What is VSED? In short, it’s retaining control over your life in another facet – food. With Voluntary Stopping of Eating and Drinking directives, individuals spell out their wishes for care if they are stricken with dementia or Alzheimer’s.
Let’s be clear about this, these directives come into play when a person is in advanced stages of dementia or Alzheimer’s. This is a time when generally people cannot care for themselves and require professional care and assistance for several activities of daily living including feed, toileting, and bathing. These directives are not applicable prior to this stage, and they are written as such.
The directives spell out how you want nourishment, if any, when you are not able to feed yourself. It’s a tough subject, and one that is difficult to think about. However, I’ve had a recent trend of clients that are opting to include this directive in their planning. They like the idea of being in control of what happens if they find themselves in late stage Alzheimer’s. It’s not for everyone, but it may be for you. Let’s talk it through and see if it’s something to add to your planning.
