Over the centuries, attitudes towards suicide have changed vastly and conspicuously. The appellation' rational suicide', based upon logical decision‐making, has been widely used for over a century.
The contemporary viewpoint can see suicide as a pathological diagnosis, an immoral act, and behaviour carried out by a mentally ill individual or as a tragedy for the survivors and society (WERTH. J. 1999). Consequently, amongst many within the philosophical, medical, and religious communities, rational suicide is an oxymoron and rails against their respective tenets. Nevertheless, the discourse around rational suicide and the broader topic of assisted dying is rapidly becoming of critical concern as the number of older people with chronic, debilitating diseases (multi-morbidity) increases (KINGSTON A et al., 2018). Furthermore, a study of life expectancy in most Western countries suggests that 50% of the population can expect to survive to the age of 80 (Kinsella, K. 1996), raising further consideration of quality-of-life related issues.
The desire of some older people requesting assistance in dying has been that, despite an absence of life-threatening disease, they feel 'tired of life' or that they have lived a 'complete life' and feel ready to die.
According to the World Health Organisation, adults aged 70 and older have the highest death rates by suicide in most world regions (WHO., 2014). Suicide amongst older people also has more lethality, meaning that there are fewer attempted suicides and more completed suicides than amongst younger cohorts. This is partly due to the more lethal methods used by older adults, and they are also less likely to be found due to the lack of warning signs when planning and carrying out the act (CONWELL, Y. et al. 1998). The rationale for suicide amongst older cohorts can be the same as for their younger cohorts: mental illness, lack of social connectivity, physical illness, and poor subjective sleep. (STANLEY. et al. 2016). However, growing evidence suggests that many older adults with suicidal thoughts do not meet the criteria for depression or anxiety (CORNA et al., 2010). The desire of some older people requesting assistance in dying has been that, despite an absence of life-threatening disease, they feel 'tired of life' or that they have lived a 'complete life' and feel ready to die (RICHARDS, N. 2017).