Seminar Date: February 4, 2009
Presented by: Ros Burrow, PhD
This presentation examines the ethical and practical aspects of competency evaluation in geriatric populations. It is an evaluation of when competency is detrimental and when it is critical. The confounding influence of the examiner’s and family’s values is stressed. This presentation overviews which cognitive domains must be assessed for a comprehensive evaluation. Finally, the presentation reviews a number of case studies highlighting the intricacies of rendering an accurate and fair conclusion.
GOALS:
1. Understanding when to initiate an evaluation and when to leave it alone
2. Appreciating how our own values can cloud our judgment of competency
3. Learning to craft the precise referral question or target for the evaluation
4. Knowing which cognitive domains should be assessed
5. Identifying the complexities of various real-life competency decisions.
