The elderly autonomy and dysthanasia

Abstract

The purpose of the survey was to know the opinion of the elderly about the exercise of autonomy, the useof obstinate measures and the choosing process of the place of death for the elderly with terminal illness.The interview had 112 (77%) participants of the program for aging at the Federal University of Amazonas.The result showed that 67% did not agree that the life of patient should be maintained at any circumstance,meaning that measures are needed to be taken into account to consider the dignity of the person avoidingthe extension of death suffering. The presence of awareness (79%) was the most appreciated indicator of lifequality, followed by autonomy of being able to breathe without any apparatus (17%) and eating without atube (4%). Patient’s house (63%) was considered the most appropriate place to die.