Citation

Carlson WL, Ong TD. Clin. Geriatr. Med. 2014; 30(3): 553-576.

Affiliation

Department of Medicine, Division of Gerontology and Geriatric Medicine, University of Washington School of Medicine, 325 Ninth Avenue, Seattle, WA 98104-2499, USA.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2014, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

10.1016/j.cger.2014.04.009

PMID

25037295

Abstract

Suicide is the deliberate act of causing death by self-directed injurious behavior with intent to die. Assisted dying, also known as assisted suicide, involves others to help hasten death. Physician-assisted dying specifically refers to the participation of a physician in facilitating one's death by providing a lethal means. Any decision to actively end a life has profound emotional and psychological effects on survivors. The article discusses the effects that older adults' deaths through suicide, assisted dying, and physician-assisted dying have on survivors and the implications for clinical practice.

Language: en