What on earth do you mean by 'with proper care'. Haven't you noticed how bad social care for the sick, and especially the elderly sick, is these days. Unless you are in hospital or a hospice it is a joke and dignity and care are the last things professional carers can do in the very short time they are allowed for each visit. It is pie in the sky to think that our society is going to change, especially now that austerity seems to be the first resort of both Tories and Labour.
My father died seven years ago at 89 after suffering from ill health in his last year that left him chair/bed ridden needing someone to feed him and having bowel problems that meant he needed nappies. He did not have a terminal diagnosis even though doctors told us he would only get worse physically. He had carers four times a day for flying visits, who seemed to change regularly and never had time to build up a 'caring' relationship and I regularly made the 25 mile journey at short notice to help clean him up after his 'accidents'. He was a proud, dignified man who never deteriorated mentally, and you have no idea how much it hurt and made him feel diminished having his son or daughter wipe his ar*e, despite us telling him that we were OK with it. Your comment about society making people feel their dignity has been lost displays no real understanding of how different people are and how deeply some feel about it.
I fell out with him several times because he begged me to help him take an overdose and I couldn't do it...mainly out of cowardice, although I knew that in his shoes I would have wanted the same. Luckily, and I use this word with some guilt, he died shortly after before I was really tested in my decision.
I know my father's situation would not have been covered by this legislation and it is not an easy decision but I believe, from the way he died, and also my brother who died a very painful death from pancreatic cancer at 45, that it is the right thing to do in cases of terminal, painful/debilitating illness that take away everything that the person values in their life, and that legislation must be made as watertight as possible to prevent it drifting from very strict requirements and checks.
