where they are happy and not depressed. Suggesting we should let them kill themselves is disghusting.

Has it occurred to you when you are no longer useful, are too infirm to leave your ward, have no chance for future happiness and things will never get better that assisted suicide is an attractive option? What's disgusting is you telling them to "keep on truckin'" because we will work on making you happy when the fact is their time is done and they're just waiting to die (in a lot of cases). This should be their decision, not yours.

[Mean Mr. Mustard]

Originally Posted by Dion

I thinks it's cruel to take advantage of someone who has lost their usefulness to society. Euthenasia/suicide is a cop out for not dealing with the problem these seniors face. We need to help create an enviroment where they are happy and not depressed. Suggesting we should let them kill themselves is disghusting.

I disagree - if I ever develop a dementia I don't want to live anymore after a certain point where I can't recognize family and loved ones. That isn't a cop out that is ensuring quality of life if nothing else. I don't want to be a burden in the future on the people who I care about and I don't think many people do.

I think of euthenasia as a medical procedure to be honest with you - people have the right not to have medical procedures performed without their consent, so I think logically people should have the right to have elective medical procedures to be performed. I am not saying kill all the seniors but if there is someone who has reoccuring infections, lets say they lost a limb to diabetes, is incontinent of stool and urine, pressure ulcers, constant UTIs, memory/cognitive issues.... I can't blame someone in those positions for hitting the eject button and I think having it done in a respectful, painless manner is a lot better than a senior trying of OD on pills or hang themselves.

[Zevo]

Some of you that think these meals are perfectly fine need to do a 'Seniorize Me' style study ala the 'Supersize Me' Documentary. Try eating a months worth of these generic frozen meals three times a day for 30 days, and nothing else, and see you feel about them then.

[Dion]

Originally Posted by Sliver

Has it occurred to you when you are no longer useful, are too infirm to leave your ward, have no chance for future happiness and things will never get better that assisted suicide is an attractive option? What's disgusting is you telling them to "keep on truckin'" because we will work on making you happy when the fact is there time is done and they're just waiting to die (in a lot of cases). This should be their decision, not yours.

You don't tell them to keep on truckin, you help treat the root cause. It's no different than those suffering from serious depression and wanting to end thier lives. To say there is no chance of future happiness is laughable.

[Zevo]

Originally Posted by Sliver

Has it occurred to you when you are no longer useful, are too infirm to leave your ward, have no chance for future happiness and things will never get better that assisted suicide is an attractive option? What's disgusting is you telling them to "keep on truckin'" because we will work on making you happy when the fact is their time is done and they're just waiting to die (in a lot of cases). This should be their decision, not yours.

While I do agree with you that people should be able to choose thier own fate, most of these people just want a decent standard of living and decent food, not death.

[Sliver]

Originally Posted by Dion

We shouldn't be treating them as a burden to society and we should not be letting them to feel that way.

Aaaaaaaaand back to reality. Dion. Buddy. They are burdens. Sorry you don't like that but it is an irrefutable fact.

[Zevo]

Originally Posted by Sliver

Aaaaaaaaand back to reality. Dion. Buddy. They are burdens. Sorry you don't like that but it is an irrefutable fact.

So are mentally handicapped people...and children, god my school taxes alone! We could really make a utopian society if we really, really tried.

[Zevo]

Originally Posted by fotze

I'd probably feel better considering my current diet of hot wings, pizza, donairs, coffee and beer.

Lol, true and i'm not that different...but that is our choice, and at least it tastes good.

[Dion]

Originally Posted by Mean Mr. Mustard

I disagree - if I ever develop a dementia I don't want to live anymore after a certain point where I can't recognize family and loved ones. That isn't a cop out that is ensuring quality of life if nothing else. I don't want to be a burden in the future on the people who I care about and I don't think many people do.

They may not recognise family and loved ones but that doesn't mean we have the right to end thier lives because we think they are a burden.

I think of euthenasia as a medical procedure to be honest with you - people have the right not to have medical procedures performed without their consent, so I think logically people should have the right to have elective medical procedures to be performed. I am not saying kill all the seniors but if there is someone who has reoccuring infections, lets say they lost a limb to diabetes, is incontinent of stool and urine, pressure ulcers, constant UTIs, memory/cognitive issues.... I can't blame someone in those positions for hitting the eject button and I think having it done in a respectful, painless manner is a lot better than a senior trying of OD on pills or hang themselves.

I see euthanasia as suicide and that's not something I support. I've witnessed members of my family unit endure great pain and suffering from Cancer and in the end all chose to die with dignity. You start allowing euthanasia and it will quickly become a slippery slope where it will become a family memeber making that descion and not the person with the illness.

[Dion]

Originally Posted by Sliver

Aaaaaaaaand back to reality. Dion. Buddy. They are burdens. Sorry you don't like that but it is an irrefutable fact.

They are burdens? I feel sorry for big guy.

I should pass your message on to my local chapter of the Special Olympics. I'm sure the kids and young adults would appreciate hearing that they are a burden to society.

[Rerun]

Originally Posted by Sliver

Aaaaaaaaand back to reality. Dion. Buddy. They are burdens. Sorry you don't like that but it is an irrefutable fact.

Sorry that you feel that way. I consider most elderly, valuble members of society, who if you sat down to talk to, you could learn a lot from.
Sure there are the mentally infirmed but then where do you draw the line? Do we start killing off the mentally infirmed young because they too are burdens on society?

[GGG]

Originally Posted by pylon

How is someone with Alzheimer's or dementia supposed to be responsible for themselves. Get a part time job at the local 7-11? A lot of these people gave everything to their kids, so they could have a good life, and then are subsequently dumped in these homes once they are broke, and a burden. It is not as cut and dry as you make it.

Well obviously during a persons life they save money so that money can be used for their retirement / Death. If you choose not to do that for whatever reason be it kids, vacations, nice cars etc that is your choice. The governments job at all stages of life should be to ensure human dignity.

Also if your kids dump you in a home and dont help support you, you raised some selfish kids.

I agree it isn't black and white and I think that homes with good employees could probably do better with the same costs then the government mandated program. And local delivery should be explored. Whats interesting is here is an area where a for profit home might be able to provide better service than a government one because of competition. THis assumes that the kids would put some effort into choosing a home for the parent.

I look at programs like Welfare the same way, you want to ensure a minimum level of human dignity. Beyond that is not the governments role.