In the Daily Mail there was a very sad article about the thousands of elderly people in care homes with no "kith or kin".
"At least 40,000 elderly people in care homes in England are living in 'social isolation', a new survey has revealed. And as many as 13,000 are completely 'without kith or kin' and receive no letters, calls or visits at all, says the Relatives and Residents Association."
Read article.
My prediction is that these are the people who will be first in line for euthanasia. For a start they are unloved, with no advocate to support them. They are expensive to care for and their quality of life will be low given their loneliness. Their likely depression and vulnerablity makes euthanasia a logical choice - why continue with a life that offers no hope and no joy?
We must work as a society to give hope to these people. Church groups could begin a visiting ministry to provide friendship and emotional support for people with no friends and family. This is a terrible end for people and I think it is inhuman that elderly are left so alone.
