Rational suicide:

[grandmoon]

Beverley Broadbent was not dying of a terminal illness, nor was she depressed or unhappy. But at 83, she wanted to die.

After living a rich and satisfying life, the Brighton East woman said the ageing process had come to feel like a disease that was robbing her of her physical and mental fitness. In February, she said she had had enough.

''I look well and I walk well so people think I'm fine. But I have so many things wrong with me,'' she said. ''The balance is gone. It's taking so much time for me to keep fit to enjoy myself that there's not enough time to enjoy myself.''

In several interviews with Fairfax Media, Ms Broadbent said she planned to take her own life so she could have a peaceful, dignified death. She said she did not want her health to deteriorate to the point where she had dementia or found herself in a nursing home with no way out.

The environmental activist chose to tell her story because she believed many elderly people wanted to die when they felt their life was complete, but lacked the means to go gently.

Read more: http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/rational-suicide-why-beverley-broadbent-chose-to-die-20130401-2h34...

Read more: http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/rational-suicide-why-beverley-broadbent-chose-to-die-20130401-2h34...

[dskracing]

Myself, I think it is the right of each individual to decide if their life is precious or in need of ending.

[cherry*135]

I also agree with Cat Mioux's posts.

My Mum had a breast cancer op at 89 yo. Bounced back as quick as anyone half her age.

My Aunt was 94 when she went into a Home, 96 when she died.

Parents, Aunts & Uncles live to a fairly good age in my family, so I am conditioned to thinking 83 is not really that old.

[cherry*135]

....crikey -  I also expanded a little - was thinking about Am3's post a little earlier about others supplying the drugs etc.

If people think they would like to end their own life when they are elderly, then they really need to stash the drugs needed away when they are about 55(?).

No-one knows when they are going to have a stroke or dementia takes a fast grip on you or any other illness that means you can't really care for yourself and you have to go into care. If those things do happen and you still want to end your life, then you would need the assistance of others to carry it out.

[the_bob_delusion]

People say life is precious, and I do agree with that, but it is only precious if it has value to each individual.

Nicely said. 

I find what Ms Broadbent did very admirable. It's something worth talking about. 

I like people to bring good arguments to the table. I get so frustrated with religious right to lifers who will enforce their point without providing any argument other than the bible says so. 

[the_bob_delusion]

I'm certainly not preaching, well maybe I am, when I say life is a gift and sometimes it takes courage, lots of courage to stay living and overcome your fears.

And it takes just as much courage to call it quits. Humans have a survival instinct. To go against that does tell us something. I read the rest of you post. I don't believe you can judge since you can't put yourself in her shoes. 

[cat_mioux]

I don't understand why Beverley made a hoohah (media attention) about committing suicide?

She didn't want to do it because she had a terminal illness. She didn't want to do it because she had intractable pain. She wanted to end her life because she'd "had enough". Enough of what exactly?

Most of us experience lows, most of us reach a point somewhere we we say okay enough is enough. Life is a challenge and one of the most enduring human qualities we have is finding the courage to 'hang in there', to change our circumstances, to find joy in the simplest things.

I'm appalled and very sad when young people take their own lives because they feel there is no other way out of their problems.  To condone killing yourself for no other reason than "I've had enough" opens the door for so many people to feel it's a viable option.

Well, folks, once your dead your dead. You can't go back if you change your mind.

What legacy has Beverley left .. what message does she give to the 'world'?

If she wanted to kill herself why didn't she just do it without getting the media involved and 'justifying' it in the name of "rational suicide"?  What was the point in that?

It was plain old garden variety suicide.

[cat_mioux]

What if Beverley was 28 years old?

Would you rally to support her decision? To kill herself because she had cataracts and a lump in her breast? Because she'd 'had enough'?

Or do you support this woman's decision because she was elderly?

What's the cut off point when it comes to supporting someone's decision to kill themselves for the same reasons as Beverleys?  50? 60? 70? 80?

Elderly people are already marginalised, invisible, we cut them off, they become isolated. Perhaps, we, should be looking into how we can support our elderly. How we can fix the institutionalisation of nursing homes? Fix the problems of loneliness?

[cat_mioux]

What if a woman came into CS and said she's planning to kill herself because she's getting on in years and she wanted to do it her way.

Honestly .. would you post back "yes I support you. Go do it".

Seriously? What would your response be?

[twinkles**stars]

😐

[jean2579]

What if a woman came into CS and said she's planning to kill herself because she's getting on in years and she wanted to do it her way.

Honestly .. would you post back "yes I support you. Go do it".

Seriously? What would your response be?

If she had considered it and weighed up all of her options and still thought that this was the right time for her, then YES? It is her life, her decision. Only she knows the right time.