Page 6 - Sentinel Septemberl 2017

DECADES Continued from page 5 UNDERSTANDING COLORADO’S NEW
END-OF-LIFE OPTIONS ACT
together with her daughters as she immerses herself in daily
numerous fun activities. Terry Brownfield...

Last summer, I helped gather signatures to place Proposition
Bob and I and our son, Patrick, moved into the Park when we
106, The End-of-Life Options Act that authorized terminally
returned from tours in Greece and England in 1984. We rented
ill adults to have the option of medical aid in dying, on the bal-
a beautiful townhouse next to the club, right on the lake, owned
lot. Many of the people I spoke to had a story about loved ones
at the time by Dick Gruitch. We lived there until we bought a
who could have benefited from medical aid in dying or shared
townhouse in Echo Village, where we lived until we joined the
how they wanted this option on the table for themselves. The
U.S. Department of State’s Foreign Service in 1989. We sub- End-of-Life Options Act passed with overwhelming support
sequently moved to Washington DC and later spent 20 years in November 2016, and the law went into effect in December.
serving at overseas posts and in Washington DC. Now that Coloradans have this option, it’s important to know
how the law works.
When we started thinking about retirement in 2008, we knew
we wanted to return to Perry Park. There was obviously a huge To be eligible under the law, a person must be an adult who is
draw to this place, my mother was still here and the beauty terminally ill with a prognosis of six months or fewer to live
and mentally capable of making personal medical decisions. In
of the Park is something that is hard to rival anywhere in the
addition to these requirements, the person must also be a resi-
world. And of course there were the memories, all those mem-
dent of Colorado, acting voluntarily and making an informed
ories acquired from decades of visits and living in one of the
decision that includes being given information on all end-of-
most beautiful places on earth.
life options. A person accessing the law is required to have the
ability to self-administer the medication by ingesting it. The
We have loved our time in Perry Park this time around. We’ve terminally ill adults must also be informed that they may decide
made great lifelong friends and created many more memories to not to take the prescribed aid-in-dying medication, even after
carry with us forever. However, it is time to move on. Bob and they have obtained it.
I both have wanderlust in our blood, and to stay in one place
for too long makes us antsy. We are only going to the southwest Medical aid in dying is the option of last resort for terminally
end of Colorado Springs, near the Broadmoor, but for us it will ill adults when no other palliative treatment will provide relief
be a big move away from the quiet and beauty of Perry Park. from intolerable suffering. It is a safe and trusted medical prac-
tice to bring about a peaceful death.
We’ll live there until we get the urge to move again, who knows
where, California, Scotland, the Eastern Shore of Maryland . . .
Compassion and Choices, the nation’s oldest, largest and most
it is a big world out there.
active nonprofit organization committed to improving care and
expanding options for the end of life, also provides a Find Care
We will always have the memories . . . memories of family
Tool on the organization’s website, helping people find facili-
gatherings, memories of good friends and neighbors, young and ties that are supportive of their end-of-life decisions. A full list
old, memories of hikes on Perry Park roads and up into the hills of resources available can be found at www.CompassionAnd-
around us, memories of deer . . . so many deer and bears and Choices.org/Colorado.
wild turkeys and mountain lions--and birds galore.
Terminally ill adults should be empowered to make their own
My family has been here for over 47 years. That is a long time decisions about their treatment options, including the full range
to be in a place. Goodbyes are difficult when you’ve been in a of end-of-life care options, based on their values, in consulta-
tion with their doctor and loved ones. It is important for termi-
place for that long. So long Perry Park and thanks for all the
nally ill adults to start these conversations with their doctors and
memories.
loved ones as early as possible because it can take a minimum
of 15 days and usually takes much longer to get a prescrip-
tion for medical aid in dying even if your healthcare system has
policies in place to support patient end-of-life decisions.
electric Accessing medical aid in dying does not affect a person’s will

or insurance. The underlying illness must be listed as the cause
of death on a person’s death certificate. The law specifies that
Pete Dunbar 1341 Quartz Mountain Drive a death resulting from self-administering aid-in-dying medica-
Larkspur, Colorado 80118 tion is not suicide.
303-681-3809
Cell 303-638-6762 Studies show terminally ill adults get a huge sense of relief
Continued on page 8
Page 6 - September 2017 Perry Park Sentinel