The Geropsychiatric Nursing Collaborative has developed Geropsychiatric Nursing Competency Enhancements and 27 associated Key Concepts (see POGOe Product 20660) to draw attention to the special mental health issues of older adults and assist faculty to address them. The key concepts are organized into four domains: assessment, management, approach to older adults, and role. This product provides an index of resources addressing Key Concept II.G. -- Management: Ethical/legal and socioeconomic factors.

Clinicians caring for patients with mental health issues often find that there are ethical and legal factors that must be addressed. Ethical questions arise when desire for autonomy (the patient's ability to make informed decisions) conflicts with safety concerns, for example, balancing the independence of driving for patients with dementia while considering the safety of the patient and public. Likewise, older adults with dementia or other mental health issues are at special risk for self neglect as well as elder abuse and mistreatment. Patients’ desires to protect perpetrators post ethical/legal concerns for providers. Other important elements to protect older adults with mental health issues and/or cognitive impairment include providing for a durable power of attorney or the appointment of a guardian. Finally, older adults’ potentially limited  socioeconomic resources and health care insurance status must be considered when recommending treatment strategies.

This product contains resources that address the following:

• Caregiving
• Elder Mistreatment
• Elder Abuse
• Domestic Violence
• Advance Care Planning
• Dementia