Why is euthanasia not allowed when I do not want to suffer or burden others?

This hits a topic close to my heart.

End of life care is a topic that is important to be discussed with loved ones, but many avoid it as they feel that it is taboo, or 'pantang'.

One of the things that I have realized is, while it may be true that your grandma might be forgetting things every 15 minutes, it doesn't affect her ability to feel your love and presence. I was at a talk listening to end-of-life practitioners working at KTPH, and sometimes a simple act of holding their hand could touch hearts more than the generic 'have you eaten yet?'.

End-of-life care is not just about emotions, it also covers the practical aspects of what you or your loved ones want when they are near the end of their lives. Sometimes, having that discussions way before hand could help in avoiding some nasty situations that may occur from lack of planning.

Dear Anon, thank you for sharing your thoughts and feelings. I am sorry that you have to go through this experience. It is okay to feel what you are feeling right now. I am glad that you’ve found a platform to share. Being bedridden and in an unfamiliar place for individuals with dementia can be very distressing, not only to your Grandma but also to her love ones.

While we are working to find it’s cure and preventive solutions There are few ways that may provide comfort to your grandma. While pain reliefs are reasonable, they are temporary with potential side effects. Hence you can consider bringing things that she is familiar with eg. her generation music, radio, books, old pictures, pillows or scent. Based on my published research these may calm individuals with dementia.

As for yourself and family, you may consider support groups where you can gain valuable insights and perspectives such as here https://alz.org.sg/csg/ . You can also consider respite care when you bring her home to give yourself a short break when needed.

One way to probably keep your mind at ease for the future is to do an Advanced Care Planning or Advance Medical Directives. As of now they are free. These help to inform your wishes to the professionals and family when you do not have the capacity to do so. You may also be at ease knowing that your wishes are out there if anything were to happen. Therefore, apart from insurance I strongly encourage individuals to ink their ACP and AMD. More information here: https://www.healthxchange.sg/healthcare-financi...

With that I end with a short quote “Death ends a life but not a relationship.” Hope that everything will be smooth for you and your family, do take care of yourself.

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