I was introduced to end-of-life care by Mother Teresa in Calcutta, India, in 1985 in her
home for the dying. What amazed me was that
in this impoverished country, the dying in her home were cared for with such personal
attention and tenderness. Their hands were held, their pain was treated. Dying was not handled as simply a medical moment
but as the spiritual experience that it was.
Then I came back home to the United States. Care here was miserable. I saw people dying in pain and alone. Their last days weren’t comfortable or
peaceful, and often their last wishes were ignored.
Something was very wrong with this picture
In the years since then, I have had the privilege of spending a lot
of time with dying people and their families. While
each person has their own wishes, everyone wants not just someone to care for them, but
someone to care about them. They want a human
touch and the assurance that they will be accompanied as they go home to God. They want their dignity. And I know in my heart that legalizing euthanasia
is not the solution and would only make things worse.
There must be sweeping changes so that people don’t dread their last
days.
We as individuals must reclaim the right to spend the end of our
lives in the way we want. Aging With Dignity
believes this can only happen by giving people the means to help themselves. We cannot expect government or health care systems
to usher in change on our behalf. We can ask
them to help, but we must take action for ourselves, to plan, discuss, demand and receive
better care.
That is why Aging With Dignity is here. We are committed to helping individuals help
themselves, gain control over their care and change the experience of dying in America. Please join us in making this change, one person
at a time.
Jim Towey,
Founder of Aging with Dignity
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