Mourir de vieillesse augmente-t-il le risque de mal mourir ?

This paper explores the hypothesis that elderly people are discriminate in the face of dying, by not having access to adequate medical and mainly palliative care, due to their age. The factors proposed to be at the origin of this discrimination are three: (1) The way death is approaching and can be...

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Main Author: Véronique Fournier
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Les Éditions de la Maison des Sciences de l’Homme 2023-11-01
Series:Socio
Subjects:
Online Access:https://journals.openedition.org/socio/14653
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author Véronique Fournier
author_facet Véronique Fournier
author_sort Véronique Fournier
collection DOAJ
description This paper explores the hypothesis that elderly people are discriminate in the face of dying, by not having access to adequate medical and mainly palliative care, due to their age. The factors proposed to be at the origin of this discrimination are three: (1) The way death is approaching and can be detected as coming soon, are not the same than in other clinical situations, due to illnesses as cancer for example. There is still a deficit of medical knowledge, about what biologically and physiologically means to become very old and dying of aging. Palliative care has not been developed for assisting people dying due to old age and remains quite inappropriate for that in their current conception. (2) Old age is a risk factor of not being as much respected in one’s autonomy as young people. Indeed, elderly are frequently considered as heteronomous and vulnerable, deserving to be protected, even against themselves and what they express. (3) Lastly, if becoming very old without getting a fatal disease can be considered as a privilege, it can indeed come with difficulties to have access to active assistance in dying. Actually, the laws that open the access to such a procedure autorize it only for people whose vital prognosis is compromised at short term because of a terminal illness fatal or for people who suffer without possibilities to be relieved, all conditions that are usually not part of the picture of dying from aging.
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spelling doaj.art-98ab5f8e6fe047f4a7b9b24394d1e0b92024-02-13T15:42:43ZengLes Éditions de la Maison des Sciences de l’HommeSocio2266-31342425-21582023-11-0118597110.4000/socio.14653Mourir de vieillesse augmente-t-il le risque de mal mourir ?Véronique FournierThis paper explores the hypothesis that elderly people are discriminate in the face of dying, by not having access to adequate medical and mainly palliative care, due to their age. The factors proposed to be at the origin of this discrimination are three: (1) The way death is approaching and can be detected as coming soon, are not the same than in other clinical situations, due to illnesses as cancer for example. There is still a deficit of medical knowledge, about what biologically and physiologically means to become very old and dying of aging. Palliative care has not been developed for assisting people dying due to old age and remains quite inappropriate for that in their current conception. (2) Old age is a risk factor of not being as much respected in one’s autonomy as young people. Indeed, elderly are frequently considered as heteronomous and vulnerable, deserving to be protected, even against themselves and what they express. (3) Lastly, if becoming very old without getting a fatal disease can be considered as a privilege, it can indeed come with difficulties to have access to active assistance in dying. Actually, the laws that open the access to such a procedure autorize it only for people whose vital prognosis is compromised at short term because of a terminal illness fatal or for people who suffer without possibilities to be relieved, all conditions that are usually not part of the picture of dying from aging.https://journals.openedition.org/socio/14653autonomyend of lifeold agepalliative careactive assistance in dying
spellingShingle Véronique Fournier
Mourir de vieillesse augmente-t-il le risque de mal mourir ?
Socio
autonomy
end of life
old age
palliative care
active assistance in dying
title Mourir de vieillesse augmente-t-il le risque de mal mourir ?
title_full Mourir de vieillesse augmente-t-il le risque de mal mourir ?
title_fullStr Mourir de vieillesse augmente-t-il le risque de mal mourir ?
title_full_unstemmed Mourir de vieillesse augmente-t-il le risque de mal mourir ?
title_short Mourir de vieillesse augmente-t-il le risque de mal mourir ?
title_sort mourir de vieillesse augmente t il le risque de mal mourir
topic autonomy
end of life
old age
palliative care
active assistance in dying
url https://journals.openedition.org/socio/14653
work_keys_str_mv AT veroniquefournier mourirdevieillesseaugmentetillerisquedemalmourir