MEDICAL MATTERNS AND RETIREMENT RUMOURS
February may well be the shortest month of the year but already, some major life issues are certainly emerging. To have a loved one in a coma or vegetative state is very distressing indeed as I know from having a friend suffering this way after a road accident. After several years of care from a devoted family and close friends, he passed away. We never knew how much information he understood when we sat and spoke with him but we kept vigils there as we cared for him and wanted to support his family.
The new report from the New England Journal of Medicine; a highly respected journal, reports that by utilising MRI scan technology, patients in a vegetative state responded with brain activity demonstrating motor and spatial responses to questions is a real medical breakthrough. It also raises a lot of moral and ethical issues. Undoubtedly, if the technology can be developed for regular responses and “conversations” with patients, it will be of huge comfort to family and friends to be able to communicate again and to find out the patients’ views and thoughts. It will also give patients the opportunity to express their own life wishes.
This then raises another dilemma. Given the other major case this month of the mother who allowed and helped her daughter with ME pass away peacefully when she had clearly expressed that wish to be relieved of her suffering and her subsequent prosecution, where in the legal scheme of things would a patients in a coma lie in terms of rights if they chose to die? I have mixed views on the issue – in some ways I have sympathy with Terry Pratchets’ views of a tribunal for people who wish to take the decision of their future lives in their own hands and hold on to their memories and dignity. My concern is about potential misuse of such legislation if it was introduced by manipulative potential recipients of any beneficiaries. If it is introduced, absolutely every case should be taken on its’ own merit for any abuse to be avoided.
On a different note, the other issue that has set me thinking over the last month is the slow creep of when my generation will finally get to retire and get any meaningful pension to live on in our ripe old years. If you have always worked in the private sector or are self – employed, the attacks made by this government on private pension provision is an issue that I can’t understand has been highlighted far more as daylight robbery especially when politicians and certain state sector pensions are so well provided for and protected. Given the lack of job security in the private and self – employed sector, it’s a real double whammy. What makes it worse recently is what I call “retirement creep”. If someone wants to carry on working and they are capable of doing so, I believe they should have the opportunity to do so. What seems to be happening now, however, is a creeping expectation that we will carry on working with no definite retirement date to plan for and look forward to. Bet that this will be a theme that develops over the next year or so.
Finally, let’s hope that we are finally over the worst of the weather. The days are slowly getting longer, the first snowdrops have opened their pretty heads in the garden and holiday plans for the year are in place! Best wishes to you all for a good month – March will soon be here.
Awen
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