EUTHANASIA SHOCK
OAPs should be given choice of EUTHANASIA if they’re ‘tired of life’ to save taxpayer cash, Belgian insurance boss says
Read on to see the potential reasons why the decision to give the elderly a choice could be a positive
OLD age pensioners should be given a choice of euthanasia if they decide they've grown "tired of life", claims a Belgian insurance boss.
Luc Van Gorp, 57, has called for the elderly to be given the final say on their lives in hopes it can end the stigma around assisted suicide and even save the taxpayer a lot of money.
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Euthanasia has been a hotly debated topic for decades and is still illegal in several countries across the world including the UK.
Although most places that have legalised the method of dying, such as the Netherlands, only allow a patient to go through it if they can prove they have "unbearable suffering without prospect of improvement".
But for Gorp, the president of the CM health fund, the option should be more accessible to those who have lived a fulfilling life already.
He said: "Many elderly people are tired of life. Why would you necessarily want to prolong such a life?
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"Those people don't want that themselves, and when it comes to budgets, it only costs the government money."
Before he went on to tell the Nieuwsblad newspaper: "We must remove the stigma."
The number of Belgians over 80 years old is set to double by 2050 to 1.2 million and Gorp thinks the chance to end your life early on your own terms should be extended to OAPs.
One of the main reasons is to combat the rising tax bills of many residents.
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Pensioners spend their lives working so when they retire they are allowed to live off money from the government instead of staying in work.
This means those of us still in a job are essentially left paying for their income.
Another huge issue stems from the elderly requiring more help as they get older.
Care homes are getting more full meaning workers are in higher demand and hospital beds are being taken up by those over 80 at a greater rate.
OAPs are also more likely to become seriously ill as their bodies weaken with age.
This can lead to serious amounts of money being spent on caring for them with a number of illnesses such as dementia, Alzheimer's, cancer and a range of others.
But for Gorp and his insurance company, the elderly shouldn't be forced to live into their 90s and should be given a choice if they wish to end their lives.
BELGIUM'S LAWS ON EUTHANASIA
Euthanasia has been legal in Belgium since 2002 and the country has even played a pivotal role in overseas visitors looking to die on their own terms.
The law states anyone can undergo the peaceful procedure if they meet the following conditions.
They must voluntarily ask to be euthanised.
It must be considered and a repeated decision over a period of time.
And the patient must be experiencing unbearable suffering as a result of an incurable or serious illness.
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It comes as more people are choosing to be euthanised due to mental health problems.
Physically healthy Zoraya ter Beek, 28, has decided to get euthanised after suffering from crippling depression after being told her condition will "never get better".
Zoraya once aspired to become a psychiatrist but couldn't finish her studies because she was struggling with depression and autism.
For ten long years, she tried all possible solutions from therapy to medications to improve her condition.
The Dutch woman has even been allowed to decide the exact date and location of her last breath.
What is euthanasia and why is it controversial?
EUTHANASIA, sometimes known as mercy killing, is the practice of intentionally ending someone's life to relieve their pain and suffering.
The term comes from an ancient Greek phrase meaning "good death".
Euthanasia is deliberately helping or encouraging someone to take their own life, for example by providing them with medicine to do so.
Euthanasia is a crime under English law, carrying a maximum penalty of life in jail, and assisted suicide 14 years.
The only exception is "passive euthanasia", which is where treatment that might extend someone's life is withdrawn - such as a life machine being turned off.
For terminally ill patients in the UK, the only alternatives are hospice care or refusing treatment, which mentally capable patients have the right to do.
As a result, some terminally ill people decide to travel abroad to die.
Euthanasia and dying is a controversial issue - with passionate campaigners on each side of the argument.
People who agree with euthanasia often argue that people should be allowed to die with dignity - and they should be able to decide when and how they die, and potentially save their loved ones the pain of seeing them suffer.
Some also believe death is private, and it's not the state's place to interfere if a person wants to die.
Those in favour of euthanasia also point out that we euthanise our pets as an act of kindness - and resources could be put towards people who want to live, or whose conditions are curable.
However, there are concerns that allowing euthanasia would give doctors too much power, and might even worsen care for the terminally ill and research into their illnesses.
Some also believe it goes against the job description of doctors and nurses and the oath they take to not harm patients - they also say it undermines the value of human life.
Others also worry about the possibility of someone potentially recovering, or changing their mind when it's already too late.
Some have even suggested it could lead to people feeling pressured into asking to die, as they don't want to be a burden upon those around them
DOCTOR'S VIEWS ON EUTHANASIA
Critics have blasted the decision for some countries to legalise the practice, saying it encourages people like Zoraya to die rather than live in pain.
Stef Groenewoud, a healthcare ethicist at Theological University Kampen, told the Free Press: “I see the phenomenon, especially in people with psychiatric diseases, and especially young people with psychiatric disorders, where the healthcare professional seems to give up on them more easily than before.”
Critics blame "suicide contagion" on a social media glamorisation of suicide and radical right-to-die activists who advocate for the freedom to kill ourselves when our lives are "complete".
But some doctors believe euthanasia is an acceptable alternative as they view suicidal patients as people with terminal illnesses.
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Kit Vanmechelen told BBC: "I've treated patients that I knew were going to commit suicide. So to have euthanasia as an alternative makes me very grateful we have a law.
"The ones I know will commit suicide are terminal in my opinion. And I don't want to abandon my patients who are not able to go on with their lives."
You're Not Alone
EVERY 90 minutes in the UK a life is lost to suicide
It doesn’t discriminate, touching the lives of people in every corner of society – from the homeless and unemployed to builders and doctors, reality stars and footballers.
It’s the biggest killer of people under the age of 35, more deadly than cancer and car crashes.
And men are three times more likely to take their own life than women.
Yet it’s rarely spoken of, a taboo that threatens to continue its deadly rampage unless we all stop and take notice, now.
That is why The Sun launched the You’re Not Alone campaign.
The aim is that by sharing practical advice, raising awareness and breaking down the barriers people face when talking about their mental health, we can all do our bit to help save lives.
Let’s all vow to ask for help when we need it, and listen out for others… You’re Not Alone.
If you, or anyone you know, needs help dealing with mental health problems, the following organisations provide support:
- CALM, www.thecalmzone.net, 0800 585 858
- Heads Together,www.headstogether.org.uk
- HUMEN www.wearehumen.org
- Mind, www.mind.org.uk, 0300 123 3393
- Papyrus, www.papyrus-uk.org, 0800 068 41 41
- Samaritans,www.samaritans.org, 116 123
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