‘Op mijn verzoek’

‘At my request’ – Euthanasia in advanced dementia and the role of the spiritual caregiver This article explores the role of autonomy in the debate surrounding euthanasia in advanced dementia. Which type of autonomy should carry more weight? Should that be the precedent autonomy, as expressed in the living will? Or does a person with dementia retain the right to contemporary autonomy? The Regional Euthanasia Review Committees appear to prioritize precedent autonomy. This thinking originates in the work of the American legal philosopher Ronald Dworkin. The question arises if and how contemporary autonomy can be shaped in the case of dementia. We discuss the role that spiritual caregivers can play in this regard.