A Reflection On The Mental Capacity Act

The Mental Capacity Act 2005 (MCA 2005) introduced a statutory framework for advance decision making in England and Wales building upon the common law recognition of advance decisions. Academics considered that a bias may operate against upholding advance decisions refusing life-sustaining treatment 1. It’s commonly felt that judges usually give decisions favouring preservation of life and making advance decisions invalid on various grounds. Recent case-law indicates that a high level of specificity is required for advance refusals of life-sustaining treatment and, in some capacity must be demonstrated at the time of making the decision. This essay will argue the legal back ground of the advance decisions and relevant case law. There are suggestions that advance care planning (ACP) instead of advance decisions (ADRT) may be more helpful when it comes to the practice of law on ground 2.

Barry Corbet states his experience in a nursing home in his essay “Embedded.” A nursing home is a private institution for elderly or sick people who are unable to care for themselves. Corbet’s essay says “Nursing homes are environments of isolation and disempowerment” (Corbet 165). “Nursing homes are not just for old people, they can be for people with disabilities also” (Corbet 164). Both age and disabilities can be a huge factor when considering a nursing home.

Stereotypes and assumptions about cognitive deficits and functional decline contribute to the experience of infantilization of elders in the health care setting. Through this process, elders may be given assistance they do not need or experience other people making decisions for them that they are capable of making for themselves. Health care

Mental Capacity Act (2005), was a legislation set up to pinpoint statutory rights of people who may lack capacity for either, because of brain acquired injury, dementia or temporarily impaired. This Act places individual’s at the heart of decision making and making ‘Unwise decision is not an indicator of lack of capacity’. Criticism of the legislation at the Houses of Lords stated that the Acts lacks ownership (Lords Selects Committee, 2014). It stressed many professional bodies are involved in its implementation and no leadership, Mental Capacity Act (2005) was set up to empower, protect and support people who lacks mental capacity. Family, carer, and professionals need to understand more fully, more clearly their legal rights and responsibilities.

“One of my biggest struggles with dealing with my ‘problems’ was being able to pay for help. At some points I thought the process to receive help was more draining than my illness itself” (May). Mental illness has plagued millions of people in the United States alone, and with the stigma it carried, getting the help that is needed is not always possible. With Proposition 63 in California it is speculated that with proper aid from the government and community those with mental health problems will be better suited to face their demons. That by having a budget to help those desperately in need we can better the lives of those who struggle with mental illness.

Ethical dilemmas often arise in health and social care as mentioned in learning guide five. I will be using the three suggested methods of reflection by Rolfe et al (2001), (LG1, open university), for my next experience. The first method is what the situation is, looking into any problems and any feelings about it. This situation is that I was diagnosed with Sero-negative arthritis at 25, I was devastated, I had two children by this point to look after and an abusive partner who was no help. The second method consists of so what, I took this to mean, what was learnt and any thoughts about the situation. At the time I was understandably upset but I had very good family and friends to help, shows the importance of linked lives. I had to very nervous of going back to the judgemental professionals that I’d dealt with earlier, they were not very informative and I was placed on a waiting list to see a specialist. The attitudes of the professionals was that I had been diagnosed, deal with it basically. The third method is now what, what needed to be done, improve my understanding. I researched as much as I could, realised it usually affected people between 40 – 50 so learning this I felt old showing the fifth principle by Bengston et al, that ageing happens to us all, I was suffering from what I thought was an older persons illness. I kept going back to the GP time after time pushing my way up the waiting list,

A new culture of ageism is now in the medical world. So many Canadians look down on seniors that ageism has become the most tolerated form of social discrimination in Canada. Health care professionals like Nathan Stall, a future geriatrics specialist and Carrie Willkies, a registered nurse are both against this new norm. In both pieces, the central idea is clear, “The Eradication of Ageism in health care”.

Currently, The population of elderly are estimated to be increasing in number (Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, 2014). The government is concerning about the pressure being placed on public resources as the result of aging population. The aging populations can be vulnerable to different acute and chronic disorder, which can decrease their mortality rate. This can stifle patients’ normal living pattern, which can lead to the vulnerability of experiencing moods disorder, such as depression and anxiety (Potvin et al., 2013). This will lead to the increase

In access to health care a surplus of various ageist stereotypes different studies have documented aspect of ageism in health care, and they merge to create one concluding comprehensive stereotype regarding older patients. The primary stereotype is that old people are physically weak plus that their health is deteriorating, implying that they have to depend on somebody else to look after them (North & Fiske, (2012) The second is mostly applicable to aged male patients, and is that all of them are impotent and do not have any natural or usual sexual desires in any case. Third, old patients are viewed as senile and whichever slight misstep in

It is an image that no one wants to imagine"¦your dear grandmother, sitting there in a nursing home all alone in a time of need. Maybe she needs something simple, like a glass of water, or maybe it is more serious like a horrible pain in her chest. The nurses there have simply ignored her requests for attention, or even worse, they mocked her for her pain and suffering. Our elders are a huge part of who we are today. They helped paved the road for our present in a not so distant past, yet unfortunately many now are being exposed to humiliation, neglect, and even abuse.

The trend in current law and policy can be so diversified general but for the purpose of this course, permit me to narrow my response to health care sector and mental care in particular.

It is important to understand that patients have been experiencing aging bias for a very long time. It is also evident in the medical profession as well, and one needs to do more to ensure that everyone is treated fairly especially the elderly patients. The elderly patients need to treat with the utmost respect and dignity. One needs to understand that the elderly are the ones who pave the way for the younger generation. Therefore, it is important that one takes the time out of their busy assignments to listen to what the older patients have to say and respond to them in an appropriate manner. This paper will discuss how aging has impact one nursing practice, aging bias that one has witnessed during their nursing practice, and a community plan to discuss aging bias.

Elders go through a lot during their aging process from the beginning of sore muscles to increasing health issues, and sometimes have an incident to where they are put into a facility temporarily. When an older adult is almost ready to leave a rehabilitation center, from their traumatic experience, they might require a great deal of assistance from a caretaker, depending on how much they have been hurt by a stroke or another serious issue, nevertheless the care-taker must be willing to take care of the elder at all cost, most commonly a family member such as an aunt or a child, who is willing to devote their time and effort to the elder. However, when the older American does go home after being away for a while, the caregiver's true intentions are never really known until after a few months. One may think that the family member is going to be supportive and help the elderly as much as possible

When most people envision an elderly person, their minds go to the iconic little old lady or man. They automatically think about them having psychological ailments such as dementia or Alzheimer’s. With this assumption comes many unfair prejudices in the work place or other

t appears in some cultures the trend is to cover up their frail elderly and sick babies. My perception when reading change is not dealt with well in some cultures. In regards to moral and ethical issues, with covering their elderly women. Their influenced by what method society in treating the elderly. Different groups believe aging is socially constructed or depend on biology on culture. As frail may occur for some others may age well. I view our personal, culture perception differently, understands frail may come with age, having no intention to hide our elderly or parent issues. Our approach addressed uplifting solutions to enlighten age issues. Dismissing change, shame, or disrespect towards our elders or parents. In addition, allowing