ATLANTA, GA—The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued findings yesterday that indicate an alarming number of elderly family members are being enrolled accidentally for assisted suicide rather than the intended assisted living. The study found that the incidence of the mistake, which often goes unnoticed until after the fact, has affected as many as 73% of the geriatric population in some municipalities or jurisdictions. The CDC and other authorities have stated that the issue is a complex one with numerous, sometimes surreptitious problems.
First, while there are only eight jurisdictions where physician-assisted suicide (PAS) is considered legal, many physicians, caregivers, and loved ones remain ignorant of their own state’s legislation and who, in particular and if any, is authorized to perform procedures. For example, veterinarians in several states have been known to put down senescent seniors in addition to their usual cats, dogs, and other animals, apparently unaware of any wrongdoing.
Second, the paperwork and legal requirements for assisted suicide differ from state to state and can be excessively convoluted. In many areas, the forms for both methods of dealing with old age are surprisingly similar, often differing by only one or two check-boxes or questions; in some jurisdictions, they use the same paperwork for both. Some states lack the budget and experience to develop their own forms, using photocopied samples from other states where PAS is legal, notably California. Those states typically cross out the original state name and abbreviation with a marker and write their own. The greatest rate of mishaps occurs in Missouri even though assisted suicide is illegal in the state; some critics hypothesize that it is due to the similar short-term low costs of assisted living and assisted suicide in the state as well as the borrowed common form.
Third, many medical professionals, family members, and caregivers write in illegible cacography, leaving others to conjecture relative to the meaning and intent. Similarly, many doctors, medical providers, and caregivers lack proper training. In Las Vegas, if there is bad handwriting on paperwork, caregivers may flip a coin for the best two out of three times to determine whether assisted living or assisted suicide were meant. Gambling is often involved.
Fourth, loved ones may not have or spend the necessary time and resources to investigate assisted living opportunities. This can often lead to heartache and premature funeral costs. It does not help that many assisted living facilities have mortuaries on the grounds and untrained staff that may lead to the assisted suicide wing by accident.
Despite the aforementioned and other complex underlying causes, the CDC remains hopeful that some of its forthcoming suggestions will relieve this medical crisis for the aging. Meanwhile, they have uncovered a similar issue in the confusion given by the abbreviation, DNR, for “do not resuscitate” orders and the Democratic National Registry, which may explain why there are fewer elderly Democrats.