Since I was ordained a few decades ago, a lot of changes have taken place with respect to how end-of-life decisions are made.  And the legalization of MAID (Medical Assistance in Dying) in June of 2016 has been an especially significant development.  MAID allows an eligible person to request assistance from a doctor or nurse practitioner to end their life, and the criteria was expanded in March 2021 to include individuals whose natural death is not reasonably foreseeable.  Since 2016, over 50,000 MAID death have been recorded in Canada, and the number of individuals who choose MAID continues to rise every year. 

While I know of several people who have chosen MAID over the last few years, there’s still a lot I don’t know about the protocols and procedures that govern it.  Thus I think that the information session we’re hosting on “MAID and Advanced Directives” this coming Friday, October 17 at 10 am is especially timely.  It’s part of the “Coffee and Conversation” series that the St. Mark’s “55+ program” is offering in conjunction with Horizon Health and UNB, and that is being organized by the three nursing students who are with us this term.  Our guest speaker is Chantal Arseneault, and I’m sure it will be an informative and interesting session. 

I hope you can join us on Friday at 10 am.