Nursing Home Placement and the Demented Patient

Excerpt

To the editor: I applaud the recent article on nursing home placement and the demented patient by Drs. Meier and Cassel (1). It is excellent, timely, and important. The discussion of protective services agencies, however, deserves comment.

The article describes a 61-year-old man with newly diagnosed Alzheimer's disease who continued to drive his automobile, despite the recommendation of the geriatrics team and the expressed concern of his employer and a close friend. The conflict between autonomy and benificence and the frustration of the health care team with the upset family are summarized in three questions raised by the health care