ACC - Alzheimers Caregiver Ethical and Legal Considerations Questions and Answers

Question 1

A client with early-stage dementia has a valid Durable Power of Attorney for Health Care (DPOA-HC) naming her son as her agent. She currently has the capacity to make her own decisions. If she expresses a desire to refuse a specific medical treatment, what is the legally and ethically correct action?

Accepted Answer

Respect the client's decision, as she currently has decision-making capacity.

Answer

A Durable Power of Attorney for Health Care only becomes active when the individual (the principal) is determined to be incapable of making their own healthcare decisions. As long as the person with dementia retains decision-making capacity, their own choices and preferences must be respected. The agent's authority does not override the principal's decisions while they still have capacity.

Question 2

You are a caregiver for Mr. Lee, who has moderate Alzheimer's. A friendly neighbor, who often helps with groceries, asks you for specific details about Mr. Lee's latest doctor's appointment and medication changes. According to the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), what is the most appropriate response?

Accepted Answer

Explain that due to privacy laws, you cannot share his personal health information without his or his legal representative's explicit consent.

Answer

HIPAA's Privacy Rule protects an individual's personal health information (PHI). Caregivers are bound by these rules and cannot disclose PHI to others, including well-meaning friends or neighbors, without the explicit consent of the patient or their legally authorized representative (such as a DPOA-HC). The most appropriate and legally compliant action is to decline to share the information, citing privacy regulations.

Question 3

Which of the following scenarios is a potential indicator of financial exploitation in a person with dementia that a caregiver should report?

Accepted Answer

Sudden, large withdrawals from bank accounts or unexplained changes to a will.

Answer

While the other options can be normal occurrences, sudden large financial transactions, missing money, or unexpected changes to legal documents like a will are significant red flags for financial exploitation or abuse. People with dementia are particularly vulnerable to such abuse, and caregivers are in a key position to notice and report these suspicious activities to Adult Protective Services or other authorities.

Question 4

A caregiver is caring for a client in the late stages of Alzheimer's who has a valid Do Not Resuscitate (DNR) order. The client stops breathing and has no pulse. What is the caregiver's primary legal and ethical responsibility?

Accepted Answer

Call 911, inform them of the DNR order, and provide comfort care.

Answer

A DNR is a legally binding medical order. In the event of cardiac or respiratory arrest, the caregiver must honor it by not performing CPR. However, the caregiver still has a duty of care. The correct procedure is to call emergency services (911), clearly state that the person is unresponsive and has a DNR order, and follow the dispatcher's instructions while providing comfort and dignity to the client. The physical DNR order should be readily available for when emergency responders arrive.

Question 5

The ethical principle of 'autonomy' in dementia care refers to the:

Accepted Answer

Client's right to make their own choices and be involved in their care decisions, to the extent they are able.

Answer

Autonomy is a core ethical principle that emphasizes respecting an individual's right to self-determination and to make decisions about their own life and healthcare. In dementia care, this means enabling the person to make choices for as long as they have the capacity and ensuring their previously expressed wishes are honored when they can no longer decide for themselves.

(ACC) Alzheimers Caregiver Certification Practice Test

(ACC) Alzheimers Caregiver Certification Practice Test

ACC - Alzheimers Caregiver Ethical and Legal Considerations Questions and Answers