title: Testamentary capacity and delirium.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  With the aging of the population there will be a substantial transfer of wealth in the next 25 years. The presence of delirium can complicate the evaluation of an older person's testamentary capacity and susceptibility to undue influence but has not been well examined in the existing literature.
  
  
  METHODS
  A subcommittee of the IPA Task Force on Testamentary Capacity and Undue Influence undertook to review how to assess prospectively and retrospectively testamentary capacity and susceptibility to undue influence in patients with delirium.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The subcommittee identified questions that should be asked in cases where someone changes their will or estate plan towards the end of their life in the presence of delirium. These questions include: was there consistency in the patient's wishes over time? Were these wishes expressed during a "lucid interval" when the person was less confused? Were the patient's wishes clearly expressed in response to open-ended questions? Is there clear documentation of the patient's mental status at the time of the discussion?
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This review with some case examples provides guidance on how to consider the question of testamentary capacity or susceptibility to undue influence in someone undergoing an episode of delirium.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Baystate Health, Springfield, MA 01199, U.S.A. benjamin.liptzin@bhs.org
authors.forename: Benjamin
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Liptzin
authors.forename: Carmelle
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Peisah
authors.forename: Kenneth
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Shulman
authors.forename: Sanford
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Finkel
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003693:Delirium / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology; D005104:Expert Testimony / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D005260:Female; D005607:Fraud / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D006801:Humans; D016743:Mental Competency / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014481:United States; D014918:Wills / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*