Elopement — when a resident wanders out of a care home — is a real risk, particularly for people with dementia. But in the vast majority of cases in the state, the facilities are never inspected and rarely sanctioned.
I defer to you on whether your particular life was worth living. The question is why you would want to live if your mind, your character and memories were gone — if you were a burden on those around you and could no longer engage in self-reflection or abstract reasoning. What would be the point?
Because that isn’t what dementia necessarily is. My father recognized me when he was down to doing child-level jigsaw puzzles and even though he had a much more primitive mind, he was still him in essence, that wasn’t gone. Not everything goes in every case.
Dementia is a spectrum of neuropathology, so you’ve effectively ignored my question. But ok, let’s go with your specific example. Why would you keep your father alive in such an undignified state? You’re describing him as playing with “child-level jigsaw puzzles,” meaning he’s barely sentient and someone has to wipe his ass, which is a horrifying indignity. Literally my idea of hell. Are you punishing him? Are you punishing yourself?
Humans are supposed to transcend the mortal realm, so why this obsession with remaining alive even at the expense of everyone around you? I guess I’ll never get an answer.
Would I keep my father alive? No, because he’s not me. I thought we were talking about what I would do with my own life.
And I gave you my answer- I don’t believe in an afterlife, so I don’t want to end my life unless it has to end. It’s not that you’ll never get an answer, it’s that you don’t like the answer you were given.
This is circular. If you had dementia, you wouldn’t like living, because you’d be a zombie, and even if you did still like living (doubtful), you’d be an enormous burden on those you love, which would presumably undercut your “joy” at being a mindless husk. So why the fuck would you want to keep living in that case?
Who is paying for your nursing home?? Do you imagine the people are there wiping your ass because they enjoy it?
Did it seriously never occur to you that if you get to that stage everyone would be wasting resources keeping your mindless body alive instead of, say, feeding hungry children and investing in their future?
I defer to you on whether your particular life was worth living. The question is why you would want to live if your mind, your character and memories were gone — if you were a burden on those around you and could no longer engage in self-reflection or abstract reasoning. What would be the point?
Because that isn’t what dementia necessarily is. My father recognized me when he was down to doing child-level jigsaw puzzles and even though he had a much more primitive mind, he was still him in essence, that wasn’t gone. Not everything goes in every case.
Dementia is a spectrum of neuropathology, so you’ve effectively ignored my question. But ok, let’s go with your specific example. Why would you keep your father alive in such an undignified state? You’re describing him as playing with “child-level jigsaw puzzles,” meaning he’s barely sentient and someone has to wipe his ass, which is a horrifying indignity. Literally my idea of hell. Are you punishing him? Are you punishing yourself?
Humans are supposed to transcend the mortal realm, so why this obsession with remaining alive even at the expense of everyone around you? I guess I’ll never get an answer.
Would I keep my father alive? No, because he’s not me. I thought we were talking about what I would do with my own life.
And I gave you my answer- I don’t believe in an afterlife, so I don’t want to end my life unless it has to end. It’s not that you’ll never get an answer, it’s that you don’t like the answer you were given.
WHY? That’s what I’m asking you. You haven’t even attempted to answer this question.
Because I enjoy living. I’m not sure why that needs to be made clear to you.
This is circular. If you had dementia, you wouldn’t like living, because you’d be a zombie, and even if you did still like living (doubtful), you’d be an enormous burden on those you love, which would presumably undercut your “joy” at being a mindless husk. So why the fuck would you want to keep living in that case?
Yes, again, there is not one type of dementia. Why are you assuming I would only have the kind of dementia where I wasn’t aware I was alive?
And no I wouldn’t be a burden, I’d be in a nursing home as I have already told my family in the event of dementia.
Who is paying for your nursing home?? Do you imagine the people are there wiping your ass because they enjoy it?
Did it seriously never occur to you that if you get to that stage everyone would be wasting resources keeping your mindless body alive instead of, say, feeding hungry children and investing in their future?