ACC - Alzheimers Caregiver Ethical and Legal Considerations Questions and Answers

Question 1

A client with early-stage dementia has a valid Durable Power of Attorney for Health Care (DPOA-HC) naming her son as her agent.
She currently has the capacity to make her own decisions.
If she expresses a desire to refuse a specific medical treatment, what is the legally and ethically correct action?

Accepted Answer

Respect the client's decision, as she currently has decision-making capacity.

Answer

Consult the son (the DPOA-HC agent) and follow his decision on the treatment.

Answer

Proceed with the treatment because the DPOA-HC is in place for her protection.

Answer

Petition the court for guardianship to override the client's refusal.

Question 2

You are a caregiver for Mr. Lee, who has moderate Alzheimer's. A friendly neighbor, who often helps with groceries, asks you for specific details about Mr. Lee's latest doctor's appointment and medication changes. According to the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), what is the most appropriate response?

Accepted Answer

Explain that due to privacy laws, you cannot share his personal health information without his or his legal representative's explicit consent.

Answer

Share the information, as the neighbor is part of the informal care team.

Answer

Provide only general information, such as 'he's doing okay'.

Answer

Tell the neighbor to ask Mr. Lee directly for the information.

Question 3

Which of the following scenarios is a potential indicator of financial exploitation in a person with dementia that a caregiver should report?

Accepted Answer

Sudden, large withdrawals from bank accounts or unexplained changes to a will.

Answer

The client decides to hire a new weekly cleaning service.

Answer

A family member helps the client pay bills and manage their checkbook.

Answer

The client gives their adult child a small, customary birthday gift.

Question 4

A caregiver is caring for a client in the late stages of Alzheimer's who has a valid Do Not Resuscitate (DNR) order. The client stops breathing and has no pulse. What is the caregiver's primary legal and ethical responsibility?

Accepted Answer

Call 911, inform them of the DNR order, and provide comfort care.

Answer

Call 911 and immediately begin performing CPR.

Answer

Do not call 911, but make the client comfortable.

Answer

Contact the client's family before taking any other action.

Question 5

The ethical principle of 'autonomy' in dementia care refers to the:

Accepted Answer

Client's right to make their own choices and be involved in their care decisions, to the extent they are able.

Answer

Caregiver's authority to make decisions that are best for the client.

Answer

Fair distribution of care resources among all clients.

Answer

Requirement to do no harm and protect the client from injury.

Question 6

A client with moderate dementia is deemed by their physician to no longer have the capacity to make complex medical decisions. Which legal document allows a pre-selected individual to make these decisions on the client's behalf?

Accepted Answer

Durable Power of Attorney for Health Care

Answer

Standard Will

Answer

Living Will

Answer

Do Not Resuscitate (DNR) Order