Twelve Ways to Avoid Late-Stage Dementia - New and Emerging Right to Die Options

Join me on January 17, 2026 for my presentation to the Hemlock Society of San Diego: New and Emerging Right to Die Options: Twelve Ways to Avoid Late-Stage Dementia. 

This session, expanding on this forthcoming book chapter, explores the complex intersection of law, ethics, and autonomy at the end of life. While current medical advances help us live longer, they often fail to ensure a life of sufficient quality and dignity, especially for those facing Alzheimer’s or other dementias. 

This presentation examines four well-established end-of-life choices as well as five emerging choices. It also examines three theoretical options that push the boundaries of what may one day be legally possible in the U.S. Some of these ideas challenge public comfort and policy. But all are grounded in compassion, reason, and respect for personal choice. Join us for an informed and courageous discussion about how we might expand right-to-die options for older Americans in the years ahead.