Luc Van Gorp, president of the Christian Mutual Society, the largest Belgian health fund (Christian mutuality), proposed euthanasia as a potential solution for older adults who feel their lives are complete.
In an interview with Belgian newspaper Het Nieuwsblad, Van Gorp discussed the growing crisis caused by Belgium’s aging population and the insurmountable pressure this places on healthcare resources.
Belgium, like many European nations, is seeing a dramatic increase in its elderly population.
According to a study published in the library of the International Monetary Fund, the Belgian population is experiencing a rapid aging trend, which is expected to continue.
Between 2005 and 2022, the segment of the Belgian population aged 65 and over grew almost three times faster than the under 65 demographic, with annual growth rates of 1.4% respectively compared to 0.5%.
The pace of aging has accelerated significantly in recent years; while from 2005 to 2011 the growth rate of people aged 65 and over was slower than that of younger Belgians, from 2016 to 2022 it increased at a rate nine times faster. Almost one in five Belgians is now 65 years old or older.
As of early 2023, Belgium had approximately 2.3 million residents aged 65 and older, accounting for nearly 20% of its total population. Projections from the Belgian Federal Planning Office indicate that by 2050 this age group will make up more than a quarter of the population, exceeding 25%.
Van Gorp said simply investing more money in health care is not a sustainable solution.
“No matter how much you end up investing, it still won’t be enough. There are simply not enough health workers to do this job,” she said.
“Do we really need all those additional residential care centers? Simply building rooms without doing anything to address staffing shortages is not a sustainable model. I miss the why question in elder care. Why do we do business the way we do now? Often there is no answer to this.”
Van Gorp proposes a radical solution by suggesting that euthanasia should be considered an option for those who believe their life path is complete.
“Many older people are tired of life. Why would you necessarily want to extend such a life? Gorp said.
“They work well for those in unbearable pain… There should be a more gentle provision for those who feel their life is over,” he said.
“Everyone wants their parents and grandparents to stay as long as possible, right? But do those people want it too? And what do they need for this? These questions are asked too little. Some people over 80 will not need anything to age well. They will also be able to support others, for example by keeping them company. Others need a lot of care, and to be clear, we must continue to provide it.”
“But what about the category of elderly people who receive maximum assistance, but who still do not have the quality of life they desire? This question is asked too little,” she added.
Life News reported:
Van Gorp reiterated the sentiments expressed in his interview with Newspaper. In an editorial for the Belgian newspaper The morning, wrote: “The demand for treatment will only increase in the coming years. If we continue to do what we are doing today, we will face a real collapse of health care. We can only prevent this from happening if we choose a radically different approach, from that of a healthy society that puts quality of life first rather than quantity.”
There are simply not enough carers or space for the elderly to live, he says: “Numerous healthcare workers have long indicated that it is not possible to continue in this way. There are simply not enough professional hands left to provide all the assistance. And as a society, we create too little space to care for those closest to us.”
Van Gorp calls for an urgent national debate on the issue: “Delicate as it is, we must have the courage to enter the debate on quality of life, even at the end of life. Better today than tomorrow.”