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Although all adults are presumed to be mentally capable, older adults may be more likely than other adults to have their mental capability to make their own decisions questioned. Many types of physical and mental health conditions can diminish the mental capability of some older adults. But whose mental capability changes? And how do we tell? What are rights of older adults whose mental capability is being called into question? What happens afterwards? The laws in Canada vary from province to province.
Resources ONTARIO Consent and Capacity/Substitute Decision-Making - The Basics J. Wahl, Advocacy Centre for the Elderly. 2003. Produced by ACE. Six pages.
Who Assesses Capacity Under What Circumstances . Wahl, Advocacy Centre for the Elderly. 2003. Produced by ACE. 3 pages.
Journal Articles Hazelton, L.D. Sterns, G.L. & Chisholm, T. (2003) Decision-making capacity
and alcohol abuse: clinical and ethical considerations in personal care choices.
General Hospital Psychiatry, 25, 130–135. |
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providers in Ontario. It covers what happens when someone is no longer capable
of making decisions for themselves and requires a substitute decision maker.
It explains what mental capacity means, how to determine if a person is
mentally capable or incapable, who assesses mental capacity and under what
circumstances, and what to do if a person is not mentally capable to make
decisions.