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I refer to the Forum letter, “ ” (Dec 1). In 2015, I went back to Switzerland to look after my then 93-year-old mother. When she was 97, she decided to end her life with assisted suicide, which is legal in Switzerland if someone is terminally ill or has unbearable suffering. My mother had five children and 10 grandchildren, all very close to her heart and who visited her often. However, for her final hour, my mother wanted to be alone. I had thought this was because she didn’t want to be a burden to us, but I was wrong. For legal reasons, I had to be there as a witness, together with the right-to-die organisation. Before the final act, my mother asked to be left alone. When we went back, I was surprised to find that she was so relaxed that she had actually fallen asleep before taking the medication, which she later did. The point is this: Some people don’t want a tearful goodbye from their loved ones, and prefer to be alone in their final hour to find peace within themselves.