“If I lose my mind, she will take care of me.”

The importance of relational autonomy and legal planning in later life

Authors

  • Maija Aalto-Heinilä Law School, University of Eastern Finland
  • Suvi-Maria Saarelainen School of Theology, University of Eastern Finland
  • Reino Pöyhiä School of Medicine, University of Eastern Finland
  • Anna Mäki-Petäjä-Leinonen Law School, University of Eastern Finland

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.36368/njolas.v7i01.412

Keywords:

autonomy, older persons, relationality, well-being

Abstract

Personal autonomy is among the core values of modern Western liberalism, but what is the precise meaning of this term, and why is autonomy valued so highly? What if one is no longer fully capable of self-determination, as may be the case as we grow old? In this article, we clarify the meaning of personal autonomy, claim that its importance is connected to its contribution to human well-being, and introduce some legal instruments with which to support the autonomy of older people. We illustrate our theoretical and legal analysis by drawing on the actual experiences of older people in Finland. Our empirical material supports the theoretical claims about autonomy’s importance, its connection to well-being, and its relational nature. However, this article also reveals that people should be more aware of the importance of engaging in legal planning in advance to ensure an autonomous life until the end of their lifespans.

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Published

2024-12-03

How to Cite

Aalto-Heinilä, M., Saarelainen, S.-M., Pöyhiä, R. and Mäki-Petäjä-Leinonen, A. (2024) “‘If I lose my mind, she will take care of me.’: The importance of relational autonomy and legal planning in later life ”, Nordic Journal on Law and Society, 7(01). doi: 10.36368/njolas.v7i01.412.

Issue

Vol. 7 No. 01 (2024)

Section

Articles

License

Copyright (c) 2024 Maija Aalto-Heinilä, Suvi-Maria Saarelainen, Reino Pöyhiä, Anna Mäki-Petäjä-Leinonen

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