Safeguarding People Living with Dementia: How Social Workers Can Use Supported Decision-Making Strategies to Support the Human Rights of Individuals during Adult Safeguarding Enquiries

Abstract

Dementia may make adults more susceptible to abuse and neglect and such mistreatment is recognised as a human rights violation. This article focusses on how the rights of people living with dementia might be protected through the use of supported decision-making within safeguarding work. The article begins by reviewing the aims and scope of adult safeguarding services. It then describes how the concept of ‘legal capacity’ is set out in the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) and how this differs from the concept of ‘mental capacity’ in the Mental Capacity Act 2005. Focussing on practice in England, it is argued that tensions between the CRPD and domestic law exist, but these can be brought into closer alignment by finding ways to maximise supported decision-making within existing legal and policy frameworks. The article concludes with suggested practice strategies which involve: (i) providing clear and accessible information about safeguarding; (ii) thinking about the location of safeguarding meetings; (iii) building relationships with people living with dementia; (iv) using flexible timescales; (v) tailoring information to meet the needs of people living with dementia and (v) respecting the person’s will and preferences in emergency situations.

Between the convention and conventional practice: Israeli social workers' recommendations regarding the legal capacity of people with disabilities

“…In Israel, as elsewhere (Campbell et al, 2018;Dixon et al, 2021), social workers are highly involved in legal capacity proceedings. They are responsible for initiating the appointment process, and for providing the family court with recommendations regarding the measures most appropriate for the specific client they serve as key inputs in the legal outcome (Crampton, 2004;Schindler & Segal-Reich, 2016(.…”

“…They are responsible for initiating the appointment process, and for providing the family court with recommendations regarding the measures most appropriate for the specific client they serve as key inputs in the legal outcome (Crampton, 2004 ; Schindler & Segal‐Reich, 2016 (. Despite their cardinal role, hitherto only few studies have examined social workers' practices in the realm of legal capacity (Dixon et al, 2021 ), and in particular their recommendation process (Barel et al, 2020 ). Most, moreover, have focused on the elderly, tending to examine social workers' official reports.…”

COVID-19: Experiences of Social Workers Supporting Older Adults With Dementia in Nigeria

“…Medical social workers emerge as indispensable pillars of comprehensive care. 53 In addition to this, medical social worker navigates the labyrinth of challenges posed by the pandemic to support individuals grappling with dementia. Findings of this study are an essential step toward unpacking resource needs gaps in dementia care in the context of medical social services in Nigeria and other African regions.…”

Participatory rights of older adults at risk in adult protection case conferences

“…People need time to understand the concerns and their options. Lack of flexibility and unnecessary adherence to timescales when the situation is not urgent can undermine person centred practice (Dixon et al , 2021; Sherwood-Johnson, 2016).…”