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Centre for Policy on Ageing | |
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Supporting ethical use of electronic monitoring for people living with dementia
— social work's role in assessment, decision-making, and review | | Author(s) | Eleanor Bantry-White |
| Journal title | Journal of Gerontological Social Work, vol 61, no 3, April 2018 |
| Publisher | Taylor and Francis, April 2018 |
| Pages | pp 261-279 |
| Source | http://www.tandfonline.com |
| Keywords | Dementia ; Outdoor life ; Wandering ; At risk ; Electronic alarm systems ; Person-centred care ; Rights [elderly] ; Social ethics. |
| Annotation | Walking outdoors supports health and wellbeing but some people living with dementia are at increased risk of getting lost and of harm while missing. Electronic monitoring can potentially play an important preventative role by enabling the person's location to be continuously monitored by caregivers. However there are considerable ethical concerns arising from electronic monitoring. This paper explores these thematically, drawing attention to its implications for autonomy and liberty; privacy; dignity; the rights and needs of caregivers and families; beneficence and nonmaleficence. Following from this key questions for consideration in social work assessment are identified. The ethical issues necessitate assessment of the person's unique circumstances and preferences and that of their caregivers, and careful ethical deliberation in decision-making. Social work can play an important role in facilitating inclusive assessment and decision-making, leading to consensus on intervening with electronic monitoring. The need for the ongoing review following implementation is discussed to track whether decisions need modification in light of the experience of usage. In conclusion, while legislative instruments and professional codes of ethics frame social work practice responses, there is need for a nuanced debate about ethical use of electronic monitoring and specific guidance to inform assessment, decision-making and review. (JL). |
| Accession Number | CPA-180525235 A |
| Classmark | EA: HS: EPC: CA3: OV:YA6: PAA: IKR: TQ |
Data © Centre for Policy on Ageing |
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| ...from the Ageinfo database published by Centre for Policy on Ageing. |
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