Perhaps the costs of sustaining a person, so cognitively impaired they are unable to feed themselves, has destroyed the idea of human dignity. Perhaps a cure for these debilitating diseases will reduce the burden of cost and lessen the need for such barbaric remedies as withholding food and water. Taking the easy way out takes away the push for a cure. The Hippocratic Oath—”With regard to healing the sick, I will devise and order for them the best diet, according to my judgement and means; and I will take care that they suffer no hurt or damage.”—comes to mind.
For the last 7 or so years of her life, my mother was a care giver for one of her best friends and neighbor that had dementia. I came back to visit one day and went to see her at the friends house. It was 2:45 in the afternoon and my mother was feeding her friend. I asked “late lunch?” Now here is where my then 85 year old mother with basic Catholic education still taught her college educated son something. She said that her friend does not always eat at the time the nurses feed her (very good nurses mind you) and they usually only try for 45 minutes then give up. My mother said “I don’t care if it takes 2 or 3 hours to feed her.” My mother passed away to be with my father soon after. 30 days later, her friend passed also. Love trumps most things in life.