…rses also died. Of those who died, 26 people had tested positive for the virus. People are still dying in that facility. A high school friend, whose relative died in May in a Georgia nursing home, was told that 142 people contracted COVID-19 in that facility. 100, including her relative, died. These are the numbers we know. What of the numbers we don’t know? And what’s being done to protect residents and staff? Because relatives and loved ones in…
…It’s a continuing issue. Bob Kafka: Well that leads me to what’s going on today. The healthcare debate, whether we’d like to use the word or not, it’s always about rationing. But the COVID-19 pandemic has really brought to the surface, even much more real, of rationing of health care. What are the issues around the COVID-19 rationing of health care with people with disabilities of all ages? Diane Coleman: Well, I might have mentioned that from ti…
…ance the rights of disabled people for more than 40 years. I am testifying today to help Massachusetts avoid the mistakes that Canada has made in adopting medical assistance in dying, or MAiD. Since June of 2016, more than 50,000 Canadians have been euthanized. Every one of those people – whether or not their natural death was “reasonably foreseeable,” or they were at the “end of life,” – had a physical, mental or sensory limitation which, in comb…
…ot Dead Yet are concerned with the American Medical Association’s decision today to continue studying the issue of physician assisted suicide. While the AMA’s longstanding policy against assisted suicide still stands, a simple affirmation of the policy was defeated in a 46-53% vote. The current AMA policy states, in essential part: “[P]ermitting physicians to engage in assisted suicide would ultimately cause more harm than good. “Physician-assiste…
…husetts member Ellen Leigh’s excellent letter appeared in the Boston Globe today: Jeff Jacoby’s column “For assistance in dying, please press 1” warns against the legalization of assisted suicide, especially highlighting its significant risks. As a disabled person, I share these concerns deeply. Activists within the disability rights community fear that legalized assisted suicide could lead to coercion. Families might see it as a way to avoid care…
