Ethical and Legal Considerations Flashcards
7 cards from real ACC practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Ethical and Legal Considerations flashcards as text
A person with moderate Alzheimer's refuses to take a prescribed medication. What is the caregiver's most appropriate first response?
Answer: Respect the refusal, document it, and notify the healthcare provider
Documenting and notifying the healthcare provider respects autonomy while ensuring the care team can address the refusal appropriately.
Which legal document specifically designates someone to make financial decisions on behalf of a person who can no longer do so themselves?
Answer: Durable power of attorney for finances
A durable power of attorney for finances grants a designated agent authority to manage financial matters when the principal lacks capacity.
A caregiver notices that a family member has been withdrawing large sums of money from an Alzheimer's patient's account. This is an example of:
Answer: Financial exploitation and elder abuse
Unauthorized or exploitative withdrawal of funds from a vulnerable adult's account constitutes financial elder abuse.
What is 'therapeutic fibbing' in Alzheimer's care?
Answer: Using gentle, reality-based redirection to avoid unnecessary distress
Therapeutic fibbing involves using compassionate redirection rather than harsh reality correction to reduce distress without causing harm.
When a person with Alzheimer's disease lacks decision-making capacity, who has the legal authority to consent to medical treatment?
Answer: The person's legally authorized representative or surrogate decision-maker
A legally authorized representative—such as a healthcare proxy or legal guardian—holds authority to consent to treatment when capacity is lost.
A caregiver suspects a colleague is neglecting a resident with Alzheimer's. Under mandatory reporting laws, what must the caregiver do?
Answer: Report the suspicion to Adult Protective Services or the appropriate authority
Mandatory reporters are legally required to report reasonable suspicions of neglect or abuse to protective authorities, not to investigate themselves.
Which ethical principle is upheld when caregivers ensure a person with Alzheimer's is protected from harm and unsafe situations?
Answer: Beneficence
Beneficence refers to the duty to act in the patient's best interest by promoting their wellbeing and protecting them from harm.