My grandmother has dementia that is very advanced and irreversible. She cannot make healthcare decisions for herself, so I have to make it for her. Her dementia is so advanced that she does not recognize her own family members, does not eat food or drink water (except maybe once a day), and she is also incontinent.
1. If her heart were to stop due to natural causes, is it required to perform CPR on her and also place a breathing device. The chance of her surviving is very low with these procedures, and it will result in a great deal of pain. Is it Islamically appropriate for me to deny resuscitation and life-support?
2. I would like to place my grandmother in hospice care, where they try to make the patient as comfortable as possible, but do not give them any medications that will increase their life. For example, if she has high blood pressure, they will stop giving her high blood pressure medicine in order to avoid the side effects of these drugs. Instead, they will give her only medicine that will decrease her anxiety and pain. These medicines will calm her down and allow her to relax as she passes away naturally from her advanced dementia. Is it Islamically permissible for me to place her in such a facility?
1. It is obligatory to take all possible measures to keep the patient alive, even if it results in their pain, because preserving their life is a priority.
2. There is no problem in placing her in the hospice, provided that doing so does not lower her chance of survival. Moreover, it is your obligation to make sure your mother is in good hands, and that she is safe with good treatment, and you feel reassured that you fulfilled her rights as expected by Islam.