What does someone need to show they understand to display capacity for decision-making about whether or not to die? I'm concerned (after last week's COP hearing) that there may be a high threshold for capacity for ppl with impairments - either that, or v many ppl lack capacity.

I often talk to ppl who display varying degrees of denial - one moment show acceptance of it + another talk about plans for years hence; who think if you don't talk about death it won't happen; a few who've jokingly told me they're immortal to deflect discussion of EOL plans.

Counsel said P didn't accept "finality" of death - but for many ppl death isn't "final": there's an afterlife heaven, in ppl's memories, in a legacy, reincarnation or cryogenics.

Psychologists report our brains are wired up to feel "existential anxiety" with reminders of our own mortality - leading to denial + terror, contradictory behaviour + refusal to accept that we might ever die. So what exactly does a 'capacitous' understanding of death look like?