NYMC Faculty Publications
Advance Directive as Ulysses Contract: The Application of Stopping of Eating and Drinking by Advance Directive
Journal Title
The American Journal of Hospice & Palliative Care
First Page
974
Last Page
979
Document Type
Review Article
Publication Date
11-2020
Department
Medicine
Abstract
Increased attention is being paid to "dementia directives," advance directives tailored to persons with dementia that outline what treatments an individual with dementia might wish to receive or forgo should they lose capacity. Particular focus has been placed on the request to have assisted oral feedings withheld, the so-called Stopping of Eating and Drinking by Advance Directive (SED by AD), the purpose of which is to hasten death. This article reviews the available literature regarding the practice of SED by AD and explores the clinical and ethical aspects as they present at the bedside. Our review aims to show that practical, clinically applicable ways to approach such requests must be developed in order to balance the fundamental principles at play.
Recommended Citation
Marks, A. D., & Ahronheim, J. C. (2020). Advance Directive as Ulysses Contract: The Application of Stopping of Eating and Drinking by Advance Directive. The American Journal of Hospice & Palliative Care, 37 (11), 974-979. https://doi.org/10.1177/1049909120912951
