Euthanasia: Living Will And Hospice Care

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Recommended: Morality in euthanasia

In today’s modern era, Euthanasia is a contentious subject, not only because there are various types of moral predicaments about it, but also what comprises its definitions. Euthanasia, which in Greek means ‘easy death’ or ‘die well’, is the process of painlessly helping a terminally ill person to die. This is also known as assisted suicide or mercy killing. When questions arises about the ethical aspects of Euthanasia, living will and hospice care play an essential role in clarifying these questions as well as explanations. A living will is a legal document which allows an individual to make the decisions of whether life-prolonging medical or surgical procedure are to be continued, withheld, or withdrawn, as well as when artificial feeding and fluids are to be used or withheld. It enables one to express his or her wishes. Hospice is a program which provides comfort and supportive care for terminally ill patients and their families. There are many misconceptions about hospice and what they do.

In the article from The Washington Post, “Back Off! I’m Not Dead; I Don’t Want a Living Will. Why Shouldn’t I?” Charlotte Allen discusses a living will as depicting death by giving consent to Euthanasia. She related this statement with a personal experience for a routine mammogram check up which revealed that she had an early-stage breast cancer. Allen had to make hospital visits for treatment. Before a procedure, the receptionists would ask her if she had a living will. She also recalled her experience visiting her 93-year-old father dying of prostate cancer. Later on that day, a friend of the family called and informed her that her dad will eventually be comatose so she should think about putting him into hospice where he will be placed on morphine.

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