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Welcome
Nov 22, 2006 0:22:43 GMT -5
Post by jeremy on Nov 22, 2006 0:22:43 GMT -5
Welcome everyone! This question addresses the effect of technology on longevity and quality of life. Medical advances have enabled an unprecedented number of Americans to live longer and healthier lives, but this new longevity has also had unintended consequences. Living longer also means serious chronic illness and a protracted physical decline that can require an immense amount of care, often for years and sometimes even decades.
I think Leon Kass makes a good point in the film. He states that we are on the threshold of the 1st mass geriatrics society. People may gain a decade of longevity of good health but this is often followed by up to a decade of bad health, chronic disease and loss of function. It raises a serious question for family and caregivers. How do we decide when a loved one has had enough. What do you think?
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Welcome
Nov 22, 2006 0:50:20 GMT -5
Post by Amber J on Nov 22, 2006 0:50:20 GMT -5
It is very hard to decide when enough is enough. I do not have the heart to decide when a love one's time is up. As a young person in her 30s, it is very hard for me to think this far. Just like Lucia Paunea, I do not want the person I care about to suffer. When the time comes, as hard as it is for me, I would have to think what would be the best alternative for the person I love. Just like Mary Ann Kiberardino, who is faced with her own struggle with her aging parents, I do not have a quick answer.
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Welcome
Nov 27, 2006 21:40:41 GMT -5
Post by kevinchen on Nov 27, 2006 21:40:41 GMT -5
Amber, you make a good point! It is very hard to decide how to care for our loved ones. I am grateful that my grandmother made these decisions for us when she was dealing with emphysema. When the time came to decide whether or not for her to using an artifical breathing machine, we already knew her wishes. When the time came to decide to use a breathing machine in the ICU, my grandfather knew her wish not to prolong life unnecessarily. This made it easier on the whole family.
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