Exploring the End of Life Choices: A New Publication Reveals the Practice of Voluntary Fast
In a poignant exploration of end-of-life choices, University of Rochester Medical Center professor emeritus, Tim Quill, M.D., has penned a groundbreaking book titled "Voluntarily Stopping Eating and Drinking: A Compassionate, Widely Available Option for Hastening Death."
The book offers comprehensive information about VSED (Voluntarily Stopping Eating and Drinking), a legally available option for terminally ill patients in New York State, where physician-assisted death is not legal. VSED, when supported by knowledgeable and caring physicians, can be a peaceful and meaningful end-of-life option.
Quill, who is also a board member of the Death with Dignity National Center in Portland, Oregon, provides realistic descriptions of the VSED process. The book approaches the topic with a focus on the desire for a meaningful end for patients and closure for families.
One of the most compelling aspects of the book is its emphasis on open communication in end-of-life situations. It serves as a tool for starting discussions between family members and physicians, a conversation that is often difficult but crucial.
Robert Horowitz, M.D., the medical center division chief of Palliative Care, shares a chapter in the book about his personal experience with VSED when his own mother chose to use it. Horowitz and his family held conversations with his mother and her physician about her future options, ultimately agreeing to support her choice to die by VSED when she deemed it necessary.
Horowitz's mother, who was facing a progressive illness, feared losing her dignity and autonomy, and not wanting to spend the rest of her days dependent and frail in a nursing home. The book is written with a deep sense of empathy for all involved in end-of-life planning.
The author of the book is not explicitly named in the provided search results, but the book was mentioned in association with teachings and resources on end-of-life decision making by experts such as Judith Schwarz PhD, RN and others specializing in this area around 2014 or later.
Quill was included on a list of "Hospice and Palliative Medicine Visionaries" by the American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine in 2013, further testifying to his expertise in the field.
The book provides insights into the emotional and medically complex situation of end-of-life planning, offering guidance on how to make fully informed decisions. The process of VSED usually takes approximately ten days to two weeks from initiation to death.
In conclusion, "Voluntarily Stopping Eating and Drinking: A Compassionate, Widely Available Option for Hastening Death" is a valuable resource for anyone facing end-of-life decisions or seeking to understand this option better. It sheds light on a lesser-known but potentially life-changing choice, offering a compassionate and informed perspective on VSED.
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