Judie Brown column
Judie Brown
July 30, 2019
Sometimes when we hear conversations about medically treating the
elderly and the dying, we miss key words because they sound so innocent.
Words like palliative care, "unable to digest food," and "refusing to
eat" can be understood to mean that nothing can be done for the patient.
In other words, death is inevitable.
But while we might overlook these words, the practice of overmedicating a
person with pain relief medication (palliative care) or choosing not to
administer food with a tube when a patient can no longer eat with
utensils can lead to untimely and imposed death.
Such practices have been defined as the "third path" in the euthanasia triangle. This three-pronged abuse of the vulnerable includes intentionally euthanizing a patient; helping a patient kill himself; and failing to administer ordinary care such as nutrition, hydration, and ethical comfort care. The third path is the most insidious of all because it can go undetected until it is too late. Those abandoned in their old age have died because they had no one to advocate on their behalf.
Such practices have been defined as the "third path" in the euthanasia triangle. This three-pronged abuse of the vulnerable includes intentionally euthanizing a patient; helping a patient kill himself; and failing to administer ordinary care such as nutrition, hydration, and ethical comfort care. The third path is the most insidious of all because it can go undetected until it is too late. Those abandoned in their old age have died because they had no one to advocate on their behalf.
