A lifelong friend was recently placed in a memory care facility. Her children - now adults with families of their own - are walking a path no family can fully prepare for. Alzheimer’s not only alters memory; it reshapes the rhythm and stability of family life. 

Over the years my friend and I spoke of the tragedy of Alzheimer’s - the loved ones we had known who it touched and the quiet devastation it leaves behind.  Our worry that one day we may be the next.  We discussed dignity, autonomy, and the fear of losing the ability to choose. We wrestled with difficult questions and searched for practical and ethical solutions. 

Like many, we understood the practical dimensions of prolonged illness - its financial burden and the worry that decades of savings could be consumed by years of decline. Washington’s Death with Dignity Act and Washington’s Directive to Physicians became part of our broader conversations - laws grounded in compassion and respect for personal autonomy. 

Yet Alzheimer’s presents a circumstance these statutes do not yet address. Alzheimer’s does not follow the six-month prognosis required under Washington law. It is progressive, unpredictable, and often prolonged. A person may be fully competent in the early stages of the disease and capable of expressing clear, reasoned wishes - yet lose that capacity long before meeting the statutory definition of “terminal.” This creates a narrowing window in which autonomy can be expressed, but not legally honored. 

Washington state has led the nation in compassionate end-of-life policy. However, there remains a statutory gap for individuals, while fully competent, to meaningfully direct how their end-of-life decisions should be honored once capacity is lost. 

Alzheimer’s raises a distinct legislative question: whether and how advance autonomy can be preserved in the face of foreseeable cognitive decline. 

This petition does not attempt to draft the precise contours of reform. The ethical, medical, and legal considerations are substantial and deserve careful legislative study. Safeguards must be rigorous. Oversight must be clear. Any potential reform would require thoughtful balancing of autonomy, vulnerability, and evolving capacity. But it is appropriate - and necessary - to begin that conversation.

Alzheimer’s currently affects more than six million Americans, a number projected to increase significantly in the coming decades. Families across Washington are navigating extended cognitive decline, unsurmountable financial strain, and complex medical decisions without a statutory framework that addresses its progression.

Please, consider adding your name to my petition, push forward with your thoughtful comments.

Let’s start the conversation.