I want to be allowed to go to either a landfill, or a Waste-To-Energy Plant and be accepted as waste, dead or alive, with all of my diapers. Read this......
California's End of Life Option Act (EOLA) became effective on June 9, 2016. The EOLA allows terminally ill adults living in California to obtain and self-administer aid-in-dying drugs. 1,2 The EOLA requires the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) to provide annual reports under strict privacy requirements.
The qualification process involves several steps, including:
An initial oral request
Orientation
Psychosocial assessment
Written request with two witness signatures
At least three physician appointments
Physician review of medical records
Consultations with specialists when needed
Mental health specialist assessment
Consulting physician assessment
After the process is complete, the physician must submit specified forms and information to the California Department of Public Health (CDPH). The law doesn't set a timeframe for completing the requirements, but the average time is three weeks.
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Introduction to the California End of Life Option Act (EOLOA)
The California End of Life Option Act (EOLOA) allows a terminally ill adult with a life expectancy of six months or less to end their life with an aid-in-dying drug. The terminally ill person must be a California resident and must request the drug from their physician. Participating in this end-of-life option is voluntary for both patients and physicians.
People who choose to end their lives this way are not considered to have died by suicide if they carefully follow the steps of the law. Physicians who prescribe the aid-in-dying drug are not subject to legal liability or professional sanction if they follow all the steps outlined in the law.
The End of Life Option Act at UCLA Health
At UCLA Health, patients with advanced diseases receive personalized, comprehensive care every step of the way. We work with our patients to determine the most appropriate treatment plan based on many factors, while ensuring that our patients’ goals guide the treatments they receive. As patients approach the end of life, the goals and expected outcomes of medical treatments often change. Our team is committed to having in-depth, deliberate conversations with the patient, caregivers, and loved ones. We come together to make the most of this final phase.
Customized and compassionate end-of-life care
Some patients with a terminal condition choose the EOLOA because they wish to take control of their last days. Other patients select this option because their symptoms, pain, or suffering have become overwhelming. In these circumstances, the End of Life Option Act permits a willing physician to respond to an eligible patient’s request with a prescription for an aid-in-dying medication.
At UCLA Health, our process also includes meetings with a dedicated clinical consultant. The consultant focuses on fulfilling the patient’s request while ensuring that our team provides the best possible treatment and support. We are all committed to offering our patients the best possible experience at the end of life.
Who can use the EOLOA?
To receive the aid-in-dying drug, a person must:
Be 18 years or older and a resident of California
Have a terminal disease that cannot be cured or reversed and is expected to result in death within six months
Have the capacity to make medical decisions and not have impaired judgment due to a mental disorder
Have the physical ability to take and ingest the drug
Steps in the EOLOA process
The EOLOA process takes time, and there are several important milestones you and your doctor will need to meet along the way. At any point in this process, you are free to change your mind and decide whether you want to continue. The following is a brief overview of the steps:
You request the aid-in-dying drug from your doctor on two separate occasions, at least 48 hours apart. You also make a third request, which you write on a special form.
Your doctor begins the process of ensuring that you legally qualify for the EOLOA.
Your doctor refers you to a UCLA Health clinical consultant who will work with you and your doctor throughout the entire process.
Your doctor explains all your end-of-life options in detail and encourages you to discuss these options with your family and loved ones.
Your doctor examines you and confirms that you have a terminal illness with a life expectancy of less than six months. Your doctor also evaluates your mental health to ensure that you are capable of making the decision to take an aid-in-dying drug.
Your doctor explains how to take the drug and answers your questions.
Your doctor writes the prescription for the aid-in-dying drug and you sign a consent form for the prescription to be sent to the pharmacy.
You (or a caregiver or loved one) retrieve the drug from the pharmacy.
You ingest the aid-in-dying drug according to the instructions. You must be in a private place when you take the drug, and another person must be with you.
Your caregiver or loved ones dispose of any remaining aid-in-dying drug according to the directions.
If you are able to make your own decisions, you always have the right to refuse any medical treatments or to have life-prolonging interventions withheld or withdrawn. Patients with terminal diseases are advised to discuss advance care planning options with their healthcare provider, including the completion of Advance Health Care Directives and/or POLST (Physician Order for Life Sustaining Treatment) forms to document their end-of-life wishes.
Landfills and buried waste are generally confined to as small an area as possible and then compacted to reduce the volume the waste occupies. In landfills the waste is generally covered with layers of soil to break up the volume and to allow the decomposition and break down of materials.
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