rivka

there have been massive improvements in the ability to treat psychosis and bizarre neuropsychological conditions in the last ten years.

My experience in the past year is similar to txobserver's. My mother has Alzheimers that includes pretty severe delusions at times; paranoid delusions are a very common aspect of middle-stage Alzheimers. New anti-psychotic meds help some, but they have pretty major side effects (similar to those txobserver described) and she still spends a great deal of time feeling terribly frightened.

Your sermon mentions mental decline, and if no longer being able to do the things you used to were the only issue, I would agree with you. But you don't mention incurable fear.

I would really like to be able to write an advance health care directive that says "If I get incurable dementia, I am frightened most of the time, and no available treatments alleviate this, I want to be helped to die." I would really like to live in a society where my loved ones could get help carrying out my wish and would not have to face murder charges.