End-of-Life Issues Need to Be Addressed

NYT ^ | August 17, 2009 | JANE E. BRODY

[TenthAmendmentChampion]

Most measures taken when patients are terminally ill, including the use of feeding tubes, ventilators and cardiopulmonary resuscitation, do nothing to prolong meaningful life. Rather, as Dr. Jeff Gordon put it in the title of his new book, they represent “A Death Prolonged.”

[TenthAmendmentChampion]

So people must sacrifice their loved ones for the benefit of the whole system?

[TenthAmendmentChampion]

This is a few days old. I searched and didn’t find it posted, although the title might be different.

[Joe 6-pack]

Odd how this entire stench emenates from the political left who vociferously oppose capital punishment with every sinew.

[babyfreep]

They are really pushing this crap aren’t they?

[Perdogg]

When my father was dying, we met with the doctors every morning until he died to discuss this. I don’t see the issue.

[TenthAmendmentChampion]

This was especially chilling:

Costs and Benefits

This “incredibly expensive end-of-life care” detracts from the health care system’s ability to finance preventive care, Dr. Charles A. Bush, the medical director of Richard M. Ross Heart Hospital at the Ohio State University, told me.

Preventive care is not all it’s cracked up to be. Most preventive care is about inexpensive things like eating better and exercising. Medicine can’t help much with that.

[Uncle Ike]

‘Addressed’ - yes...

‘Nationalized’ - no...

[TenthAmendmentChampion]

I don’t like seeing people intimidated into thinking it’s their duty to die.

[ClearCase_guy]

This “incredibly expensive end-of-life care” detracts from the health care system’s ability to finance preventive care

The agenda is very, very clear. But yet they deny that they want the old people to just drop dead. Ummmmmmmm ... we see what you're doing. You're not fooling anyone.

[Perdogg]

I agree.

[Perdogg]

I think you somewhat misunderstood me. I was saying that these conversations with doctors already take place.

[nascarnation]

Excellent way to put it.

The reality is that baby boomers are going to overwhelm Social Security and Medicare. If we want our children and grandchildren to have any chance at prosperity, folks like myself are going to have to suck it up and take less in our old age.

I’m just hoping that Democrats get the blame for most of it and we can stop the stampede to socialism. Democrats have demagogued Reps on SS and Mediscare for decades. Now they’re in charge of EVERYTHING, LOL.

[TenthAmendmentChampion]

Thank you, I’m glad we agree.

[ClearCase_guy]

I don’t see the issue.

Part of this is just obfuscation. Is it so bad to talk to people about options? I would say no. But part of the issue (hardly highlighted in the posted article!) is that categories of people may have their care cut off.

A government bureaucrat may decide that a 70-year-old woman who has been diagnosed with bladder cancer is in the category of "palliative care only". And THAT is the really big issue. At that point (of course!) end of life counseling would make tremendous sense -- because all the other options have been taken away from the family.

They are selling the counseling as a pretty harmless thing -- but the big issue is that people are really, really gonna need that counseling.

[tioga]

I imagine the issue is that it takes place between you and your doctor........NOT with a government official. That little detail makes a huge difference.

[tiki]

Odd how this entire stench emenates from the political left who vociferously oppose capital punishment with every sinew.

Great observation and worth repeating.

[TenthAmendmentChampion]

This “incredibly expensive end-of-life care” detracts from the health care system’s ability to finance preventive care, union pensions, abortions, sex-change operations and campaign contributions from providers

Fixed it.

[Perdogg]

yes. I am opposed to all of 0bamacare, let me make that clear before I get flamed.

[<1/1,000,000th%]

But not by a Federal bureaucracy!!!!!

[TenthAmendmentChampion]

Ping