The Dependent Elderly

This thoughtful and compassionate account addresses issues which range from euthanasia and living wills through to health policy and resource allocation.

Luke Gormally (Edited by)

9780521061254, Cambridge University Press

Paperback / softback, published 24 April 2008

212 pages
22.9 x 15.2 x 1.2 cm, 0.32 kg

Review of the hardback: '… a fair amount of food for thought … a useful collection of contributions to several debates.' Journal of Medical Ethics

A distinguished team of contributors from the fields of medicine, philosophy and law address some of the issues which arise over the provision of care for dependent elderly patients. Some of the chapters are concerned with the challenge of achieving good quality medical care, the chronic inadequacies of policy making in the UK context, and the prospects for improvement in the medium term. Other chapters look at some of the threats to dependent elderly patients posed by longer-term social and ideological trends which find expression in proposals for age-limits to health care, advocacy of living wills and euthanasia, arguments for withdrawing tube-feeding from certain categories of patient, and certain proposals for resource allocation. This interdisciplinary volume will have a wide appeal to those involved in care of the dependent elderly, to health policy analysts and health care economists, and to bioethicists.

List of contributors
1. Introduction Luke Gormally
2. Difficult choices in treating and feeding the debilitated elderly Michael Horan
3. The American debate about artificial nutrition and hydration Joseph Boyle
4. Reflections on Horan and Boyle Luke Gormally
5. The living will: the ethical framework of a recent report Luke Gormally
6. Some reflections on euthanasia in The Netherlands John Keown
7. Is there a policy for the elderly needing long-term care? Graham Mulley
8. Is it possible to provide good quality long-term care without unfair discrimination? Robert Stout
9. The prospects for long-term care: current policy and realistic alternatives David J. Hunter
10. What is required for good quality in long-term care of the elderly? Marion Hildick-Smith
11. Should age make a difference in health care entitlement? Joseph Boyle
12. Economic devices and ethical pitfalls: quality of life, the distribution of resources and the needs of the elderly Michael Banner
13. The aged: non-persons, human dignity and justice Luke Gormally
14. Economics, justice and the value of life: concluding remarks John Finnis
Index.

Subject Areas: Geriatric medicine [MJX], Medical ethics & professional conduct [MBDC], Care of the elderly [JKSG]