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Problem posed by ageing population
- Jean Davies (21 March 2007)
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Jean Davies, retired Oxford OX1 4QG
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Although the authors of “Caring for the Oldest Old” [Vol 334, p546] refer to “these frail elderly people, whom we are likely to become” they do not develop this approach to the problem posed by our ageing population. The Japanese were the first to experience a generation of recently retired couples [or, worse still, single person] who immediately became full-time carers of their very old parents/neighbours. And it was a Japanese doctor whose idea it was to form a World Federation of Right to die Societies; theirs has always been among the biggest and most active of its member societies. Most of the people who support such voluntary groups are thinking of themselves in the future when they near the end of their own lives. At all costs they want to avoid a lengthy period of what they might then find a life which has lost all quality. As matters stand they can give instructions refusing futile medical treatment but this rarely meets the case. In the retirement development from which I write we live actively enjoyable lives but the time does come when our various age-related disabilities make us run out of energy. Our keenest wish becomes to say good-bye to our nearest and dearest in a civilised way and then to die quietly at home. There are many people – and I have known some of them – for whom this has been possible. They were Dutch. Belgian and Swiss laws also allow their citizens this last choice. It is surely time for the British medical profession to recognise that its own members will indeed eventually be among the oldest old . Competing interests: Author of "Choice in Dying" [Ward Lock: 1997] |
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