Helping Older Parents Podcast

010 – How to Know if Your Aging Parent Should Still be Making Decisions

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In This Episode:

Dr. K explains what all family caregivers should know about decision-making capacity, especially if there’s a diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease or another type of dementia. Plus how incapacity is confirmed to activate a power of attorney.

She covers:

  • How to recognize signs of “mental incompetence”
  • 4 decision-making abilities needed for capacity
  • Why capacity is decision-specific
  • Incapacity vs incompetence
  • How to get an older person’s decision-making capacity assessed by professional
  • How to activate a “springing” power of attorney

    • Related episode: 

    009 – If Your Aging Parent is Resisting a Memory Loss Evaluation

    Related Resources:
    • Dr. Kernisan’s book: When Your Aging Parent Needs Help: A geriatrician’s step-by-step guide to memory loss, resistance, safety worries & more
    • Incompetence & Losing Capacity: Answers to 8 FAQs
    • What You Can Do if You’re Worried About “Incompetence”
      • ...more
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      Helping Older Parents PodcastBy Better Health While Aging
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