Nora Harris a 64-year-old woman with Alzheimer's disease finally died Wed. Oct. 12th after a long battle of being kept alive by spoon-feeding against her wishes. Her husband said her death marks the end of an unsuccessful eight-year court battle to withdraw all food and liquid. Nora was diagnosed early on at the age of 56 with Alzheimer’s disease and drafted an advance directive that called for no measures to prolong her life, which included oral assisted feeding. However, a local judge denied his request to stop spoon feeding his wife. The issue is when a person isn’t competent and the patient who opens their mouth to accept food and fluids (as Nora did) who can no longer actively consent to remain ethically and legally unclear.
