Do most people end up in nursing homes before they die of old age?

[Taramere]

I'd never burden anyone with taking care of my ass. When it gets like that, I'm done... I'll "do it" myself if nature doesn't do it first.

 

I totally agree. I'm a great believer in voluntary euthanasia so that people don't have to end their days in circumstances they find immensely degrading, depressing and uncomfortable.

 

In fact, a few months back I was mulling over the notion that one of the most honourable businesses a person could run would be a voluntary euthanasia centre, where great care went into providing a person with high quality care and comfort, and serene peaceful surroundings (permeated with their favourite music and favourite smells) until the last moment.

 

When I go off into these imaginings, I become incredibly detailed about it. I imagined myself appearing on talk shows patiently defending the work of the centre against angry religious fundamentalists. I recognised, in my fantasy, the work that would have to go in to training, supervising and debriefing staff to deliver a high service. You could never have that situation where a person was given an apathetic service on their death bed by a burned out nurse who was just going through the motions.

 

I honestly believe this world would be a far happier place if people had that reassurance that when it came to a point where they were too old and sick to feel life was worth living, they could not only take that decision about the ending of their own life, but they could have it ended in a serene environment surrounded by the closest thing to angels that humanity can offer.

 

For pragmatists, it makes good business sense...and also means jobs for the kind of people for whom society often has little use (ie very high empathy, gentle people who may not generally do well in a commercial environment). From a humane perspective, how could life not be dramatically improved for people by removing that horrible fear and uncertainty about becoming sick, dependent and treated like cattle by short-tempered, burned our and low paid staff in a nursing home.