An 80-year-old Dutch woman suffering from dementia was euthanased on April 24 after a sternly-worded court order addressed to her nursing home.
The woman, who was later identified as Cobi Luck, had a stroke two years ago. She became paralysed and totally dependent on carers in Ter Reede dementia specialist care home in Flushing. But when she asked her son to get the nursing home to organise euthanasia, the director refused. In his opinion, supported by the woman’s own doctor and a psychologist, she was not mentally competent.
Ignoring the advice of the nursing home, Ms Luck’s family supported her request, so they called in Levenseindekliniek (the End of Life Foundation). This organisation arranged for two doctors and a psychiatrist to assess her condition. They concluded that she was competent, or competent enough, to request euthanasia. The nursing home refused to release Ms Luck into the hands of Levenseindekliniek, so the family sought a decision from a court.
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