A Courageous Conversation about VSED with Jim Rough
I am grateful for Jim’s courage and vulnerability to share openly in our poignant conversation, not about his professional work, but about his experiences as an amazing husband and caregiver who now finds himself on his grief journey. It is such a gift to others that he is willing to share his heartfelt reflections with us.
Jim and Jean had been married for 46 years before her she opted for VSED, a voluntary suspension of eating and drinking, to hasten her death. Jean passed at home at age 73, on June 22, 2019.
One in ten people (10 percent) age 65 and older has Alzheimer’s disease. About one-third of people age 85 and older (32 percent) have Alzheimer’s disease. Of the 5.8 million people who have Alzheimer’s disease, the vast majority (81 percent) are age 75 or older.
