I work primarily with clients who are interested in accessing Medical Aid in Dying in Vermont. If this is not at all what your family is looking for, I would be happy to refer you to one of the many capable, compassionate End of Life Doulas that I know.

Vermont's Act 39 allows a patient, both residents and non-residents, to request, be prescribed, and to ingest a prescription which will cause their death. Patients must meet the following criteria: they must be terminally ill with a life expectancy of 6 months or less, they must be mentally competent and able to make their own informed and voluntary healthcare decisions, they must be 18 years or older and they must be capable of self-ingesting the medication.

A patient must make a verbal request of a prescribing physician twice, with a 15 day waiting period between the two requests. The patient must also make a written request and meet with a consulting physician. All of these actions must take place physically in the State of Vermont and both the prescribing physician and the consulting physician must be Vermont licensed physicians.

Even for those who meet all the criteria, the process is challenging and can take longer than the patient has to live.

Some of the many logistical considerations for someone accessing Medical Aid In Dying include understanding of the law and eligibility requirements, finding physicians, caregivers and enrolling in a hospice, planning for travel and securing housing, securing a location for the ingestion day and organizing after death care.

End of life can evoke a plethora of complicated emotions including fear, anxiety, depression. Others may worry about what their legacy may be and be concerned about finding peace at the end of life. Accessing Medical End in Dying can also complicate familial relationships and religious beliefs.  It is understandable and to be expected the dying person and their families may have complicated feelings about the decision.

I endeavor to make the journey less difficult by helping guide clients and their families through the logistical barriers as well as providing emotional support throughout the entire process.

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