X-Message-Number: 22401
From: "Bruce Waugh" <>
Subject: Summer BBQ;aging; PofA for Health;Toronto group
Date: Thu, 21 Aug 2003 19:53:14 -0400

Despite the blackout of my condo the day before, the Toronto cryo-BBQ
was a great success, with 18 attendees socializing on a beautiful day.

After, Christine Gaspar (President of the Cryonics Society of
Canada) led a discussion on cryonics in Canada.  Then Ben Best gave
an excellent and very relevant talk on aging and dementia.  Ben has
researched this area extensively, and written on it- see, for example,
http://www.benbest.com/lifeext/Alzheimer.html .

The Toronto local response group had a short meeting prior to the
BBQ.

I led a discussion on the use of a Power of Attorney for
Personal Care.  I circulated a draft, based on a typical Power
used in Toronto, but substantially modified to make clear that
its purpose was to maximize a successful cryopreservation.  For
example, it provided that the person's intent is to be kept alive,
including by artificial life support, until otherwise directed by a cryonics
team- unless significant brain damage would result. There are
difficulties in clearly defining this, and a number of excellent suggestions
were made.  In addition, Christine advised that the Power should
make it's "do keep alive" very clear, such as by using large, bold font,
because the norm is that Powers state the opposite.  Christine and
I will prepare a new draft and circulate to the group.

The group had a good discussion about equipment needs.

Christine will chair future meetings of the group, and Brent Erskine
will act as secretary.

On a personal note, my wife and I will be moving to Sarasota, Florida
at the beginning of October- but will return to Toronto on a fairly
frequent basis.

Bruce Waugh

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