---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Let's spend less on trying to fix the…"
description: "\"Let's spend less on trying to fix the unfixable in the last five years of life and spend more supporting people so that they can stay the least disable..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f34/katy-butler-32755_disabled_let-s-spend-less-on-trying-to-fix-the-un_2804391.jpg"
---

#  Let's spend less on trying to fix the unfixable in the…

![“Let's spend less on trying to fix the unfixable in the last five years of life and spend more supporting people so that they can stay the least disabled as they possibly can, the most independent as they possibly can, and keep them at home.” quote by Katy Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f34/katy-butler-32755_disabled_let-s-spend-less-on-trying-to-fix-the-un_2804391.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f34/katy-butler-32755_disabled_let-s-spend-less-on-trying-to-fix-the-un_2804391.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f34/katy-butler-32755_disabled_let-s-spend-less-on-trying-to-fix-the-un_2804391.jpg)

> “Let's spend less on trying to fix the unfixable in the last five years of life and spend more supporting people so that they can stay the least disabled as they possibly can, the most independent as they possibly can, and keep them at home.”

[Katy Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katy-butler/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Advocates shifting resources from futile medical interventions to supportive care that maximizes independence and home living for the elderly.

**In simple terms:** Focus on support, not fixing the unfixable.

Key Takeaway

Prioritize care that preserves autonomy.

Themes

eldercare support independence resource allocation

Mood

compassionate pragmatic

Type

policy advocacy

When to use this quote

- home health services
- assistive technology
- community support
- advanced care planning

Key Concepts

palliative care quality of life aging population

Questions to Reflect On

- How can we balance hope for cure with realistic care?
- What policies best fund home-based support?

A Different Perspective

May overlook necessary medical treatments for some conditions.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Disabled](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/disabled/) [Five](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/five/) [Five years](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/five-years/) [Home](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/home/) [Independent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/independent/) [Last five years](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/last-five-years/) [Lasts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lasts/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Life Spend](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life-spend-281875/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Spend Supporting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spend-supporting-3474008/) [Spend Trying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spend-trying-366249/) [Stay Disabled](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stay-disabled-3474007/) [Supporting People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/supporting-people-1208456/) [Trying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trying/) [Years](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/years/) [Years of life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/years-of-life/)

## Related quotes

> [When I lose my larger sense of supporting people to be their best, I lessen my contact with the God inside me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-farrell/when-i-lose-my-larger-sense-of-supporting-people-to-be-their-best-i/)

[Warren Farrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-farrell/)

> [Supporting people to stay in their homes is surely a better method of reducing homelessness than acting after the fact.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dawn-foster/supporting-people-to-stay-in-their-homes-is-surely-a-better-method-of/)

[Dawn Foster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dawn-foster/)

> [I've seen the importance of the attitude towards supporting people in other parts of the world and the way in which that will benefit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angela-rippon/i-ve-seen-the-importance-of-the-attitude-towards-supporting-people-in/)

[Angela Rippon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angela-rippon/)

> [Supporting the people in our businesses is what we need to be thinking about. It's a no-brainer. It improves leadership. It improves productivity. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meena-harris/supporting-the-people-in-our-businesses-is-what-we-need-to-be/)

[Meena Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meena-harris/)

> [I thank the U.N. for supporting me and the people in the ghetto.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-wanyama/i-thank-the-u-n-for-supporting-me-and-the-people-in-the-ghetto/)

[Victor Wanyama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-wanyama/)

> [I was supporting other people's creative dreams and I wasn't supporting my own. I didn't feel like I could really serve people having that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelly-carlin-mccall/i-was-supporting-other-people-s-creative-dreams-and-i-wasn-t/)

[Kelly Carlin-McCall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelly-carlin-mccall/)

> [We bore ourselves in order to earn money that we'll later spend on trying to de-bore ourselves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-hodgkinson/we-bore-ourselves-in-order-to-earn-money-that-we-ll-later-spend-on/)

[Tom Hodgkinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-hodgkinson/)

> [Life is too short to spend it trying to keep everyone happy. Keep your focus on pleasing God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/life-is-too-short-to-spend-it-trying-to-keep-everyone-happy-keep-your/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [Your time is limited, so don't spend it trying to live someone else's life. Don't be trapped by other peoples problems. Don't let the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kyle-macdonald/your-time-is-limited-so-don-t-spend-it-trying-to-live-someone-else-s/)

[Kyle MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kyle-macdonald/)

> [“Most of us spend ourselves trying to be something that we’re not. And if we’d just spend that energy on growing into who we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-d-lounsbrough/most-of-us-spend-ourselves-trying-to-be-something-that-we-re-not-and/)

[Craig D. Lounsbrough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-d-lounsbrough/)

> [Life's too short to spend it trying to keep others happy. You can't please everyone. To fulfill your destiny, stay true to your heart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-osteen/life-s-too-short-to-spend-it-trying-to-keep-others-happy-you-can-t/)

[Joel Osteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-osteen/)

> [My time is far too valuable for me to spend any of it trying to improve myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashleigh-brilliant/my-time-is-far-too-valuable-for-me-to-spend-any-of-it-trying-to/)

[Ashleigh Brilliant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashleigh-brilliant/)

> [Your problem is how you are going to spend this one odd and precious life you have been issued. Whether you're going to spend…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-lamott/your-problem-is-how-you-are-going-to-spend-this-one-odd-and-precious/)

[Anne Lamott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-lamott/)

> [“The great value of life is to spend it on something that will outlast it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-truslow-adams/the-great-value-of-life-is-to-spend-it-on-something-that-will-outlast/)

[James Truslow Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-truslow-adams/)

> [The price we are willing to pay for safety cannot be infinite. It is distasteful to put a price on human life, but the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-singer/the-price-we-are-willing-to-pay-for-safety-cannot-be-infinite-it-is/)

[Peter Singer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-singer/)

## More by Katy Butler

> [I don't think people ever were free of fear of death, but clinging to life and being so unprepared for it is a modern…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katy-butler/i-don-t-think-people-ever-were-free-of-fear-of-death-but-clinging-to/)

[Katy Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katy-butler/)

> [Three-quarters of people say they want to die at home, but only a quarter of people actually do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katy-butler/three-quarters-of-people-say-they-want-to-die-at-home-but-only-a/)

[Katy Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katy-butler/)

> [I want people to suffer less, and I think it's possible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katy-butler/i-want-people-to-suffer-less-and-i-think-it-s-possible/)

[Katy Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katy-butler/)

> [Almost anyone you talk to will say, 'I don't want to die plugged into machines.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katy-butler/almost-anyone-you-talk-to-will-say-i-don-t-want-to-die-plugged-into/)

[Katy Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katy-butler/)

> [Attempting to grapple with improving end-of-life care is a political third rail.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katy-butler/attempting-to-grapple-with-improving-end-of-life-care-is-a-political/)

[Katy Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katy-butler/)

> [“Facebook group Slow Medicine, who”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katy-butler/facebook-group-slow-medicine-who/)

[Katy Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katy-butler/)

> [Very few of us are succeeding in giving our parents the ideal death.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katy-butler/very-few-of-us-are-succeeding-in-giving-our-parents-the-ideal-death/)

[Katy Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katy-butler/)

> [We offer such false hopes to people that every medical problem can be fixed even when you're starting to deal with an 80- or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katy-butler/we-offer-such-false-hopes-to-people-that-every-medical-problem-can-be/)

[Katy Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katy-butler/)

> [I've heard doctors say that before the crisis hits, people don't want prolonged measures, but then in the middle of the crisis they want…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katy-butler/i-ve-heard-doctors-say-that-before-the-crisis-hits-people-don-t-want/)

[Katy Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katy-butler/)

> [I want to break the taboo against questioning this drive for maximum longevity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katy-butler/i-want-to-break-the-taboo-against-questioning-this-drive-for-maximum/)

[Katy Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katy-butler/)

> [“Nothing much will change until we pay doctors and hospitals when they appropriately do less as well as we do when they inappropriately do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katy-butler/nothing-much-will-change-until-we-pay-doctors-and-hospitals-when-they/)

[Katy Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katy-butler/)

> [ I think it's very interesting that \[doctors\] privilege the self that is saying, "I don't want to die," but want to discount the self… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katy-butler/i-think-it-s-very-interesting-that-doctors-privilege-the-self-that-is/)

[Katy Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katy-butler/)

> [To do more, is not necessarily to do better.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katy-butler/to-do-more-is-not-necessarily-to-do-better/)

[Katy Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katy-butler/)

> [“optimistic, science-worshipping culture wants to medicalize aging and make it nothing more than a collection of specific diseases that medicine can prevent or fix,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katy-butler/optimistic-science-worshipping-culture-wants-to-medicalize-aging-and/)

[Katy Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katy-butler/)

[Explore all 15 Katy Butler quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katy-butler/)

## More Disabled quotes

> [I think what was special about 'Music by Prudence' was the classic story of the title subject's life path - from being an outcast…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ross-williams/i-think-what-was-special-about-music-by-prudence-was-the-classic/)

[Roger Ross Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ross-williams/)

> [If you're disabled or different from what general society deems normal, it's fine. There will always be people who won't accept you, but there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/millicent-simmonds/if-you-re-disabled-or-different-from-what-general-society-deems/)

[Millicent Simmonds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/millicent-simmonds/)

> [I have joined the BJP to help disabled people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sudha-chandran/i-have-joined-the-bjp-to-help-disabled-people/)

[Sudha Chandran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sudha-chandran/)

> [“I knew I was disabled when everyday home activities became overwhelming!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-magee/i-knew-i-was-disabled-when-everyday-home-activities-became/)

[Steven Magee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-magee/)

> [I have been a long-time advocate for a just Arab-Israeli peace and for Palestinian refugees. Today, as you are aware, Turkey, Lebanon, and Jordan…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/queen-noor-of-jordan/i-have-been-a-long-time-advocate-for-a-just-arab-israeli-peace-and/)

[Queen Noor of Jordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/queen-noor-of-jordan/)

> [It's an objective fact that I am a double amputee, but it's very subjective opinion as to whether that makes me disabled.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aimee-mullins/it-s-an-objective-fact-that-i-am-a-double-amputee-but-it-s-very/)

[Aimee Mullins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aimee-mullins/)

> [Everybody has a story and being a disabled person means you have a unique story.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liz-carr/everybody-has-a-story-and-being-a-disabled-person-means-you-have-a/)

[Liz Carr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liz-carr/)

> [We think we know what it's all about; we think that disability is a really simple thing, and we don't expect to see disabled…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stella-young/we-think-we-know-what-it-s-all-about-we-think-that-disability-is-a/)

[Stella Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stella-young/)

> [“I have been watching the Democrats run the USA for four years. The police are still corrupt and incompetent, their ‘green’ energy policy is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-magee/i-have-been-watching-the-democrats-run-the-usa-for-four-years-the/)

[Steven Magee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-magee/)

> [I have veterans in my family. But I didn't know anything about DAV, Disabled American Veterans.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-sinise/i-have-veterans-in-my-family-but-i-didn-t-know-anything-about-dav/)

[Gary Sinise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-sinise/)

> [I would rather be physically disabled obviously than mentally. I would rather be paraplegic than nuts. And it is a terrifying prospect and actually…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-mcewan/i-would-rather-be-physically-disabled-obviously-than-mentally-i-would/)

[Ian Mcewan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-mcewan/)

> [Social Security is based on a principle. It's based on the principle that you care about other people. You care whether the widow across…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/social-security-is-based-on-a-principle-it-s-based-on-the-principle/)

[Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/)

> [Every disabled person's experience is different. As a wheelchair user I can experience something different from someone who is visually impaired.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tanni-grey-thompson/every-disabled-person-s-experience-is-different-as-a-wheelchair-user/)

[Tanni Grey-Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tanni-grey-thompson/)

> [“My interest in astronomy took me to the premier astronomical observatories in the world before I developed occupational diseases and became disabled at age…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-magee/my-interest-in-astronomy-took-me-to-the-premier-astronomical/)

[Steven Magee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-magee/)

> [“A lot of disabled people probably died in hurricane Ian.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-magee/a-lot-of-disabled-people-probably-died-in-hurricane-ian/)

[Steven Magee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-magee/)

[Browse all 362 Disabled quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/disabled/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "Let's spend less on trying to fix the unfixable in the last five years of life and spend more supporting people so that they can stay the least disabled as they possibly can, the most independent as they possibly can, and keep them at home.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Katy Butler"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katy-butler/let-s-spend-less-on-trying-to-fix-the-unfixable-in-the-last-five/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Disabled"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katy-butler/let-s-spend-less-on-trying-to-fix-the-unfixable-in-the-last-five/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f34/katy-butler-32755_disabled_let-s-spend-less-on-trying-to-fix-the-un_2804391.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f34/katy-butler-32755_disabled_let-s-spend-less-on-trying-to-fix-the-un_2804391.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f34/katy-butler-32755_disabled_let-s-spend-less-on-trying-to-fix-the-un_2804391.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“Let's spend less on trying to fix the unfixable in the last five years of life and spend more supporting…” — Katy Butler",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "Katy Butler",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katy-butler/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "Let's spend less on trying to...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katy-butler/let-s-spend-less-on-trying-to-fix-the-unfixable-in-the-last-five/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katy-butler/let-s-spend-less-on-trying-to-fix-the-unfixable-in-the-last-five/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
