Voluntary stopping of eating and drinking, or VSED, is a
form of assisted suicide that is commonly chosen by the elderly. It is especially
enticing to the terminally ill, those that have only 6 more months to live, and
to sufferers of Dementia and Alzheimer’s disease.
For many, VSED exit
is a viable option. It has no legal consequences and requires no legal
permission. Here’s what’s there to understand about VSED, its impact on an
elderly patient, and the family left behind.
VSED Explained
VSED is a decision made by an elderly to stop from eating
and drinking with the sole purpose of death. Individuals who have stopped
eating because of lack of appetite caused by an illness don’t count as VSED.
Individuals who can’t eat on their own, but are rather fed through feeding
tubes, are also not considered VSED.
In VSED, there has to be a voluntary choice on the part of
an individual. However, because majority of VSED participants are elderly, they
choose to undergo VSED with the help of healthcare professionals. Because of
this, VSED is sometimes considered as an assisted suicide.
However, unlike most assisted suicide methods, VSED don’t
have any legal requirements. An elderly wishing to undergo VSED doesn’t have to
be proven mentally incapacitated or ill with a terminal disease. Not even a
physician’s authorization or governmental action is needed. What’s needed then?
How VSED Works
An elderly however, should have the right, solid determination
to go through the entire process of VSED. Support from the elderly’s family is
also of utmost importance.
At a minimum, the process of VSED could end in as little as
five to seven days. At most, an elderly could die after two to three weeks. The
length of the VSED process varies between individuals. Age, nutritional status,
and illness are factors that can speed up or slow down the dying process.
A VSED exit
provides an option to hasten death through dehydration. At first, VSED goes
through a smooth start. Slowly, energy levels would go down and mental
alertness would slip away. By the third day without water, an elderly will
alternate being in and out of consciousness. Without water though, the body
can’t survive for long.
By the time symptoms of dehydration starts to show, a
healthcare professional, usually a nurse, would administer shots of morphine.
This is to stop the pain caused by the loss of water in the body. Mainly
however, morphine is used to control discomfort for the elderly.
Making the Right Decision
The effects of a VSED
exit are different in every case. While it may provide a graceful,
dignified death to some, it is gruesome and painful to others. Whatever it may
lead to though, the elderly should have all the support they need as they go
through VSED.