Real-Life Decision Making
One of your patients is an 85-year-old woman who lives alone at home. She has advanced dementia, so she is often confused and forgetful. She refuses to go into a nursing home and insists she is fine on her own. She also refuses to have a professional caregiver in her home, because "that would be a stranger."
The woman's son, Bob, lives down the street from her. He's 60 years old with a full-time job, a wife, and three grown children. Every day, Bob visits his mother before and after work to make sure she's OK. Every day at noon, Bob's wife goes over to make sure his mother gets a meal.
Bob's mother has recently broken her hip, but she still insists she's fine. A few months ago, she accidentally started a small fire in her home.
One day, Bob has a heart attack. After his hospital stay, he comes to visit you. He has lost weight. He doesn't sleep well. He says he's always worried about his mother. However, he doesn't want to stop helping her.
What do you do?