Caring for decisionally incapacitated elderly.
Although treating the elderly occasion the same kinds of ethical issues as treating other patients, specific problems do arise when making decisions for persons, once competent, who no longer can express their values. I examine the problem of decisional incapacity and offer a critique of the principles, such as substituted judgment, and the instruments, such as advance directives, living wills, other instructional directives, as well as surrogate decision-makers.
High
D M
DM
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003072:Cognition Disorders; D006801:Humans; D007600:Judgment; D026706:Paternalism; D010347:Patient Care Planning; D026684:Personal Autonomy; D012151:Resuscitation; D012297:Right to Die; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012945:Social Values; D013727:Terminal Care; D028761:Withholding Treatment