Decision-Making Capacity in Older Adults - Essay Example

"Decision-Making Capacity in Older Adults" is a great example of a paper on neurology.
Decision-making capacity is the ability to have adequate capacity to legally and physiologically make sound decisions. Decision-making assessment is mostly done for patients because sometimes sickness or medication can impair their ability to make effective decisions on their health. Competence is the capability of an individual to do his or her work effectively. Competency is a set of clearly outlined behavior that acts as a guideline when defining, evaluating, and identifying individual employees. Decision-making capacity and competence are two completely different concepts.  The former involves the ability of an individual to make sound judgment and decisions relating to their health or other important issues. On the other hand, the latter is a well-defined set of behavior that can be used to identify reliable individuals in the workplace.

Dementia is a disease caused by numerous brain disorders which usually results in loss of memory, a decline in reasoning, and difficulty in handling day to day activities. Conversely, executive dysfunction is the interruption of the normal functioning of the executive function, which is a set of cognitive processes that regulate, control, and manage other cognitive processes. Establishing this kind of person might be difficult. However, it involves various kinds of medication and assessments that can help one recover what he or she had forgotten. If this is impossible, the health personnel is advised to make a decision that is of the best interest to the patient so as to prevent further adversities. (Touchy. T & Jett. F. 2013)

Conservatorship is a legal process where a custodian or guardian is appointed by a judge to help another person to manage their finances and day to day activities due to old age or physical or mental limitation.  Conservatorship is normally ruled for individuals who are severely mentally ill, elderly with executive dysfunction or Dementia, and lack mental capacity.  The mental capacity of the ‘conservator’ has to be determined by experienced medical personnel whose` documents must be attached and presented in court. Conservatorship is usually more temporary as compared to nationalization. The individual with dementia still benefits because they are still allowed to have some measure of control. For instance, they are allowed to choose where to live and to take over the control once they are doing well. (Touchy. T & Jett. F. 2013)

Guardianship and conservatorship are not always necessary. Despite the benefits, it can be time-consuming, fairly complex, and time-consuming. However, there can be alternatives that can be used to archive the same needs. This includes writing wills and giving once lawyer durable power to give directions in case any of these conditions occur. Also, Georgia's advance directive for health care also declares also contains the will that lawyer, and the health Personnel who should make this kind of decision. Others include a financial power of `attorney which allows one lawyer to choose who will act as a guardian in case such condition occurs, Living trust where the adult creates an inter Vivo which shows who all or a portion of the property will be transferred to in case of such conditions among others. (Qualls, H. & Smyer, M. 2007).

In conclusion reduction in the decision-making capacity of an elderly person might affect his or her capacity to make their financial and day-to-day decisions with competence. In such instances, a court might decide to give such elderly individuals a guardian who will act as their representative on any of these essential issues. Apart from guardianship the elderly might also decide to write wills and give their attorney durable powers, give financial power of attorney or have a living trust among others. This protects elderly people's finances from being mismanaged in case such conditions occur.