End of Life Options
There are a myriad of end of life options for those with a terminal illness. Medical Aid in Dying is but one of those options. Here is some brief information about other options that may be available depending upon your specific illness and unique situation.
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This information is courtesy of the Compassion & Choices website. Please click below to learn more about each option from the Compassion & Choices website.
MAID is when a mentally capable individual, with a terminal illness and less than six months to live as confirmed by two separate physicians requests a prescription of a physician of a lethal medication which they can then choose to self-ingest, causing their death.
VSED is when a mentally capable individual decides to control their own dying by making a conscious decision to refuse foods and fluids of any kind, including artificial nutrition and/or hydration, in order to advance the time of their death.
Palliative sedation (also called terminal and total sedation or continuous deep sedation) involves being medicated to reduce consciousness. Typically, the person remains unconscious until death. At the same time, all nutrition and fluids are stopped. Sedation may bring some relief for extreme pain and suffering. However, it may not totally relieve symptoms.
Palliative Care
Palliative care focuses on pain and symptom management for people living with serious illness as well as coordination of care and quality of life.
Hospice provides comprehensive, holistic support for terminally ill people who are generally within the last six months of their lives and those close to them including comfort care and the relief of physical, psychological and spiritual suffering.
Competent adults have the right to refuse and stop unwanted medical treatment, even if that decision leads to death.