Facing a Difficult Choice: Death with Dignity and Dementia

Death with dignity, also known as medical aid in dying, offers terminally ill individuals the right to control their end-of-life decisions. But what happens when dementia enters the equation? This episode tackles the complex ethical and legal challenges surrounding death with dignity for individuals with dementia.

We'll explore:

The challenges of cognitive decline: How does dementia impact a person's ability to make informed decisions about their own care?

Advance directives: A voice for the future: Can these documents truly reflect a person's wishes in the later stages of dementia?

Balancing autonomy and compassion: How do we navigate the ethical considerations of respecting a patient's choices while ensuring a humane and dignified death?

Discover practical strategies to facilitate open communication with loved ones about end-of-life wishes. Join us as we delve into the medical, legal, and ethical complexities surrounding death with dignity and dementia.

Our Guest:

D. Liebhart is a nurse and writer. She writes (and sometimes lives) stories about ordinary people in extraordinary circumstances, where they learn that life is rarely predictable and answers to life’s most complex questions are almost never black and white.

House on Fire, her debut novel, was long-listed for the 2022 Petrichor Prize. Her essay Thalassophobia (a true account of a very out-of-the-ordinary honeymoon) won the 2021 Linda Julian Creative Nonfiction Prize from Emrys Journal and is now available on her website.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Related Episodes:

What Is Death Positivity?

The Heart of Caring - Dementia & Hospice

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Sign Up for more Advice & Wisdom - email newsletter.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Please help us keep our show going by supporting our sponsors. Thank you.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Feeling overwhelmed? HelpTexts can be your pocket therapist.

Going through a tough time? HelpTexts offers confidential support delivered straight to your phone via text message. Whether you're dealing with grief, caregiving stress, or just need a mental health boost, their expert-guided texts provide personalized tips and advice.

Sign up for a year of support and get:

Daily or twice-weekly texts tailored to your situation

Actionable strategies to cope and move forward

Support for those who care about you (optional)

HelpTexts makes getting help easy and convenient.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Make Your Brain Span Match Your LifeSpan

Relevate from NeuroReserve

I've been focusing a lot on taking care of my brain health, & I've found this supplement called RELEVATE to be incredibly helpful. It provides me with 17 nutrients that support brain function & help keep me sharp. Since you're someone I care about, I wanted to share this discovery with you. You can order it with my code: FM15 & get 15% OFF your order.

With Relevate nutritional supplement, you get science-backed nutrition to help protect your brain power today and for years to come. You deserve a brain span that lasts as long as your lifespan.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Join Fading Memories On Social Media!

If you've enjoyed this episode, please share this podcast with other caregivers! You'll find us on social media at the following links.

Instagram

Twitter

LinkedIn 

Facebook

Contact Jen at [email protected]

or Visit us at www.FadingMemoriesPodcast.com