Elderly Adults and Alzheimer Disease - Case Study Example

Today, mental illness is a significant health problem amongst elderly adults in America. According to a CDC report in 2013, it is imperative to increase efforts to respond and treat mental diseases and anxiety disorders due to increasing cases in modern society, especially in the United States. Mental illness is a collective description of all diagnosable mental disorders that cause alteration in mood, thinking and other behavior related to impaired functioning and distress. Even though, there is a range of mental illnesses common among elderly adults, it is apparent Alzheimer’s disease remains the most common mental disorder affecting this portion of the American population. Case Study Analysis In the case study, Catherine is an elderly adult taken by her daughter Linda to a physician. Linda is worried about her mother’s general wellbeing because recently she declines assistance from family members. She hides her problems from others by demonstrating an upright, self-sufficient and well-maintained individual to reduce her burden to the family. In subsequent weeks, it is apparent Catherine’s insecurity results from her persistent memory lapses and consistent forgetfulness. Catherine’s memory lapses result in worrisome behavior. For instance, her family members are not aware she constantly forgets to turn off cooking facilities and household appliances after use Age is a major risk factor for Alzheimer’s disease. Catherine is an elderly adult probably in her 60s; thus, she is at a risk of suffering from Alzheimer’s disease. According to World Health Organization, 70% of elderly adults aged 60s are at a risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease that increases the possibility of suffering dementia. From an evaluation of Catherine’s condition, it is apparent she is already suffering from Alzheimer’s disease. Her memory lapses and forgetfulness indicate her condition is at an advanced stage, and she may be likely to develop dementia. It explains the household appliances and cooking facilities that remain on after use in the house. Moreover, dementia may explain Catherine’s insecurity. She needs assistance from her family members, but is afraid of embarrassment and shame resulting from her memory loss. Article Analysis According to Center for Disease Control (2013), Alzheimer’s disease is the most prevalent form of dementia amongst the elderly population in America and the world. As a progressive disease, it starts with mild memory losses that inhibit the ability to respond to the environment and carry out daily activities. During its inception, parts of the brain that control memory, language and thought are seriously altered by unknown causes leading to problems like memory loss. The causes of Alzheimer’s disease are unknown, but its relationship with dementia is effectively established amongst elderly adults through evidence-based research. Alzheimer’s disease causes at least 70% of cases of Dementia amongst Americans aged 71 years. Moreover, 80% of individuals aged between 71 and 91 years diagnosed with dementia are likely to suffer from Alzheimer’s disease (Alzheimer’s Association, 2013). Even though, the disease is not common in the early years, Murray (2012) insists individuals in their 30s, 40s and 50s are likely to suffer from Alzheimer’s disease or may possess a related dementia. Currently, Alzheimer’s Association posits that at least 5.2 million Americans are living with the disease (Murray, 2012). This number can reach 16 million Americans in 2050 if appropriate steps are not followed to unearth the causes of the disease and treatment (Alzheimer’s Association, 2013). As noted by the World Health Organization, dementia is a mental condition characterized by deterioration in behavior, memory, performance and thinking when undertaking daily activities. These occurrences are termed abnormal because they do not characterize normal ageing processes. Today, there are 36 million people suffering from dementia and the numbers are rising since 7.7 million cases are reported annually throughout the world (Murray, 2012). Therefore, individuals are at a risk of developing these mental complications in old age. According to the World Health Organization, increased cases of dementia are explained by interplay with Alzheimer’s disease. According to Murray (2012), Alzheimer’s disease is the primary cause of Dementia with unimaginable economic costs to the country and the world. Dementia is responsible for dependency and disability among elderly adults, and its influences on family, caregivers, and the community may have physical, social, psychological and economic origins. In 2010, World Health Organization argued the social costs of dementia reached 604 million dollars, which corresponded to 1% of the global Gross Domestic product. Moreover, as a proportion, the total cost of varied from 1.24% in developed countries to 0.24% in developing countries. Legal Challenges of Working with Elderly Adults Physicians access plenty information regarding their clients during a therapy program or process. They rely on information gathered from clients, family members and other relatives make informed decisions about the client. In the case study, Catherine confided in the physician and exposed more problems she had hidden from her family members. In many cases, legal challenges arise when physicians need to communicate with third parties concerning the legal challenges they face, and Catherine’s case is an appropriate scenario to illustrate the predicament faced by physicians. An apparent legal challenge that Catherine’s family faces is neglect (Alzheimer’s Association, 2013). This occurs when the family members and relatives of a mental patient fail to provide the necessities of life. Not only do family members and relatives face litigation for failing to provide necessities, criminal negligence may occur when lack of care leads to bodily harm or death of a patient. Moreover, Catherine’s family members face legal challenges of physical and sexual abuse. It is unlawful to cause unnecessary bodily harm, sexual, assault, murder and manslaughter to mental patients. Moreover, forceful confinement of mental patients is also considered physical abuse and family members are liable for litigation if Catherine was forcefully confined at her premises (Alzheimer’s Association, 2013). Finally, financial abuse is another legal challenge Catherine’s family face. When an individual suffers mental problems, it is common for family members and relatives to exploit this opportunity to steal, misappropriate and extort money from victims. Moreover, many people in positions of power may falsify and forge documents in order to seek financial favors on behalf of the victims. These constitute a criminal offenses committed by family members and relatives in positions of power. Ethical and Legal Implications of Working with Elderly Adults There are numerous ethical principles that arise when dealing with mental health patients, especially elderly adults. A common ethical complication when dealing with Catherine is confidentiality. In psychotherapy, it is apparent older adults require full confidentiality like younger adults. Evidence demonstrates that confidentiality of older adults is often compromised when reporting the progress of therapy to family, friends and relatives. In many cases, no explanation is provided for the impulse physicians, family and friends of clients have when sharing information (Alzheimer’s Association, 2013). Even though, many clients do not want their information shared with third parties, it is apparent physicians easily identify with younger family members of the patient. In Catherine’s situation, it is likely the physician is compelled to share information with her daughter regarding her situation and therapy progress. However, sharing client information is justified in various circumstances, especially when coordination and cooperation of the various agencies is necessary to improve patient outcomes. In this manner, information sharing remains valid and good, but it is important for clients to consent to information sharing, including information about their status as clients. A common problem emerges when a client has severe cognitive impairment and is in danger. In this situation, a physician is allowed to contact others. It is because autonomy and freedom for some clients may be risk factors for injury and death. In the case study, consent is a major ethical complication faced by the physician. Competent adults have the capacity to consent or refuse mental health treatments. Informed consent refers to remaining aware of the things offered together with their advantages and disadvantages. This makes it imperative to engage in education and outreach activities with patients to increase their knowledge about psychotherapy. The decision by clients to decline treatment options should be respected, but it is important to consider whether the refusal of treatment is an informed decision. Many clients may change their decisions after thorough explanations of physicians, and laws relating to involuntary treatment may compel clients to consent to treatment and medication. Ethical Concerns However, the case study that presents a Catherine’s situation is interesting because it is a reason for concern. A major concern is confidentiality regarding the information Catherine shared with the physician. Catherine’s behavior towards her family is due to embarrassment and forgetfulness, but it is important to share information with concerned parties in order to improve her situation. Therefore, adopting effective approaches to ensure confidentiality is essential, and a session with Catherine and her daughter is necessary. Since people in positions of power, influence the behavior of mental health patients, Linda should know her mother’s status in order to avoid future injury, especially when an accident occurs at the house. It is true because Catherine’s memory loss can lead to accidents, especially when forgets to switch off household appliances after use. It is important to report and share information regarding Catherine’s wellbeing to her daughter Linda. A mandatory reporting challenge is sharing with Linda Catherine’s experiences at home caused by her memory loss and forgetfulness (American Psychiatric Association, 2000). Moreover, it is important to report how her mother copes with daily activities in the house. It is important to avoid the destruction of property and injury due to increased risk of accidents. Mental patients have numerous needs to fulfill in an attempt to realize their objectives, but assessment is necessary to determine the treatment needs of a patient. For instance, it is important to diagnose Catherine for Alzheimer’s disease because she demonstrates symptoms of the disease. Moreover, Catherine needs assistance and care of her family members. The family plays a crucial role in the recovery process for patients with mental diseases. Catherine needs an increased presence and assistance of her daughter in order to reduce the risks of injury in case of her memory loss and forgetfulness. Therefore, it is apparent that mental health illnesses are prevalent in modern society, especially among elderly adults, and it is important to ensure appropriate and effective treatment to guarantee healthy lifestyles for this portion of the population. References Alzheimer’s Association. (2013). 2012 Alzheimer’s Disease Facts and Figures. Retrieved from alz.org/downloads/facts_figures_2012.pdf American Psychiatric Association (2000). World Alzheimer’s Report 2010> The global Economic Impact of Dymentia. London. Alzheimer’s Disease International. Murray, F. (2012). Minimizing the risk of Alzheimer's disease. Algora Publishing, New York, 2012. 328 pp. Retrieved from Read More