Medical Assistance in Dying committee  The short answer is that we need to have clear descriptions of the stages that are common for most people as they go through a neurodegenerative condition such as Alzheimer's disease, and the wording has to be such that it can be understood by the average Canadian. Could we per

Medical Assistance in Dying committee  It's something like that.

Medical Assistance in Dying committee  I think my colleague, Madame Guillemette, said it very well. The dialogue we started today should be continued. We need more than three minutes and five minutes to talk about this, but we've had a good start. Thank you for being there.

Medical Assistance in Dying committee  I am going to start with the question that is easiest to answer: yes, it is possible to include a clause to that effect. With respect to double incontinence, that is a reversible condition. For example, the person might have a urinary infection or a reversible gastric or intesti

Medical Assistance in Dying committee  That is a very good question. "Major neurocognitive disorder" is, in fact, the new designation used in the international classification as a synonym for "dementia". In Quebec, it is increasingly being used in clinical practice. The committee may need to include these two terms in

Medical Assistance in Dying committee  That is correct. I think it is even easier, for the reasons I have mentioned, when death is foreseeable within the next year, for example.

Medical Assistance in Dying committee  That is entirely correct.

Medical Assistance in Dying committee  That is correct. When aspiration pneumonia occurs, ordinarily death occurs within the next six or 12 months.

Medical Assistance in Dying committee  Thank you for the question. Actually, we avoid using numbers, because the nomenclature relating to the stages of Alzheimer disease is in the process of being changed. There are now six, three of which precede the stage of dementia. For that reason, I suggest that you not use num

Medical Assistance in Dying committee  Thank you for the question. That is correct. In order for committee members to clearly understand what we are talking about, I would point out that this is a stage of dementia where people are generally already incapable. They are then living in a protected environment which is

Medical Assistance in Dying committee  That is correct.

Medical Assistance in Dying committee  I agree on that. As a recommendation to the committee and to the provincial committees that will have to make it all operational later, I would say that the importance of informing the third person or the caregiver of the stages of the disease must be stressed. The third person

Medical Assistance in Dying committee  At present, the consensus is that a diagnosis must already have been made. With that said, it could be a very early stage of the disease. A person could not request medical assistance in dying based on a fear of eventually having a certain disease. On the other hand, it is possi

Medical Assistance in Dying committee  That is a very good question. I have tried to make it a bit operational, for the committee's needs. At the first onset of Alzheimer disease or some type of dementia, people are competent. That is the time for them to put their affairs in order. That period may last one year or t

Medical Assistance in Dying committee  It is when a judge has agreed to homologate a mandate in the case of incapacity based on a medical assessment report, supported by a psychosocial assessment report. There is no change being made to the present legislation for homologating a mandate in the case of incapacity.