title: Autonomy vs welfare? Anatomy of a risky discharge.
abstract: Questions about competence are often encountered when considering whether an elderly person with disability or cognitive impairment should return to their own home. This paper discusses the issues raised by one such case. It is argued that autonomy is a good in itself, whether or not it advances welfare. Hence, unless incompetence is clearcut, patients who wish to go home must go home, regardless of whether or not health care professionals view this as the best or safest choice.
authors.affiliation: Department of Geriatric Medicine, Merlin Park Regional Hospital, Galway.
authors.forename: S T
authors.initials: ST
authors.lastname: O'Keeffe
mesh_terms: D000061:Accidents, Home / Q000517:prevention & control; D000368:Aged; D006801:Humans; D007258:Informed Consent; D016743:Mental Competency; D010351:Patient Discharge; D026684:Personal Autonomy; D012307:Risk Factors; D012449:Safety / Q000592:standards; D012946:Social Welfare / Q000523:psychology