18 hours ago
By Linda Pressly, BBC News
BBC
Jan (70) and Els (71) photographed two days before they died
Jan and Els, a Dutch couple married for nearly five decades, chose to end their lives together through duo-euthanasia, a legal but rare practice in the Netherlands. Every year, more Dutch couples are opting for this method of ending their lives.
Three days before their planned euthanasia, Jan and Els are seen in their campervan in Friesland, Netherlands, where they have spent much of their marriage traveling on boats and motorhomes.
Jan, a former hockey player and sports coach, and Els, a retired primary school teacher with dementia, have shared a love for the water and sailing throughout their lives.
Their decision to pursue euthanasia came after Jan’s chronic back pain and Els’ dementia made life unbearable for them. They joined the Netherlands’ “right to die” organization and eventually decided to end their lives together.
In a country where euthanasia and assisted suicide are legal under certain conditions, Jan and Els sought the assistance of doctors to carry out their wish to die together.
The story of Jan and Els sheds light on the complex issues surrounding end-of-life decisions, especially in cases involving dementia, where the capacity to give consent can be uncertain.
Their journey exemplifies the challenges and ethical considerations faced by individuals and medical professionals when contemplating euthanasia in cases of unbearable suffering.
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In 2023, 9,068 people in the Netherlands chose euthanasia, with 33 cases of duo-euthanasia, highlighting the growing trend of couples opting to end their lives together.
The challenges posed by dementia in euthanasia cases underscore the need for clear guidelines and ethical considerations in end-of-life decision-making.
Jan and Els’ story serves as a poignant reminder of the difficult choices individuals and families face when confronted with unbearable suffering and terminal illnesses.
Supervisó alrededor del 15% de las muertes asistidas el año pasado en los Países Bajos, y, en promedio, concede alrededor de un tercio de las solicitudes que recibe. En el caso de una pareja que deseaba terminar sus vidas juntos, los médicos debían asegurarse de que un compañero no estuviera influenciando al otro. El Dr. Bert Keizer ha asistido a dos casos de eutanasia en pareja. Pero también recuerda haber conocido a otra pareja, cuando sospechaba que el hombre estaba coaccionando a su esposa. En una visita posterior, el Dr. Keizer habló con la mujer a solas. “¡Ella dijo que tenía tantos planes…!” dice el Dr. Keizer, explicando que la mujer claramente se dio cuenta de que su esposo estaba gravemente enfermo, pero no tenía planes de morir con él. El proceso de eutanasia se detuvo y el hombre murió por causas naturales. Su esposa todavía está viva. Please rewrite the following text.”