CSA Ethical Issues for Seniors 4 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A CSA notices that an 82-year-old client has multiple small wire transfers to an unfamiliar overseas account. The most appropriate action is:
- Assume the client has family abroad and take no action
- Discuss the transactions with the client and assess for financial exploitation (Correct answer)
- Immediately freeze the client's accounts
- Notify the client's bank without speaking to the client first
Correct answer: Discuss the transactions with the client and assess for financial exploitation
Discussing unusual transactions directly with the client is the proper first step to assess whether exploitation or deception is occurring.
Question 2: Informed consent in the context of serving seniors requires that the client:
- Has a family member present to approve all decisions
- Understands the nature, risks, and alternatives of a proposed action before agreeing (Correct answer)
- Signs a standard authorization form provided by the advisor
- Receives written notice at least 30 days before any change
Correct answer: Understands the nature, risks, and alternatives of a proposed action before agreeing
Informed consent is valid only when the client has sufficient information about options, risks, and consequences to make a genuine choice.
Question 3: A CSA who accepts undisclosed referral fees from a care facility they recommend to clients is violating which ethical principle?
- Nonmaleficence
- Justice
- Full disclosure and avoidance of conflicts of interest (Correct answer)
- Confidentiality
Correct answer: Full disclosure and avoidance of conflicts of interest
Undisclosed referral fees create an undisclosed conflict of interest, violating the advisor's duty of transparency and full disclosure.
Question 4: When a senior expresses a desire to stop a recommended medical treatment, the ethical framework calls for:
- Overriding the decision to protect the senior's health
- Respecting the senior's right to refuse treatment if they have decision-making capacity (Correct answer)
- Contacting the senior's physician to override the refusal
- Deferring entirely to the senior's adult children
Correct answer: Respecting the senior's right to refuse treatment if they have decision-making capacity
A capacitated adult has the legal and ethical right to refuse any treatment, even if that decision may harm their health.
Question 5: Which scenario most clearly illustrates psychological elder abuse?
- A caregiver reminds an elder to take medications daily
- A family member repeatedly threatens an elder with placement in a nursing home unless they comply with financial demands (Correct answer)
- A doctor giving an elder an unwanted second opinion
- A social worker advising an elder to update their advance directives
Correct answer: A family member repeatedly threatens an elder with placement in a nursing home unless they comply with financial demands
Repeated threats used to coerce compliance with financial demands are a textbook example of psychological (emotional) elder abuse.
Question 6: A CSA is asked by a long-time client to serve as the executor of their estate. The most ethical course of action is to:
- Accept the role since it shows client trust
- Evaluate potential conflicts of interest before accepting and disclose all concerns to the client (Correct answer)
- Decline automatically because advisors can never serve as executors
- Accept only if the estate is valued under $500,000
Correct answer: Evaluate potential conflicts of interest before accepting and disclose all concerns to the client
Serving as executor while also being an advisor can create conflicts of interest that must be evaluated and disclosed before accepting the role.
Question 7: Financial exploitation of an elder differs from ordinary theft primarily because:
- It only occurs when large sums are involved
- It often involves a trusted relationship and exploitation of the elder's vulnerability or dependency (Correct answer)
- It requires use of the elder's identity for credit fraud
- It is always committed by strangers rather than known individuals
Correct answer: It often involves a trusted relationship and exploitation of the elder's vulnerability or dependency
Elder financial exploitation characteristically involves a breach of trust by a caregiver, family member, or other person in a position of authority.
CSA Ethical Issues for Seniors 4
A CSA notices that an 82-year-old client has multiple small wire transfers to an unfamiliar overseas account.
The most appropriate action is: