MORTALITY IN AN AGING SOCIETY: MANAGING NEW PATHWAYS TO DEATH

Abstract

California, Colorado, and Canada have recently enacted physician aid-in-dying (PAD) legislation. Almost one fifth of the US population now lives in a state where patients can ask their physician for assistance with ending their lives. How will that "option" play out in an aging society plagued by ever-increasing inequality? California is the most diverse locale to enact PAD as a routine practice. There are 1.75 million residents of color over the age of 65. A state-wide group convened by the UCSF Bioethics Program has worked to provide guidance about the End of Life Option Act's implementation to clinicians throughout the state. This presentation will report on these efforts, highlighting the unique ethical challenges for patients living in residential long term care facilities and for providers caring for an aging populace.