Assessments of Institutionalized Dementia Patients' Competencies to Participate in Intimate Relationships

Although sexual interests in institutionalized elderly patients have long been recognized (Comfort, 1974; Wasow & Loeb, 1974), guidelines to help determine patients' competencies to participate in intimate relationships are not delineated in the literature. This paper describes the assessme...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:The Gerontologist 1990-02, Vol.30 (1), p.117-120
Main Authors: Lichtenberg, Peter A., Strzepek, Deborah M.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Aged
Biological and medical sciences
Competency
Dementia - psychology
Ethics, Medical
Female
Humans
Institutionalization
Institutionalized elderly patients
Male
Medical sciences
Miscellaneous
Psychiatric Status Rating Scales
Public health. Hygiene
Public health. Hygiene-occupational medicine
Sexual Behavior
Sexuality
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Summary:Although sexual interests in institutionalized elderly patients have long been recognized (Comfort, 1974; Wasow & Loeb, 1974), guidelines to help determine patients' competencies to participate in intimate relationships are not delineated in the literature. This paper describes the assessment technique used by an interdisciplinary staff on a coed Alzheimer's disease unit. Two case studies are presented to highlight how the assessment led to the treatment decisions.
ISSN:0016-9013
1758-5341
DOI:10.1093/geront/30.1.117