AUTONOMY AND DIGNITY IN AGING: A BIOETHICAL STUDY ON ADVANCE DIRECTIVES

Abstract

Population aging is a global, continuous, and irreversible phenomenon that challenges contemporary societies to ensure not only longevity, but also quality and meaning in life. In Brazil, increased life expectancy occurs amid fragile public policies and cultural difficulties in recognizing death as part of the life cycle. In this context, reflecting on the autonomy of older adults and their right to decide about their own bodies and treatment is an ethical, legal, and social imperative. Objectives: To analyze the autonomy and dignity of the elderly from the perspective of Bioethics and Law, focusing on Advance Directives (ADs) as an instrument for the realization of freedom and self-determination, contributing to the humanization of care and the strengthening of shared deliberation in end-of-life decisions. Methodology: This is a theoretical, exploratory, and documentary study with an interdisciplinary approach, articulating ethical, philosophical, and legal foundations related to aging, autonomy, and the right to choose. The deductive method and hermeneutic analysis were adopted, based on a review of scientific literature and official documents, with the purpose of understanding the role of ADAs as an expression of the will and consolidation of the dignity of the elderly person. Results and Final Considerations: The results showed that ADVs are an ethical and legal tool for humanizing care, ensuring respect for the wishes of older adults and promoting the full exercise of autonomy and dignity. However, cultural and institutional barriers to their implementation persist, such as social resistance to recognizing finitude and the absence of public policies focused on education for aging and death. It is concluded that aging with dignity is a fundamental and collective human right, the realization of which requires a culture based on compassion, responsibility, and respect for autonomy. The study is aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) — SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-Being), SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities), and SDG 16 (Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions) — by promoting the valorization of older persons as subjects of rights and the consolidation of an ethical, inclusive, and just society.