Medical Aid in Dying: A Mental Health Perspective

KSQD 90.7 FM Santa Cruz

Medical Aid in Dying: A Mental Health Perspective

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Episode 76: Psychotherapist and  host Debra Sloss explores the deeply personal and widely debated topic of Medical Aid in Dying (MAID — a practice that allows terminally ill, mentally capable adults to self-ingest prescribed medication to pass peacefully on their own terms.

With the aging Baby Boomer generation bringing end-of-life choices into sharper focus, this conversation delves into the medical, emotional and spiritual dimensions of MAID. Debra is joined by three insightful guests:

• • Lisa Segnitz, a palliative care physician, who explains the medical and ethical considerations.
  • Kim Stokely, who shares her lived experience of supporting her sister through MAID.
  • Neil Vargas-Gladen, a chaplain who offers perspective on the spiritual and emotional aspects of end-of-life choices.

Together, they discuss legal safeguards, mental health impacts, and the broader implications of autonomy, compassion, and dignity in dying.

RESOURCE LIST

* Indicates a Monterey Bay Area Resource

 Websites
Information about the California End of Life Option Act (EOLOA) provided by The Coalition of Compassionate Care of California. And Key Facts About the End of Life Option Act for Patients & Families. This coalition is a community of individuals and organizations working to change systems in order to make conversations about serious illness a part of everyday life and palliative care a part of everyday health care.

Advanced Care Planning Information compiled by The Coalition of Compassionate Care of California.  Offers information and some guidance for thinking about preferences for medical care, discussing them with family and healthcare providers, and documenting them so you’re your wishes are clear and available in case of medical crisis or need.

National POLST (Portable Medical Records) – This is for people who are seriously ill or have advanced frailty. It provides medical orders that travel with them across healthcare settings. This means that they are medical orders that travel with you. Wherever you are, your POLST form tells health care providers what treatments you want and your goals of care, even if you transfer from hospital to nursing home, back to your home, or to hospice or another setting. POLST Basics Information

POLST California – Physician Orders for Life-Sustaining Treatment (POLST) is a form that gives seriously-ill patients more control over their end-of-life care, including medical treatment, extraordinary measures (such as a ventilator or feeding tube) and CPR. This website provides information for medical providers and patients as well as offering downloadable POLST forms in multiple languages.

Compassion & Choices – An organization dedicated to improving care, expanding end-of-life options, and empowering individuals to chart their end-of-life journey. They do this through professional training programs, advocacy and policy work and educational outreach.

Final Exit Network – An organization dedicated to educate qualified individuals in practical, peaceful ways to end their lives, offer a compassionate bedside presence and defend their right to choose.

Books and Media
No Pressure, No Diamonds: Mining for Gifts in Illness and Loss by Teri A Dillion (2020) – This book was written by a woman who chose MAID and was finished just before she died.

Only The Mountain Remains – A short art film created by Tory Capron & Henna Taylor about Tory’s thoughts on death and exploring the question: How can embracing death teach us how to truly live?

Practical Suggestions from Guest Kim Stokely
Here are some things to consider when a loved one is planning for MAID.
Make sure to get the following information from person who is dying:

• • Work with them to complete their 5 Wishes. See https://www.fivewishes.org. Do this with them and then do it again just before they die. It seems to get more and more detailed.
  • Find out what they would like for a ceremony/celebration of their life in as much detail as they are willing to provide.
  • Make sure you have all their bank account and bill locations and passwords.
  • Make sure they have assigned a Power of Attorney and Executor.
  • Make sure their computer and phone are left with Executor/Power of Attorney

Support
* Hospice of Santa Cruz County provides comfort and peace of mind as you face serious illness or end of life. Offering a range of services including: Pediatric Care for medically fragile children and their families; Transitional and Palliative Care to help you manage the challenges that accompany serious illness; Hospice Care to support patients and families for many months at the end of life and Grief Support through ongoing support groups, one-day workshops, and one-on-one support. End of Life Option Act Information.

For Physicians & Providers
Academy of Aid-in-Dying Medicine (formerly called American Clinicians Academy on Medical Aid in Dying ACAMAID) – Organization providing clinical expertise to those assisting in patients’ end-of-life options.

Contact Guests
Kim Stokely
Email: kim@kimstokely.org

* Indicates a Monterey Bay Area Resource