CSA Ethical Issues for Seniors 5 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which document legally allows a designated person to make financial decisions on behalf of an incapacitated senior?
- A living will
- A durable power of attorney (Correct answer)
- A do-not-resuscitate order
- A healthcare proxy
Correct answer: A durable power of attorney
A durable power of attorney authorizes an agent to manage financial affairs and remains valid even if the principal becomes incapacitated.
Question 2: A senior who was victimized by a phone scam feels ashamed and does not want to report the crime. An ethical senior advisor should:
- Respect the decision and not raise the issue again
- Gently explain reporting options, validate the senior's feelings, and provide resources without coercion (Correct answer)
- Report the crime on the senior's behalf without their knowledge
- Advise the senior that failure to report could make them liable
Correct answer: Gently explain reporting options, validate the senior's feelings, and provide resources without coercion
Providing information and emotional support while respecting the senior's autonomy is the most ethical approach to scam victimization.
Question 3: A senior advisor working in a continuing care retirement community has a fiduciary duty to:
- The facility's management and ownership first
- The residents and their families, placing their interests above the advisor's own (Correct answer)
- The state licensing board exclusively
- Whichever party is paying the advisor's fee
Correct answer: The residents and their families, placing their interests above the advisor's own
Fiduciary duty requires the advisor to act in the best interests of the clients they serve, regardless of who employs or compensates them.
Question 4: Which of the following best describes 'ageism' as an ethical concern in senior services?
- Providing age-appropriate activities in senior centers
- Stereotyping or discriminating against individuals based on their age (Correct answer)
- Offering senior discounts on professional services
- Adjusting communication style to suit an elder's hearing ability
Correct answer: Stereotyping or discriminating against individuals based on their age
Ageism is prejudice or discrimination against people based on their age, which can undermine equitable service delivery to seniors.
Question 5: A 90-year-old client insists on living alone despite documented fall risks. The ethical approach balances:
- Total deference to family's safety concerns vs. client preferences
- The client's autonomy and right to self-determination vs. duty to promote safety (Correct answer)
- Legal liability concerns vs. client satisfaction
- Regulatory requirements vs. cost of care
Correct answer: The client's autonomy and right to self-determination vs. duty to promote safety
Ethical practice requires balancing respect for the senior's autonomous choice to live independently with the advisor's duty to promote their well-being.
Question 6: When a CSA suspects cognitive decline is affecting a client's financial decisions, the recommended first action is to:
- Immediately transfer financial management to a family member
- Refer the client to their physician for a formal cognitive evaluation (Correct answer)
- Continue as normal until legal incapacity is declared
- Terminate the professional relationship to avoid liability
Correct answer: Refer the client to their physician for a formal cognitive evaluation
Referring a client with suspected cognitive decline to a physician for formal evaluation is the appropriate and ethical first step.
Question 7: Which of the following is an example of self-neglect in an older adult?
- Refusing to accept help from an adult child who is controlling
- Failing to maintain adequate nutrition, hygiene, or medical care due to unwillingness or inability (Correct answer)
- Choosing to live in a modest home despite having financial resources
- Declining elective surgery recommended by a physician
Correct answer: Failing to maintain adequate nutrition, hygiene, or medical care due to unwillingness or inability
Self-neglect occurs when an older adult fails to meet their own basic needs for food, hygiene, or medical care, often due to cognitive or physical decline.
CSA Ethical Issues for Seniors 5
Which document legally allows a designated person to make financial decisions on behalf of an incapacitated senior?