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“She knew what was coming, she has the right of personal autonomy, including the right to be left alone,” he said, referring to the dying with dignity ruling made by the country’s top court last week.

Penny Washington, lawyer for the Fraser health Authority, urged the judges to uphold the lower court judge’s ruling that the feeding doesn’t constitute unwanted medical care; rather, the necessities of life and personal care that health care workers are obliged to provide for Bentley’s comfort. She said it’s all in the same vein as bathing her and changing her incontinence pads.

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She argued that caregivers have to communicate with clients “the best way they can” and touching Bentley’s lips with a spoon is the only way to know if she wants food. Opening her mouth on the occasions she does is her form of communicating her consent, Washington argued. Outside the court, Bridge said the timing of the Bentley appeal court hearing is interesting “because under the Supreme Court of Canada’s Carter decision last week the court emphasized personal autonomy — peoples’ right to decide what happens to them. They can decide what they do want and what they don’t want.”

Bentley’s daughter, Katherine Hammond, said her mom’s wishes are not being respected.

“My mom was incredibly clear with her family and with her written directives many years ago about what she wanted and didn’t.”

Asked what she hopes for as an outcome, Hammond said:

“We basically choose to respect her wishes, to stop the prodding and let her family doctor provide the orders for pain medication and sedation while she’s in the process of dying.”

Asked if she thinks the feeding constitutes battery, Hammond said:

“Absolutely, what is being done is completely not what she wanted. She made it clear that when she was no longer able to recognize members of her own family, she wanted doctor-assisted dying, euthanasia.”