There is no way that you can read this workbook without facing some of the cold hard facts of dying. Stop reading now, pollyannas, if you must! But reading this won’t hurt and you might be able to help someone.
If we are lucky to live a long and happy life, at some point our bodies will conk out.

The New York Times recently had an article , “ The VSED Exit: a Way to Speed Up Dying, Without Asking Permission,” by Paula Span which spoke to those who wished to have complete control over their lives- especially the end of life.
One woman had lost most of her hearing and required oxygen. Then she fell and broke her arm. “She was a real doer, and she couldn’t function the way she wanted to. Life wasn’t joyful anymore.” She wanted to die by prescription of lethal drugs. The convoluted process would take time, written requests, two physicians’ permission.
So this brave woman stopped eating and drinking. The process which is death by dehydration takes 7-14 days. Patients only need a strong constitution, supportive families and the will to die.
Look into this for legality in your state. “The right to refuse medical and health care intervention is well established.” But, the article states that ,”the absence of prohibition is not the same as permission.” Ahhhh, legality! One needs a supportive family, as the decision is private. And VSED death most often happens at home.
Advance directives may cloud the issue as they are signed under certain circumstances (in a hospital for instance, before a serious operation ). Then the circumstances are clear for denying resuscitation. If a person has mental health issues, the decision becomes problematic .
This question has been debated by bioethicists. Can a sane person make decisions today for a mentally challenged person in the future?
Step by step, the process is simple. The person who wishes to die does not eat or drink. Hunger is not a problem as much as thirst. One would want to be managed by a hospice nurse or a medical professional for the occurrence of pain. 
This process gives a person a chance to say goodbye and change their mind, if they want to.
In the article, the woman mentioned above said right before the end, “ I wish I’d seen the Rolling Stones the last time they came to Portland.”