Despite the fact that you will be hearing from me infrequently, I am still alive!
I agree that it should be your choice to live or die. End stage of many illnesses is very expensive. I don't want to be a drain on my child financially or emotionally.

I agree with all of you who responded to Nigel. No , why any sick , suffering and/or elderly person should be forced to suffer at great cost to others and to
society is a question that should be NOT be taboo.
I don't know why it us. Death is universal fact of life.

I have an advanced directive that they can't keep me alive by artificial means. ie ventilator feeding tube's etcetera. I don't want my family to go on paying for me to not really be alive anyway.

Yes it’s time to go talk openly about this delicate subject. I do think about it often

Nigel, You are so right. In my state of NJ ,,a person can request physician-assisted suicide IF two physicians will sign off on their belief you have 6 months or less to live.
This also qualifies one for hospice care at home, or in a hospice facility or any nursing facility.
I learned from an aide that many people on hospice care stay on it for as long as it takes to die. Noone is required to die within the artificially created six months.
And Medicare pays for it because when you accept hospice care, you exchange aggressive life-saving care, for comfort care provided by hospice in your home, in hospital, in assisted living or full-time nursing care.
You can also write a "Do Not Resuscitate " letter and give it to whoever is in charge of wherever you are, including a copy to a family member and any health care professional involved in your care. . And you can sign a "Do Not Hospitalize " letter. My mother did that. And when she started to fail, she was not hospitalized and left in peace.
I was notified by a nurse who knew my mother well to tell me she was dying. She said she didn't think it would be that day..My daughter and I went to her.that day, and were with here.when she passed. She was not alone. She knew we were there when we first arrived.
I don't think there's anything wrong with dying alone either. What difference would it make?