Physician-Assisted Suicide: Hospice-Palliative Volunteers' Opinions (Video 2:58)

Hospice-palliative volunteers bring a unique perspective to the ongoing debate about physician-assisted suicide. Already legal in several states (Oregon, Washington, Montana, Vermont, and New Mexico), the law requires that the terminally ill must be of sound mind when requesting assisted suicide, as confirmed by a doctor and other witnesses. The main difference between euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide is that the latter requires the patient, not a doctor or someone else, to self-administer the medication and decide when to do that. Despite fears that the assisted suicide law would be used inappropriately by many people not showing good care or judgment, that has not been the case.

Research on physician-assisted suicide included two groups consisting of Canadian in-home hospice-palliative volunteers and members of the community. Participants responded to 15 items about physician-assisted suicide. Differences of opinion were revealed in both groups. Additional questions confirmed the following about the majority of volunteers and community members:

They support legalizing physician-assisted suicide.
They would choose hospice-palliative care over physician-assisted suicide for themselves if they were terminally ill.
They think Canadians should place more priority on developing hospice-palliative care rather than on legalizing physician-assisted suicide. 

Watch the video.....

THE SANDWICH GENERATION: WHO IS CARING FOR YOU?

Social worker Dorothy Miller, originally coined the term "sandwich generation" back in 1981, to describe women in their 30s to 40s who were "sandwiched" between young children and aging parents as their primary caregiver. A lot has changed since then. Women are delaying child-bearing and seniors are living longer. Because of these added variables, the "sandwich generation" definition has morphed along the way and tends to target both genders and the predominant age is 40-65 years old.

According to a 2013 Pew research report, "Nearly half (47 percent) of adults in their 40s and 50s have a parent age 65 or older and are either raising a young child or financially supporting a grown child (age 18 or older). And about one-in-seven middle-aged adults (15 percent) is providing financial support to both an aging parent and a child" (Parker & Patten). In 2005, the sandwich generation was largely made up of baby boomers.

Self-care is typically neglected by the sandwich generation. Learning to integrate simple self-care tips into your daily routine will help caregivers to stay healthy. The heathy caregiver provides a higher level of physical and emotional care to their loved one and this is a gift that keeps on giving.

Caregiving tips:

Be kind to yourself
Often we are kind to others while we push ourselves beyond our own limits. The first step in dealing with caregiver stress, anger, or frustration, is to care for yourself. Well-meaning friends and relatives often tell you to take care. But no one will actually tell you how to take care of yourself while supporting a loved one or sitting at his or her side at the hospital.

Take spontaneous and unplanned breaks
If your loved one is in the hospital and needs to have a test, give the nurse your cell number and go sit outside for ten minutes. If caring for someone at home, consider the use of a wireless doorbell system to enable your loved one to call when needed. This allows the caregiver on duty the freedom to be in another room or go outside.
For more tips ......

NURSES, OPEN YOUR EYES !!

On October 1, the Government of Canada proudly celebrates National Seniors Day, recognizing the contributions of Canadian seniors. By staying active, informed and engaged seniors across Canada are demonstrating to all Canadians what it means to age well. Reliable Home Care Agency is committed to care for seniors and people with disability.

“The following poem was found among the personal possessions of an elderly woman who had died in a nursing home in Scotland. Her words remind us of our obligations to understand, comfort and maximize quality of life in elderly patients.” — from the introduction to Dr. Michael A. Jenike’s book entitled Geriatric Psychiatry and reported by David M. Weinberger, Ph.D., licensed psychologist in his remarks at the Mid-Winter Psychology convention, February 21–24, 1991.

“Not A Crabbit Old Woman Wrote This”

What do you see, nurses, what do you see?
Are you thinking when you look at me—
A crabbit old woman, not very wise,
Uncertain of health, with far-away eyes,
who dribbles her food and makes no reply
When you say in a loud voice,
“I do wish youd try.”

Who seems not to notice the things that you do,
And forever is losing a stocking or shoe.
Who unresisting or not, lets you do as you will,
With bathing and feeding, the long days to fill.
Is that what you’re thinking,
is that what you see?
Then open your eyes, nurses,
you’re not looking at me.

I’ll tell you who I am as I sit here so still,
As I rise at your bidding, as I eat at your will.
I’m a small child of ten with a father and mother,
Brothers and sisters, who love one another,
A young girl of sixteen with wings on her feet,
Dreaming that soon now a lover I’ll meet;
A bride soon at twenty—my heart gives a leap,
Remembering the vows that I promised to keep;
At twenty-five now I have young of my own.
Who need me to build a secure happy home:
A woman of thirty, my young now grow fast,
Bound to each other with ties that should last;
At forty, my young sons have grown and are gone,
But my man’s beside me to see I don’t mourn;
At fifty once more babies play round my knee,
Again we know children, my loved one and me.

Dark days are upon me, my husband is dead,
I look at the future, I shudder with dread.
For my young are all rearing young of their own.
And I think of the years and
the love that I’ve known.

I’m an old woman now and nature is cruel—
’Tis her jest to make old age look like a fool.

The body is crumbled, grace and vigor depart,
There now is a stone where I once had a heart.

But inside this old carcass a young girl still dwells,
And now and again my battered heart swells.
I remember the years, I remember the pain,

And I’m loving and living life over again.
I think of the years all too few—gone too fast,
And accept the stark fact that nothing can last.

So open your eyes, nurses, open and see
Not a crabbit old woman, look close—see ME!