for assessing a senior's competency?

[GingerSue]

When a senior client is in a senior's facility, and a family member requests that the

client's competency will be assessed, who decides re: the client's level of

competence to make their own decisions about things, such as their finances.

Does the doctor have to do an assessment if a family member requests?

Is it the court that decides re: the client's competence? (based on - the

doctor's assessment? Or nursing assessment?)

[roser13, ASN, RN]

Definitely not the nursing assessment.

[Hospice Nurse LPN, BSN, RN]

The doc.

[vanburbian]

Almost always a neuropsych eval, and an Occupational and/or Speech therapist evaluate cognitive function.

Then, the state gets involved and /or the courts, depending on who is asking for the eval, and why.

[GingerSue]

Thanks for the replies.

So, when family has requested this kind of assessment, having spoken to the nursing staff about this request, because of concerns about the senior's ability to make decisions about their finances, etc., then does the family have to

also speak to the doctor? Or just speak to the nurse?

[CapeCodMermaid, RN]

The nurse should notify the doctor. Most of our docs don't do specific testing before invoking a health care proxy and they all seem to have different parameters for doing so. If there is no health care proxy on record and a guardian has to be appointed, then the resident must be seen by an NP in psychiatry or a psychiatrist who writes a report which then goes to the court for a final determination. At least this is what happens if the elder is living in a SNF.

[GingerSue]

Maybe family has to speak to a lawyer, to get things moving on this?

Sounds like court decides. So, there must be a formal way that this

is all arranged.