Consent and competency in elders with Alzheimer's disease

This article will examine the elements of informed consent as they affect elders with Alzheimer's disease. The components of voluntariness, information, and competency will be reviewed. Case examples involving involuntary psychiatric treatment, institutionalization, and guardianship are examined as they relate to this vulnerable population. Important themes involve the presumption of competence, autonomy, beneficence, paternalism, and the power differential in the relationship between service provider and service recipient.