The ELDR Magazine “Right To Die” National Survey, conducted by Knowledge Networks and statistically projectable to the U.S. adult population, also revealed that only half of adults over 60 have a living will or advance health care directive. These legal documents specify what a person’s wishes are if, for example, they are in a persistent vegetative state. Such a document could have prevented the prolonged and agonizing situation the family of Florida woman Terri Schiavo endured.

A painful or prolonged death is something everyone worries about

The survey is in conjunction with ELDR’s Summer issue cover article, “Perfect Ending,” which tells the story and reflections of a physician who had clandestinely given patients, who were terminally ill and in great physical pain, the means to end their lives. The physician profiled is not identified.

“A painful or prolonged death is something everyone worries about,” said Dave Bunnell, editor-in-chief of ELDR. “Yet too few of us plan ahead to be prepared for this possibility. Our survey is telling people if they act now, they can be in charge. You don’t have to leave this entirely to fate.”

The ELDR survey comes as Washington state proponents gather signatures for a voter initiative which, if successful, would make that state the second after Oregon to legalize physician-assisted “death with dignity.” 225,000 valid voter signatures need to be presented to Washington state officials by July 3 for the I-1000 initiative to appear on the November 2008 ballot.

Other results from the ELDR Magazine “Right To Die” National Survey include:

• Half of American adults (49.1 percent) have parents, close relatives or friends in their senior years for whom they might eventually be considered a guardian caretaker or legal trustee.
• 82 percent want the option, if they were suffering at end-of-life, of being sedated into unconsciousness, even though this might hasten their death.
• 93.6 percent want artificial life support stopped if they were in a persistent vegetative state, where mental functioning had ceased and it was highly unlikely they would regain consciousness.
• Fewer than 25 percent have a living will or advance health care directive which states their wishes if they were incapacitated or in persistent vegetative state. Only half of those over 60 do.

Complete survey results can be found at http://www.eldr.com.