title: Principles and practice of geriatric assent.
abstract: Geriatric assent involves health care professionals' active collaboration with cognitively impaired patients that takes account of their longstanding values in any major health care decisions. The main purpose of this paper is to assist geriatric health practitioners 'in the field' to understand how to apply geriatric assent in a variety of clinical situations to maximize incapacitated older adults' input into decision-making. A case example and algorithm are presented to illustrate the basic principles of implementing geriatric assent. Practice informed by the principles of geriatric assent will preserve respect for the current and future autonomy of patients across diverse cultural backgrounds.
authors.affiliation: Department of Aging and Mental Health, Louis de la Parte Florida Mental Health Institute, University of South Florida, Tampa 33612-3899, USA. vmolinari@fmhi.usf.edu
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Molinari
authors.forename: L B
authors.initials: LB
authors.lastname: McCullough
authors.forename: J H
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Coverdale
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Workman
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000465:Algorithms; D003657:Decision Making; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010358:Patient Participation / Q000523:psychology*; D011369:Professional-Patient Relations; D014481:United States