Don’t appeal to our worst instincts

How many will talk themselves into asking for a parent’s early death if money is involved?

ONE OF THE MORE DEPRESSing elements of being a priest occurs in care homes. Not the time spent with the elderly there; those are often hours of fascinating anecdotes and profound conversations about life and death. The depressing element is hearing from the staff about the requests many families make. “Does she really need three meals a day?” one asked. Another challenged a monthly haircut for his dad. Also depressing were the farewells, as elderly people were moved far from their friends and families in order not to burn through the inheritance. My experiences in those care homes play out in my head as the details of Kim Leadbeater’s bill to legalise assisted suicide are published. So do the memories of my father’s last illness and death at the beginning…

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The Critic (Digital) - 1 Issue, December/January 2025

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