A euthanasia declaration allows you to describe whether and in which cases of hopeless and unbearable suffering you want your life to be actively ended. It is therefore somewhat different from a treatment ban. With a treatment ban, you describe the situations in which doctors must cease treatment.
If you want euthanasia to be applied in cases of hopeless and unbearable suffering, you can also choose to describe when, for you, there is hopeless and unbearable suffering. For some people, this refers only to physical suffering; others consider mental suffering, no longer being able to function independently and/or no longer being able to communicate a reason not to want to continue living. Progressive dementia in a situation where the partner and/or children are no longer recognised can also be a reason for someone not wanting to continue living.
The tricky thing with euthanasia is that in the Netherlands we do not have the right of self-determination in this regard. It may therefore be the case that you have described exactly in which cases you want euthanasia to be applied but that a doctor finds that he cannot act on it anyway. Still, it is important to write down your wishes as it will at least clearly reflect what you want. It could be that regulations change or that another doctor is willing to comply.
A euthanasia declaration can be part of a living will or living will.
