Schadenberg letter to Montana Senators.

Alex Schadenberg

Dear Senators:

I am the executive director of the Euthanasia Prevention Coalition, and chair for the Euthanasia Prevention Coalition, International. I understand that the Senate will be considering HB 505 in the near future. I urge you to vote “Yes” to prevent the negative consequences of assisted suicide/euthanasia legalization including elder abuse.

A 2009 report by MetLife Mature Market Institute describes elder financial abuse as a crime “growing in intensity.” (See: (link), p.16.) The perpetrators are often family members, some of whom feel themselves “entitled” to the elder’s assets. (Id., pp.13–14.) The report states that they start out with small crimes, such as stealing jewelry and blank checks, before moving on to larger items or coercing elders to sign over the deeds to their homes, change their wills, or liquidate their assets. (Id., p. 14.) The report also states that victims “may even be murdered” by perpetrators. (Id., p. 24.)

With assisted suicide laws in Washington and Oregon, perpetrators can instead take a “legal” route, by getting an elder to sign a lethal dose request. Once the prescription is filled, there is no supervision over the administration. Even if a patient struggled, “who would know?”

A more recent story in Oregon proved that Elder abuse and Assisted Suicide are a lethal combination. Link. 

Hopefully, Montana will not make the mistake of Oregon and Washington. Elder abuse is real.

Thank you for your consideration.

Alex Schadenberg
Euthanasia Prevention Coalition
Box 25033 London ON, Canada, N6C 6A8
1-877-439-3348