UN debates the Right to Health of Older Persons

The Human Rights Council last week debated a report on the right to health of older persons titled “Thematic study on the realization of the right to health of older persons”, prepared by Anand Grover the Special Rapporteur on the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health,

Grover under the heading of palliative care says,

The Special Rapporteur is of the view that a holistic approach to health should also

address the process of dying. While this report does not consider issues of patient autonomy in respect of deciding to end life, it is nonetheless necessary to ensure that patients be able to make autonomous, informed decisions regarding the quality of health during the process of dying. That includes choices about access to adequate pain relief and other necessary interventions, location of death, and the ability to refuse treatment designed to prolong life when it is not desired by the patient. This requires clear, candid and non-judgmental discussion with medical practitioners, who should be adequately trained to deal with these delicate issues in order to enable older persons to “die with dignity”, as required from a human rights prospective.

Archbishop Silvano Tomasi Permanent Observer of the Holy See to the UN in Geneva  took “strong exception” to this indirect reference to assisted suicide despite what he termed the agreement of the Holy See with other aspects of the report.

Archbishop Tomasi addressing the report  at the 18th Session of the United Nations Human Rights Council, told the meeting, 

“We strongly believe that life is a gift that no person has the so-called ‘right’ to end, that death is the culmination of a natural process and no person, even the elderly or suffering person himself or herself, is entitled to cause or hasten the natural process of dying through biomedical or any other means"

Archbishop Tomasi’s concern focused on the reference to “issues of patient autonomy in respect of deciding to end life,” though he acknowledged that Grover had not dealt specifically with the issue “in the context of the present report.”

The archbishop said that the Church exhorts scientists and doctors to research prevention and treatment of illnesses linked to old age without ever bending to “the temptation to have recourse to practices that shorten the life of the aged and sick, practices that would turn out to be, in fact, forms of euthanasia.”

He said the Catholic Church sees the growing number of aging persons as a “blessing” rather than “a burden on society.” The Church sponsors 15,448 homes for the aged, chronically ill and handicapped persons around the world.

Irrespective of his concerns regarding the report reference to “deciding to end life,” Archbishop Tomasi was in agreement with other aspects of the report. He concurred with Grover that states should allocate more resources for geriatric care and train health personnel to treat elderly patients in “an appropriate, considerate and non-discriminatory manner.” Archbishop Tomasi also stressed the need to protect frail elderly persons from physical and emotional abuse by caregivers or family members 

'End of Life' Issues, Conference: 'Death in Ireland"

On a number of previous occasions I have blogged (most recently on 19 May 2011) about the Forum on End of Life in Ireland.   (The Irish version for this title is given as Bás in Éireann [sic] i.e. ‘Death in Ireland’.    Should we be worried?)

To re-cap - the Forum on End of Life in Ireland has organised ‘Forum 2011’ – with the key theme being ‘Resilience’ – and the event will take place on Wednesday, 12 October next, at Croke Park, Dublin, from 10 am to 4 pm.

The Chair for the day will be Mrs. Justice Catherine McGuiness and the guest speaker will be the Taoiseach, (Irish Prime Minister) Enda Kenny.  

Four workshops will be held during the course of the day, as follows: Carers; Preparing the Public; Spiritual and Psychological Support; The Medicalisation of Dying.

The deadline for registration at the event, which is organised in association with the Irish Times newspaper and the Irish Hospice Foundation, is Monday, 3 October, and details and bookings may be sought at www.endoflife.ie

In the light of recent and ongoing debate about the sacredness of all human life we suggest that attendance at this meeting is something that as many as possible should contemplate.

‘The Mystery of Human Suffering and Dying’

With the increasingly ambivalent attitude in the care of the disabled and dying throughout the world, especially in the West – and not least in Ireland – it is comforting to realise that there are many who still regard death as a natural process at the natural end of life.   Only a few years ago the God-given dignity of a dying person in Ireland was always recognised and respected but, sadly, in recent times it appears that the essential elements of care to a seriously ill person – hydration and sustenance – are not being automatically provided unless relatives or friends insist.

This is by way of introduction to the information that a very important conference – albeit in the U.S.A. – will take place on 23 July next in Kansas City. The theme of the conference is: Being Faithful Even Unto Death.  It is sponsored by the St. Gianna Physicians’ Guild, an organisation that looks at and discusses Catholic wisdom on the treatment of the disabled and dying, and provides a medical, legal and doctrinal analysis of Catholic care of the disabled and dying.   The Guild is under the patronage of St. Gianna.

 

Cardinal Raymond Burke (Cardinal Prefect of the Supreme Tribunal of the Apostolic Signatura) will be the keynote speaker at the Conference, and his address will be on ‘The Mystery of Human Suffering and Dying’.

Dr. Gianna Emanuela Molla (youngest daughter of St. Gianna) will speak on ‘The Life and Spirituality of my Mother, Saint Gianna, and the legacy she left behind’.

Other participants in the Conference proceedings will be Archbishop Joseph Naumann (Archbishop of Kansas City); Bishop Robert Finn (Bishop of Kansas City-St. Joseph);  Austin Welsh, M.D. (geriatric specialist); Peter Breen (Thomas More Society); Bobby Schindler and Suzanne Vitadamo (brother and sister of the late Terri Schiavo); and Thomas J. McKenna (founder and president of the St. Gianna Physicians Guild