Should Dementia Patients Participate in Healthcare Decision-Making?

This essay addresses the critical question of whether individuals with dementia should be involved in making decisions about their healthcare. It begins by defining dementia and outlining its various symptoms and stages, emphasizing the cognitive impairments that can affect a person's ability to function. The essay then explores the complexities of patient involvement in treatment planning, highlighting that while severe cases may limit decision-making capacity, those with milder symptoms may still participate. It discusses the importance of providing patients with proper information, using appropriate clinical methods, and adhering to professional codes of conduct. The paper also acknowledges the counterargument that severe dementia can impair decision-making abilities, affecting memory, understanding, and information processing. Ultimately, the essay examines the delicate balance between respecting patient autonomy and ensuring appropriate care for individuals living with dementia, emphasizing the need for healthcare professionals to consider the patient's input when possible.

Research

Table of Contents
Should a person living with dementia be involved in decision making their
healthcare?..................................................................................................................................1
References........................................................................................................................................3

Should a person living with dementia be involved in decision making their
healthcare?
Dementia can be defined as group of thinking and social symptoms that are responsible for
interfering the regular functioning of an individual. It includes number of early symptoms such
as subtle short-term memory changes, difficulty finding the right words, changes in mood,
apathy, memory issues, difficulty in completing normal tasks, confusion, a falling sense of
direction and so on (Dening and et. al., 2017). However, the symptom of dementia varies
according to specific type of disease like Alzheimer’s disease, vascular dementia, Huntington’s
disease etc. It involves the several stages impairment, very mild decline, mild decline, moderate
decline, moderately severe decline, severe decline and very severe decline.
On the other hand, it has been analysed that dementia condition may be mild, moderate or severe
but appropriate treatment plan requires involvement of client. It is necessary to engage patient
while making decision of their respective treatment and care facilities suitable for them.
Meanwhile, it is observed that person with dementia can be involved in decision making of care
services when their symptoms are not much severe and they are capable to understand the
aspects of treatment information conveyed by physician. It includes the fact that patient has right
to participate in decision making of their care plan for making appropriate interventions in order
to improve the condition of client (Fetherstonhaugh and et. al., 2017). However, it is necessary
for care professionals to involve patient by providing them proper information about available
best clinical practices and includes the process in which accurate decision can be formulated for
improving health condition of them. It is necessary for using the regulations and policies to
effectively involve patient with dementia to make decision of treatment suitable for them in
respect of gaining improved patient outcomes respectively.
In addition to this, it has been evaluated that clinical methods should be used which are suitable
for dementia patients according to actual cause and symptoms for making them wellbeing. It
includes the fact that people with dementia cannot be assumed to be incapable of making
decisions regarding their diagnosing and treatment methods (Wright, 2019). It is observed that
patients with dementia are not able to make accurate decisions for care services but the care
professionals should remain active to consider appropriate suggestion of clients for their own
treatment. However, it is necessary for medical practitioners to involve appropriate suggestions
and follow professional codes of conduct for betterment of dementia patients accordingly.
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The dementia patient cannot be involved in decision making of treatment and diagnosis as they
are not able think properly. It is observed that health problem of dementia is responsible for
affecting the ability of an individual to make decision as it impact negatively on different parts of
brain of patient. However, it has been identified that symptoms of dementia affect the ability of
patient to remember, understand and process the information due to which they cannot be
involved in clinical decision making of their treatment. It is observed people with early and mild
symptoms of dementia may engage in such decision making based on their ability to understand
the clinical aspects.
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References
Books and journals
Dening, K.H. and et. al., 2017. Healthcare decision-making: past present and future, in light of a
diagnosis of dementia. International Journal of Palliative Nursing, 23(1), pp.4-11.
Wright, M.S., 2019. Dementia, Healthcare Decision Making, and Disability Law. The Journal of
Law, Medicine & Ethics, 47(4_suppl), pp.25-33.
Fetherstonhaugh, D. and et. al., 2017. Decision-making on behalf of people living with dementia:
how do surrogate decision-makers decide?. Journal of Medical Ethics, 43(1), pp.35-40.
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