Assessing Older Adults’ Decision-Making Capacity for Independent Living: Practice Tensions and Complexities

Abstract

Decision-making capacity (DMC) is a salient issue due to increasing ageing populations and associated dementia-related diseases. Legislative and policy developments emphasise older adults’ rights to participate in decision-making. Fifty-two occupational therapists working with older adults from a range of practice settings in Ireland participated in focus groups to discuss their contribution to multidisciplinary assessments of older adult’s DMC for independent living. Findings indicate lack of shared understanding of DMC and conflicting philosophies of practice and highlight the need for a comprehensive and multidisciplinary approach. Findings also highlight that older people are often excluded from care-planning, and independent living options are determined by availability of community services rather than their preferences. Future research will attempt to inform practice in assessing and supporting older adults’ DMC for independent living.

Provider and facility readiness for age-friendly health services for older adults in primary health care centres in southwest, Nigeria

“…The study among family members and dependent older people in Nigeria, China, Mexico and Peru found there were decision making needs for the care of their dependent older adults and often left it to the males in the family [ 35 ]. This decision-making capacity in older adults is increasingly important due to aging populations and dementia-related diseases [ 36 ]. Training of health providers in care oriented to older people also scored low in this study.…”