Consent & Competency With Alzheimer's

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Alzheimer's disease is a brain disorder that affects thinking, reasoning, speaking, behavior and normal day-to-day living. As the disease progresses, a person's mind becomes less and less functional. Because of this, many Alzheimer's patients are not competent to consent to medical procedures that affect their care.
Alzheimer's Disease
According to the Alzheimer's Association, Alzheimer's disease currently afflicts over
5.3 million Americans. The number of those with the disease is increasing annually as the population ages. As baby boomers age, the prevalence of Alzheimer's disease will increase quickly. The number of cases of Alzheimer's disease will probably double by the year 2020. The burden on families of these people and the health care system will be huge as one out of every eight baby boomers most likely will develop Alzheimer's disease.
Consent
Doctors must get the informed consent of patients they are taking care of before starting any treatment. They are obligated to do this by law and medical ethics. Any information must be given to a competent patient who is permitted to make a voluntary choice. When this person does not have the competence to make a valid decision about his treatment, alternate persons to make decisions must be found. The dilemma is the determination of whether patients are competent to make decisions or not. This can be most difficult in patients with Alzheimer's disease.
Capacity
Making valid healthcare decisions requires that ...read all of Consent & Competency With Alzheimer's