My father has Alzheimers and is in-and-out of dementia.
He has a medical problem, one that is not immediately life threatening that requires a very involved surgery. Because of the complexity and length of the surgery and the amount of anesthesia involved, it means he may never recover his sensibilities or any lucidity, and may be totally demented afterwards.
In his present state he is aware of the problem. It scares the Hell our of him. He wishes he were dead.
His doctors ( yes, plural) and I agree that he can live for years with what is ailing him but he may have only a few months or at most 14 months with the Alzheimers. It is not worth losing his sanity to have him undergo an involved surgery that will not do anything to truly extend his quality of life or length thereof.
And suppose you —or your father—were to take the opposite position? After all, death is a fearful thing. A government panel should decide? That means you would have to leave the country to find medical treatment.
If a patient (like your father) wishes of his own free will to pass up a life extending operation, that is one thing. To be pressured by bureaucrats into doing this is quite another thing.
His doctors ( yes, plural) and I agree that he can live for years with what is ailing him but he may have only a few months or at most 14 months with the Alzheimers. It is not worth losing his sanity to have him undergo an involved surgery that will not do anything to truly extend his quality of life or length thereof.
Makes sense. There is a time to do nothing.
The mental deterioration from the anesthesia would be worse than the surgery involved.
I would make sure though that their pallative care is outstanding and also available, with what is coming down the pike.