The topic is controversial but necessary for those of us aging or with aging loved ones. The threshold and fundamental question is: should a terminally ill, competent adult have the right to hasten their death if their suffering becomes too unbearable? Although palliative and hospice care have improved immeasurably over the years, many dying patients still do not get the relief they need at the end of life, says advocate Cindy Merrill. Medical aid in dying, sometimes called death with dignity or physician-assisted dying, is now legal in 10 states and the District of Columbia, but not in Texas. Learn more about medical aid in dying and other end-of-life options which may help a terminally ill patient obtain a gentle and compassionate death. Here are two sites to learn more on your own: and http://www.facebook.com/TexasDeathWithDignityGrouphttp://Texasdeathwithdignity.org

: Cindy Merrill, co-founder of Texas Death with Dignity, local advocate for the Death with…