This is a beautiful article by Judith Graham whose sister’s wishes were to have no feeding tube or breathing machine if she became incapacitated. And Then the sister was diagnosed with frontotemporal dementia (FTD). The sister wanted to stay in her home throughout the illness, as many of us do.
The article has a lot to do with frontotemporal dementia symptoms. It also addresses the struggles within families to honor their loved one’s wishes. While Judith’s sister never got a feeding tube, she was moved to a memory care facility at some point. The sister thrived in the facility.
Judith Graham addresses the idea that disability means that life isn’t worth living. She says:
That idea that value is erased by disability — that was clearly wrong.
Here’s a link to the full article:
www.statnews.com/2016/09/16/dementia-last-wishes/
STAT
First Opinion
My sister made her end-of-life wishes clear. Then dementia took hold
By Judith Graham
September 16, 2016
Robin