Let elderly people 'hurry up and die', says Japanese minister

[^_^ 5,021]

Another preview into what liberals really think. Ever notice how liberals are constantly harping on how other countries control healthcare costs? Well, now you know. And this is why you should never give up your guns. Death Panels are run by liberals and they are scared of guns. Well known fact.

Taro Aso, the finance minister, said on Monday that the elderly should be allowed to "hurry up and die" to relieve pressure on the state to pay for their medical care.

...

He referred to elderly patients who are no longer able to feed themselves as "tube people". The health and welfare ministry, he added, was "well aware that it costs several tens of millions of yen" a month to treat a single patient in the final stages of life.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2013/jan/22/elderly-hurry-up-die-japanese

[I AM NOT THAT GUY 5,715]

Right on! Getting old sucks. Even masturbation doesn't hold the same thrill it once did.

[^_^ 5,021]

Right on! Getting old sucks. Even masturbation doesn't hold the same thrill it once did.

omg

[Teddy B 17,252]

Taro Aso, the finance minister, said on Monday that the elderly should be allowed to "hurry up and die" to relieve pressure on the state to pay for their medical care.

...

He referred to elderly patients who are no longer able to feed themselves as "tube people". The health and welfare ministry, he added, was "well aware that it costs several tens of millions of yen" a month to treat a single patient in the final stages of life.

Isn't that like $1.35 American?

Right on! Getting old sucks. Even masturbation doesn't hold the same thrill it once did.

[Usui Takumi 1,562]

Isn't that like $1.35 American?

I think 10 million Yen is roughly 110,000USD or so right now.

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

I don't know why people continue to defend this insane process of artificially keeping the vital signs of essentially dead people going as if they were still alive? Doesn't there come a point where the human thing to do is to let go? Why is it that every time someone says that we need to find a way to make passing away a dignified process again - this is what most everyone supports and what certainly everyone wants for themselves - some get up in arms and scream euthanasia. It's not euthanasia if we let people that have lived a full live pass. It's the course of nature.

[^_^ 5,021]

I don't know why people continue to defend this insane process of artificially keeping the vital signs of essentially dead people going as if they were still alive? Doesn't there come a point where the human thing to do is to let go? Why is it that every time someone says that we need to find a way to make passing away a dignified process again - this is what most everyone supports and what certainly everyone wants for themselves - some get up in arms and scream euthanasia. It's not euthanasia if we let people that have lived a full live pass. It's the course of nature.

because sometimes when a person is the on the way out, "extraordinary measures" brings them back and they can live in a semi-meaningful way for a few more months or years before finally croaking.

as long as insurance will pay for those measures, lots of people will say ok give it a shot.

[Penny Lane 8,159]

Right on! Getting old sucks. Even masturbation doesn't hold the same thrill it once did.

That's when you know life is over.

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

[quote name=' timestamp='1358879890' post='5935571]because sometimes when a person is the on the way out, "extraordinary measures" brings them back and they can live in a semi-meaningful way for a few more months or years before finally croaking.

as long as insurance will pay for those measures, lots of people will say ok give it a shot.

We've got to find a way of dealing with this. With the advances in the medical field, we can keep just about anyone around for a few more weeks or months - where keeping around often doesn't mean much more than artificially keeping vital signs going. But what is the point?

[^_^ 5,021]

We've got to find a way of dealing with this. With the advances in the medical field, we can keep just about anyone around for a few more weeks or months - where keeping around often doesn't mean much more than artificially keeping vital signs going. But what is the point?

To the surviving family members, there's a point. Does the "evil" insurance company tell them they don't get that extra month or two to properly say goodbye? Does the "evil" government tell them that new regulations governing extraordinary measures means say bye bye to grandpa NOW even though really you could have an extra month if only government would let the insurance company you've paid premiums to all your life pay?

There's a macro argument, which we all understand.

But case-by-case, this is very difficult.

[decocker 7,198]

[quote name=' timestamp='1358880470' post='5935600]

To the surviving family members, there's a point. Does the "evil" insurance company tell them they don't get that extra month or two to properly say goodbye? Does the "evil" government tell them that new regulations governing extraordinary measures means say bye bye to grandpa NOW even though really you could have an extra month if only government would let the insurance company you've paid premiums to all your life pay?

There's a macro argument, which we all understand.

But case-by-case, this is very difficult.

i would think that insurance companies, specifically life, would argue assisted death is in fact suicide and that would rule out all related payouts.

we like to make our elderly and terminally ill suffer all that's coming to them. goes back to our puritan roots.

[^_^ 5,021]

i would think that insurance companies, specifically life, would argue assisted death is in fact suicide and that would rule out all related payouts.

we like to make our elderly and terminally ill suffer all that's coming to them. goes back to our puritan roots.

Who's talking assisted death?

The standard of palliative care in the situations I'm familiar with is to withdraw medical care and hydration and let nature take its course. Death is not accelerated (no 'assisted death').

[decocker 7,198]

[quote name=' timestamp='1358880834' post='5935618]

Who's talking assisted death?

The standard of palliative care in the situations I'm familiar with is to withdraw medical care and hydration and let nature take its course. Death is not accelerated (no 'assisted death').

assisted in that measures aren't taken to prolong life. you don't think that would be the terminology used by insurance companies?

[I AM NOT THAT GUY 5,715]

assisted in that measures aren't taken to prolong life. you don't think that would be the terminology used by insurance companies?

No.

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

[quote name=' timestamp='1358880470' post='5935600]There's a macro argument, which we all understand.

But case-by-case, this is very difficult.

I recognize that. But take your average American through a hospital or hospice to see how the last days, weeks, months or even years look for many of our elderly and the majority reaction you will get is - I don't want to end up that way. So why can't we make that choice via the insurance coverage we do or don't buy? That way, it's not the insurance making the call but the person making the call when they're still in a situation to do so.