Dementia is the second leading cause of death for Australians aged over 65. More than 421,000 Australians currently live with dementia and this figure is expected to almost double in the next 30 years.
There is ongoing public discussion about whether dementia should be a qualifying illness under Australian voluntary assisted dying laws. Voluntary assisted dying is now lawful in all six states but is not available for a person living with dementia.
QUT researchers Ben White, Casey Haining, Lindy Willmott and Rachel Feeney discussed voluntary assisted dying laws across Australia, and what happens internationally, in a recent article in The Conversation.
