Euthanasia, Physician-Assisted Suicide Update (Research, Video 2:07)

Euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide continue to become legalized in various countries. Whether individuals agree or disagree with these practices, it is important that healthcare communities stay informed about them and how they are perceived by the public.

In this euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide research, polling data and published surveys of the public and physicians, official state and country databases, interview studies with physicians, and death certificate studies were reviewed for the period 1947 to 2016 with these results:

1) Euthanasia or physician-assisted suicide can be legally practiced in the Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg, Colombia, and Canada (Quebec since 2014, nationally as of June 2016).

2) Physician-assisted suicide, excluding euthanasia, is legal in 5 US states (Oregon, Washington, Montana, Vermont, and California) and Switzerland.

3) Public support for euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide in the United States has plateaued since the 1990s (range, 47%-69%).

4) In Western Europe, increasing and strong public support for euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide has been reported. In Central and Eastern Europe, support is decreasing.

5) In the United States, fewer than 20% of physicians report having received requests for euthanasia or physician-assisted suicide, and 5% or fewer have complied.

6) In Oregon and Washington state, fewer than 1% of licensed physicians write prescriptions for physician-assisted suicide per year.

7) In the Netherlands and Belgium, about half or more of physicians reported ever having received a request; 60% of Dutch physicians have ever granted such requests.

8) Between 0.3% to 4.6% of all deaths are reported as euthanasia or physician-assisted suicide in jurisdictions where they are legal. The frequency of these deaths increased after legalization.

9) More than 70% of cases involved patients with cancer.

10) Typical patients are older, white, and well-educated.

11) Pain is mostly not reported as the primary motivation.

12) In no jurisdiction was there evidence that vulnerable patients have been receiving euthanasia or physician-assisted suicide at rates higher than those in the general population.

13) Most patients receiving physician-assisted suicide in Oregon, Washington, and Belgium reported being enrolled in hospice or palliative care.

From these findings, we can conclude that euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide primarily involve patients with cancer and that the existing data on these practices do not indicate they are widely abused. The following video presents a more visual and detailed review of these findings:

Frances Shani Parker, Author
Becoming Dead Right: A Hospice Volunteer in Urban Nursing Homes is available in paperback and e-book editions in America and other countries at online and offline booksellers.

Hospice and Nursing Homes Blog

Funeral Therapy Dog Comforts Mourners (Research, Video 2:20)

Meet Lulu, a therapy dog making positive contributions in the lives of humans. Animals’ ability to positively impact people in terms of anxiety has been demonstrated innumerable times with animal assisted therapy in the treatment of PTSD patients. In one study of the effect of dogs with patients, psychologists noted an 82% reduction in symptoms. It seems only fitting that animals should continue their successful caregiving during commemorations of death with mourners during funerals.

A death ritual is an opportunity where a dog like Lulu can provide her therapy services. A gorgeous golden doodle, she’s a trained and certified therapy dog at the Westchester County funeral homes. Like healthcare dogs in service in many locations such as hospitals and nursing homes, Lulu goes to funerals and provides comfort to loved ones of the deceased. While some people don’t know what to say or do at funerals, Lulu, who is introduced to families at their request, seems to know just what they need. She takes her job seriously. Funeral director Matthew Fiorillo, Lulu’s owner, says the dog has an uncanny knack for knowing who might want to be near her for comfort. Lulu with all of her eagerness to serve has a way of replacing the anxiety some mourners feel with a calmness that makes life and death seem easier.

Frances Shani Parker, Author
Becoming Dead Right: A Hospice Volunteer in Urban Nursing Homes is available in paperback and e-book editions in America and other countries at online and offline booksellers.
Hospice and Nursing Homes Blog

Unwilling, End-of-Life, Family Caregivers (Research, Video 2:29)

Let’s be honest about end-of-life caregivers. While their contributions can be significant, they don’t always choose to have that role. Some caregivers enjoy nurturing loved ones and find the experience challenging and  rewarding. But few people talk about family caregivers who feel depressed, guilty, trapped in a hole with no way out except the death of persons in their care. 

Maybe unwilling caregivers were the only siblings living near the loved ones, the only relatives or friends with resources to provide care, or the only persons willing to step up when others refused. Whatever their reasons, they became caregivers reluctantly, never fully embracing the responsibility, and made the most of their situations. If they had a choice, would they do it again? Some say they would not.

In a study about family caregivers and unwillingness to serve again, questions were asked about the following:

1)   Whether someone close to them died within past 5 years (25%)

2)   Relationship to the deceased

3)   Provision, intensity, and duration of care

4)   Supportive/palliative care services used

5)   Willingness to care again 

Former caregivers (9%) indicated they would be unwilling to provide care again regardless of time since the death, duration of care, education, and income.

It is interesting to note that older people and those who had not used palliative care services were more likely to be unwilling to care again. Barriers preventing access for disadvantaged groups need to be overcome. Clearly, caregiving a loved one at the end of life can have negative ramifications that need to be addressed. In this video from the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization, Anita Brikman explains caregiver stress and how to cope with it.

Frances Shani Parker, Author

Becoming Dead Right: A Hospice Volunteer in Urban Nursing Homes is available in paperback and e-book editions in America and other countries at online and offline booksellers.
Hospice and Nursing Homes Blog