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Who  wants  to  live  forever?  

Have  you  ever  sat  and  wondered  when,  how  and  at  what  age  you  are  going  to  die?  Well  I  
guess   most   of   us   have.     An   attempt   to   highlight   a   few   issues   from,   getting   older,   prolonging  
life  and  conscious  decisions  on  how  we  want  to  die,  really  brings  to  the  fore  the  concept  of  
death  and  immortality.      

The  life  expectancy  of  humans  has  been  steadily  increasing  at  a  rate  of  2.2  years  per  decade  
(or  5  hours  a  day)  for  the  last  100  years  (New  Scientist,  p.42).  Due  to  advances  in  medical  
technology,  quality  of  life  and  medication,  prolonged  life  expectancy  does  not  seem  to  be  
slowing  down.  Whether  it  is  in  the  interest  of  medical  science  or  for  the  interest  of  mankind  
we  shall  not  know,  both  seem  to  work  hand  in  hand.    We  also  must  consider  the  impact  of  
longevity  on  the  availability  of  resources  for  increasing  world  populations.  

COPING  WITH  OLD  AGE  &  ILLNESS   Do   you   think   social   service   facilities  
provide  enough  care?        
For  the  very  young  the  issue  of  death  does  
not  really  emerge,  unless  they  experience   “Everybody   is   assessed   to   their   needs   but  
events  of  death,  either  through  their  own   due  to  lack  of  funding  it  is  often  impossible  
trials  of  illness  or  other  peoples.    It  is  the   to   provide   full   care,   which   is   four   visits   per  
older   generations   that   think   about   day.    As  most  clients  have  to  pay  for  their  
‘passing   on’   and   what   they   will   service,   there   is   an   economic   limit   that  
experience.       people   can   afford;   often   having   to   leave  
out   important   care   needs,   because   they  
An   interview   with   Jennifer   Andrews,   don’t   have   the   money.     Therefore   family  
recently   retired   home   care   assistant   for   have   to   become   involved,   if   indeed   they  
social   services   after   25   years,   tells   us   of   are  able”.    
her   clients   who   think   about   their   own  
death;   how   the   elderly   and   infirm   suffer   Do  clients  talk  about  death  and  how  they  
quite   painful   and   humiliating   lives;   living   would  like  to  die?  
with   the   process   of   degeneration   of   the  
body  and  mind.   “Yes,   they   often   say   ‘I   wish   I   could   die  
tomorrow’,  loneliness  is  as  much  a  killer  as  
a   terminal   illness,   especially   if   they   are   in  
24  hour  pain.    Usually  it  is  only  the  face  of  
the  carer  that  they  see  and  talk  over  their  
problems   with.     We   are   usually   their  
lifeline.    

Where   do   you   think   social   care   will   be  

heading  in  the  future?  

“Rapid  response  teams  are  going  to  be  the  

future,   where   the   carers   visit   the   service  
users   only   after   leaving   hospital.     After  

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recovery   is   apparent   the   clients   are   then   it.     People   should   be   given   the   option   to  
re-­‐assessed,   care   may   be   reduced   choose  how  and  when  they  die.      
especially  where  family  is  available  to  take  
over  their  care”.       Many   people   feel   they   still   have   a   lot   to  
give  to  humanity,  feeling  their  time  in  this  
As  people  are  living  longer  what  affect  do   world   is   too   short   and   would   like   to   live  
you  think  it  will  have  on  family  structure?   forever.     Preservation   of   their   bodies   for  
future   advances   in   medical   technology   is  
“If   the   family   is   prepared   to   take   on   care   the   only   chance   of   living   again.     Some  
of   a   relative   it   will   greatly   affect   family   cannot  wait  to  leave  this  world  as  they  but  
life,   putting   strain   on   relationships,   would  like  to  ‘choose’  how  they  die.      
finance  and  freedom;  often  breaking  down  
a  family  unit.    Because  of  the  lack  good  of   Euthanasia   is   a   humane   system   of   dying  
homes   for   the   elderly,   family   are   often   for   human   beings,   usually   by   a   self  
pressured  into  taking  on  care  full  time”     administered   lethal   injection.     It   is   only  
considered   when   the   person   is   sane   and  
How   do   you   feel   about   your   future   now   has  no  hope  of  recovery  from  a  condition  
you  have  retired?   that   is   slowly   degenerative   over   time,  
“Well   it   does   worry   me.   I   suffer   from   often   seeming   like   torture   to   the   patient.  
Arthritis  and  I  hope  that  if  I  need  care  I  will   Unfortunately   British   Legislation   states   it  
find  a  good  carer  just  like  I  was.    But  I  do   is   unlawful   to   take   one’s   own   life   in   such  
have  support  from  family  when  I  need  it”  •   circumstances  (EDM,  BMA).  

  What   is   death?     How   can   we   understand  

its  processes  to  the  body  and  mind?    
Medicines   have   proved   to   be   good   at  
curing   some   infections   or   conditions,   so    
much   so   that   death   can   be   postponed   or   MISDIAGNOSIS  &  DEFINITION  OF  
eliminated   in   the   short   term   (New   DEATH  
Scientist,   p.43).   Unfortunately   the   by  
product   of   this   is   that   people   live   longer   The   fear   of   death   is   completely   natural  
into   old   age,   when   extreme   degenerative   and  valuable  to  have,  because  it  is  part  of  
diseases   and   the   use   of   medicines,   can  
our   ‘fight   or   flight’   mechanism   that   has  
cause   long   term   suffering.     Even   major  
causes   of   death   like   a   heart   attack   have   evolved  over  millions  of  years.    Everybody  
now   been   changed   to   a   lesser   heart   is   afraid   of   death,   because   our   own  
failure.       consciousness   is   the   only   consciousness  
we   really   know;   we   all   have   trouble  
Conditions   usually   thought   of   in   the   past  
conceiving  our  own  death.    
as   certain   cause   for   death,   such   as  
diabetes,   AIDS   and   many   cancers   have   There  are  three  different  fears  of  death:      
now   become   manageable   disabilities  
(New   Scientist,   p.43).   Aging   is   a   fact   of   life   The   first   fear   is   the   actual   process   of  
and   a   condition   that   must   be   dying;   some   people   think   that   how   one  
acknowledged.     We   should   stop   thinking  
dies   is   a   measure   of   the   way   in   which   he  
about   what   we   suffer   at   the   end   of   life  
and   find   out   how   to   cure   the   aging   has  lived.    So  a  good  death  is  an  indication  
process   and   the   ailments   that   come   with   of   a   good   life.     We   are   afraid   that   death  

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will   be   painful   and   we   will   be   frightened   pretty   nor   painless,   though   surprisingly  
and  therefore  we  will  not  die  in  peace  and   swift  (New  Scientist,  p.54).  
dignity.      
Heart  attack  is  the  most  common  form  of  
The  second  fear  of  death  is  what  happens   death.     This   can   cause   sudden   pain,  
after   we   die.     Most   people   believe   in   an   desperate   chest-­‐clutching   and   immediate  
afterlife.   As   long   as   they   believe   an   collapse  (New  Scientist,  p54).  
afterlife   will   be   pleasant   and   happy,   they  
Fire   is   a   long   and   painful   death.     The   hot  
have  nothing  to  fear.    However  if  a  person  
smoke   burns   the   throat   and   airways,  
believes   his/her   afterlife   is   going   to   be  
which   makes   it   hard   to   breath.     Burns  
painful   or   unpleasant;   thinking   he/she   will  
inflict   immediate   and   intense   pain  
be   punished   in   some   kind   of   hell,   then  
through   stimulation   of   the   pain   nerves   in  
there  will  be  a  fear  of  death.  
the  skin  (New  Scientist,  p.55)  
The   third   fear   of   death   is   the   fear   of  
As   well   as   these   ways   of   dying   there   is   old  
extinction.     Death   as   an   end   of   all  
age   and   terminal   illness,   such   as   cancer.    
consciousness,   as   a   blank   or   nothingness,  
People  with  terminal  illness  or  people  that  
is   something   to   fear.     Studies   of   people  
are   elderly   fade   away   slowly.     They   can  
who   are   actually   near   death,   indicates,  
decide   where   they   would   like   to   die,   or  
that   fear   is   not   a   reaction   to   impending  
some   might   refer   to   it   as,   ‘To   Rest   in  
death.     People   who   are   terminally   ill   go  
Peace’.      
through   a   series   of   stages   that   can   result  
in  the  acceptance  of  death  and  a  peaceful    A   survey   was   carried   out   of   ten   people;  
expiration.    People  who  are  elderly  reveal   they  were  asked  where  they  would  prefer  
that   impending   death   brings   more   to  die.    
depression   than   fear,   although   some  
elderly  actually  welcome  death.    Younger,   These  are  the  results:  
healthier   people   who   are   further   from  
Where  do  people  prefer   %  of  people  
death   have   a   greater   fear   of   death   than  
to  die?  
people   who   are   old   and   ill   and   closer   to  
At  home   74  
death.  (Solve  your  problem).  
In  a  hospice      5  
These   three   studies   show   how   different   In  a  hospital      2  
No  preference   19  
types   of   people   cope   with   death;   some  
 
fear  it  while  others  accept  it.  

There   are   many   different   ways   of   dying;  

the   following   are   just   a   few   that   people  
might  prefer.  

Drowning   has   a   certain   dark   romance   to  

it.     People   just   slip   beneath   the   waves.  
Suffocating   to   death   in   water   is   neither    

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Near   death   experiences   can   happen   all        

the   time   and   can   be   unexpected.     For  
LIFE  EXTENSION  
instance  someone  who  has  a  heart  attack  
can  survive  depending  on  how  severe  the   One   way   that   the   human   race   has   come  
attack   is.     Also   many   accidents   such   as   up   with   when   it   comes   to   dealing   with  
drowning,   road   collision   etc,   can   be   the   death   is   simply   to   extend   life.   There   are  
result   of   a   near   death   experience.     The   several   ways   to   do   this,   however   at   this  
person   could   loose   consciousness   for   a   stage   these   methods   are   mostly  
while   but   then   somehow   become   theoretical  and  are  not  yet  in  practice.  
resuscitated  and  breathe  again.  
Cryogenics  is  the  process  in  which  a  living  
There   is   a   case   study   about   a   person   body   is   frozen   so   that   it   may   be   brought  
called   Pam   Reynolds,   who   had   survived   back   to   life   at   some   point   in   the   future.  
whole   brain   death.     Pam’s   extraordinary   Most   people   who   express   an   interest   in  
near   death   experience   occurred   while   this   branch   of   life   extension   are   suffering  
undergoing   a   rare   surgical   procedure   to   from  a  long-­‐term  medical  condition.  They  
remove  a  brain  aneurysm.   live   in   hope   that   if   they   are   frozen   in   a  
cryogenic   chamber,   they   will   be   ‘brought  
The  procedure  required:  
back’  at  a  time  in  the  future  that  there  is  a  
1. Her   to   be   put   unconscious   using   cure   for   the   illness   they   are   suffering  
anaesthetic   from.  
2. Her   body   temperature   lowered   to  
There   are   two   major   problems   when   it  
60  degrees  
comes  to  bringing  people  back  to  life  after  
3. Her  heart  and  breathing  stopped    
being  cryogenically  frozen.  The  first  is  that  
4. The  brain  waves  allowed  to  flatten,  
when   a   body   is   frozen,   most   of   the   cells  
and  
are   destroyed   by   ice   crystals   forming  
5. The  blood  drained  from  the  head    
inside  them.  The  other  problem  is  that  if  a  
 
body   is   successfully   brought   back   to   life,  
While   in   this   condition   she   floated   out   of   any  healthy  cells  that  are  left  in  the  body  
her   body   and   watched   the   doctors   die   due   to   lack   of   food   and   oxygen   (The  
operate   on   her   lifeless   body.     Later   she   Straight  Dope).  
was   able   to   describe   the   surgical  
Another  method  of  eternal  life  is  through  
instruments,   the   conversation   and   the  
technological   means.   Detailed   images   of  
procedures   performed   during   her   surgery  
the   brain   have   already   been   taken,   but  
(NDE  &  Death).  
some  researchers  have  a  more  impressive  
Consider  these  near  death  experiences  for   aim.   They   plan   to   use   the   methods   of  
a   while,   Can   we   manipulate   brains   and   dissecting   and   studying   the   brain   in   the  
cryogenically   preserve   humans   to   extend   hope   that   the   thoughts   and   emotions  
life   after   illness   and   death   then   repair   contained   within   it   can   be   downloaded  
them  in  the  future?     onto   a   computer,   allowing   the   person   to  

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live  eternally  as  a  machine  (New  Scientist,   As  you  can  see  from  the  graph,  there  has  
p.46).   been   a   steady   increase   in   life   expectancy  
over  this  time  (National  Center  for  Health  
Some   people   prefer   this   theory   to  
Statistics).   At   some   point   in   the   future,  
cryogenics,   for   one   main   reason.   With  
who   knows   how,   high   life   expectancy   may  
cryogenics,   once   a   body   has   been   brought  
rise?   It   may   come   to   a   point   that   it   is   a  
back  to  life  after  being  frozen,  the  person  
common  occurrence  for  people  to  live  up  
is  still  going  to  die  after  a  period  of  time.  
to  150  years  old  or  maybe  even  more.  
But   with   this   technological   immortality,  
the   person   can   exist   as   a   machine   for   Whatever   happens   in   the   future,   the  
eternity   –   they   would   actually   be   human   race   is   always   going   to   be  
immortal.   interested   in   ways   of   extending   life.  
Whether   this   is   for   personal   reasons,   or  
Of   course,   the   average   lifespan   has  
due   to   the   fear   of   dying,   may   not   be  
already   been   extended   in   the   past   100  
known.   But   the   business   of   life   extension  
years   or   so.   In   the   19th   Century,   the  
may   become   a   lot   more   popular   in   the  
average   person   was   not   expected   to   live  
near  future.  
beyond   the   age   of   around   50.   Yet   in   2004,  
the   average   life   expectancy   was   almost  
80.   This   is   a   vast   increase   in   such   a   short  
space   of   time,   due   to   improvements   in  
quality   of   life   (National   Center   for   Health  
Statistics).  

 
Life   Extension   magazine   is   the   monthly   publication   of  
the   Life   Extension   Foundation,   a   non-­‐profit  
organization,  whose  long-­‐range  goal  is  the  extension  of  
the  healthy  human  lifespan  
This   graph   shows   the   increase   in   life   expectancy   from  
1900  to  2004.    

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