Assisted suicide could be excuse to kill burdensome elderly, says police chief
As people look more closely into the implications of any relaxation of the law relating to Assisted Suicide, the alarming potential for abuse towards the elderly is increasingly being highlighted. The longest serving female chief constable, Barbara Wilding, reveals her concern for 'the victims' who 'do not have a voice' in an an interview with The Daily Telegraph.
Also reported in BBC News and The Daily Mail
Older people in the United Kingdom: Key facts and statistics 2008
Age Concern presents statistics on 'issues crucial to the lives of older people' in this document
'1.1 million older people experience severe 'multiple exclusion'.''Ageism is the most commonly experienced form of discrimination, with 23% of adults reporting experiences of this type of prejudice.'
Ageism: A benchmark of public attitudes in Britain
This 2004/2006 report, in partnership with the University of Kent, include these findings highlighted by Age Concern:
'From age 55 onwards‚ people were nearly twice as likely to have experienced age prejudice than any other form of discrimination'
'Nearly 30% of people believed there is more prejudice against the old than five years ago‚ and that this will continue to get worse'
'One third of people thought that the demographic shift towards an older society would make life worse in terms of standards of living‚ security‚ health‚ jobs and education'
'One in three respondents said they viewed the over 70s as incompetent and incapable'
