Suicide in the elderly: the limits of paternalism.
It is the authors' premise that caregivers of the suicidal elderly patient are at times guided by a paternalism that is not always in the best interests of the patient. They advocate instead care based on greater respect for the autonomy of the patient. A case of a suicidal, recently widowed man is presented, and historical and ethical considerations of bereavement and suicide are discussed.
D000368:Aged; D026686:Beneficence; D004992:Ethics, Medical; D005853:Geriatrics; D006117:Grief; D006699:Home Care Services; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D026706:Paternalism; D026684:Personal Autonomy; D010817:Physician-Patient Relations; D012067:Religion; D000092864:Suicide Prevention