Q. My wife and I recently sat down to discuss the topic of end-of-life planning. She surprised me when she told me that if she ever gets diagnosed with Alzheimer’s or another type of dementia, she’d want to die on her own terms, before she becomes a burden to loved ones. I know from some […]
Should People with Dementia Be Able to Die with Dignity?
Q. During a conversation the other night, my father said that if he was ever diagnosed with dementia that he wouldn’t want to live that way or burden the family. I know that Death with Dignity is legal in a growing number of states, but can people with dementia choose physician-assisted death in those states? […]
How One Journalist Helped Her Father Die
If you’re someone who is suffering from a terminal illness, and you have only a few months to live, should you be allowed to choose how and when to die? Ten states in the United States now let patients do just that — a practice referred to as medical aid in dying — under highly […]
Is Physician Assisted Death Legal Yet?
Q. I am seriously thinking about what to include in my advance directive. I watched my dad deteriorate and die from dementia. I wouldn’t wish that on my worst enemy. I always say that if I get Alzheimer’s or another form of dementia, then I would like to die a quick and peaceful death on […]
Boo! Our Top 10 Scariest Articles of 2020 (A Very Scary Year!)
2020 has been a scary year! Since we’re so close to Halloween, it’s a perfect time to catch up on some of the scariest elder law, estate planning, and special needs planning articles until now. Exposing everything from dementia at 30 to coronavirus patients being moved to nursing homes, our subject matter can get pretty […]
When Medical Aid in Dying Is Legal, But Still Not Accessible
Q. I recently attended my 50th high school reunion and connected with several teammates with whom I played varsity basketball. I heard about a teammate who had terminal cancer who wanted to die on his own terms. Although death with dignity is legal in his state, he still had a rough time finding a doctor […]
Alternate Endings: Six New Ways to Die in America
Attitudes about death and end-of-life choices are rapidly changing in America. As the baby boomer generation is aging, more and more people are rethinking the ways end of life is recognized and are deciding to take control of what will happen when they die. Some people who are nearing death and others who are recently […]
Would You Choose Death on Your Own Terms if You Had a Terminal Illness? In 10 States, It’s Legal.
Q. I was recently flipping through the channels to watch Wimbledon on TV. I flipped too far and ended up on the World Series of Poker. When the tennis match was over, I flipped back to the poker competition. A man named Kevin Roster, who was fulfilling the last item on his bucket list, really […]