Euthanasia or not ?
Retirement can and should be an exciting time. For perhaps the first time, you have the leisure and freedom to pursue travel or other interests freely, to slow down and 'smell the roses.' However, for many men, retirement can be challenging. It is not just adjusting to the loss of a stable work routine and its associated sense of purpose that can be hard. Retirement brings new relationship issues, and for men who do not find new meaningful activities to replace work, there is the risk of boredom and a sense of purposelessness that can lead to depression and other health problems.
For many men in our culture, identity revolves around a number of central roles and skills:
being a good provider
being 'useful'
being independent
being an achiever.
OK now what ?
Pajamas all day,
Day-time TV,
sitting in the garden,
old folks club - - - this way lies depression, insecurity , isolation and loneliness.
So why do we fall into these ever present and obvious traps?
Well from my point of view it seems mainly to do with worrying about haveing too much life left at the end of your money.
What I mean is we are often frightened of doing things because of the cost and potentially ending up in old age and poverty.
I think we should all take a stand for selective euthanasia, I mean who wants to be a burden on family, friends or society in general. I certainly don't want to end up sitting in an old folks home dribbling in damp underwear, waiting for an over worked under payed carer to take me to the toilet. No I want to get on with my life While I still can. When I become senile or infirm or bed-bound I should be able to decide that that's enough and release everyone else from the burden of caring for me.
OK I know this will be controversial and there will have to be laws and proper over-site to ensure that unscrupulous relatives don't "bump me off" for their own benefit.
Think of the potential benefits for society and the economy:-
More than two-fifths of national health spending in the UK is devoted to people over 65, according to estimates produced for the Guardian by the Nuffield Trust (think what the NHS could be like with that extra money).
We can't built new houses fast enough for the growing population, OK so if I decide to "shuffle off this mortal coil" then that's one more house for a new growing family.
My children won't be trapped looking after me or paying someone to look after me, they won't have the guilt of loving me but wishing I would just die quietly one night in my sleep (no matter how much they love me there will come a time when they think like this). As senile dementia and problems like Alzheimer's become more prevalent it's likely that you will end up caring for a relative that you no longer recognise as a loved mother or father.
I want the choice, I may not take up the option, but I don't want to be trapped in confusion or pain or both.
If the Swiss can why can't we?
{Explored 4th August 2017}
Euthanasia or not ?
Retirement can and should be an exciting time. For perhaps the first time, you have the leisure and freedom to pursue travel or other interests freely, to slow down and 'smell the roses.' However, for many men, retirement can be challenging. It is not just adjusting to the loss of a stable work routine and its associated sense of purpose that can be hard. Retirement brings new relationship issues, and for men who do not find new meaningful activities to replace work, there is the risk of boredom and a sense of purposelessness that can lead to depression and other health problems.
For many men in our culture, identity revolves around a number of central roles and skills:
being a good provider
being 'useful'
being independent
being an achiever.
OK now what ?
Pajamas all day,
Day-time TV,
sitting in the garden,
old folks club - - - this way lies depression, insecurity , isolation and loneliness.
So why do we fall into these ever present and obvious traps?
Well from my point of view it seems mainly to do with worrying about haveing too much life left at the end of your money.
What I mean is we are often frightened of doing things because of the cost and potentially ending up in old age and poverty.
I think we should all take a stand for selective euthanasia, I mean who wants to be a burden on family, friends or society in general. I certainly don't want to end up sitting in an old folks home dribbling in damp underwear, waiting for an over worked under payed carer to take me to the toilet. No I want to get on with my life While I still can. When I become senile or infirm or bed-bound I should be able to decide that that's enough and release everyone else from the burden of caring for me.
OK I know this will be controversial and there will have to be laws and proper over-site to ensure that unscrupulous relatives don't "bump me off" for their own benefit.
Think of the potential benefits for society and the economy:-
More than two-fifths of national health spending in the UK is devoted to people over 65, according to estimates produced for the Guardian by the Nuffield Trust (think what the NHS could be like with that extra money).
We can't built new houses fast enough for the growing population, OK so if I decide to "shuffle off this mortal coil" then that's one more house for a new growing family.
My children won't be trapped looking after me or paying someone to look after me, they won't have the guilt of loving me but wishing I would just die quietly one night in my sleep (no matter how much they love me there will come a time when they think like this). As senile dementia and problems like Alzheimer's become more prevalent it's likely that you will end up caring for a relative that you no longer recognise as a loved mother or father.
I want the choice, I may not take up the option, but I don't want to be trapped in confusion or pain or both.
If the Swiss can why can't we?
{Explored 4th August 2017}