The focus of this research is on the issue of life-sustaining treat-ment, specifically on the social and ethical implications of tube feeding. The treatment decision, based on values of life and dignity, involves sustaining lives that many people consider not worth living. It explores the moral approach to caring for these patients and review the history of the debate on artificial nutrition and hydration showing the impact of the varying perceptions of the value of these patients’ lives on changing norms. The authors argue that in light of the value of solidarity, decisions about life-sustaining treatment for patients with advanced dementia should be made on a case-by- -case basis, as with any other patient, in consideration of the medical implications of the interven-tion which might best serve the goals of care (i.e., care and respect for dignity) for the individual patient.
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