As individuals age, cognitive changes may impact their ability to manage affairs and make decisions independently. Capacity assessment is crucial in evaluating a person’s ability to understand, reason, communicate, and appreciate the consequences of their decisions, ensuring that their choices align with their preferences and values.
Key Elements of Capacity Assessment
Capacity assessments focus on cognitive, emotional, and personality functioning, evaluating four key elements:
- Communication: Patients must comprehend information and effectively communicate their decisions.
- Understanding: Patients must express comprehension of the situation and the decision at hand.
- Reasoning: Patients must provide clear and consistent reasoning behind their decisions, aligned with their values.
- Appreciation: Capacity involves understanding the impact of decisions on oneself and others affected.
Types of Capacity
Neuropsychologists specialize in evaluating various types of capacity, including decision-making capacity, capacity to designate surrogates, financial capacity, and testamentary capacity (ability to make or alter a valid will). Assessments combine medical record reviews, comprehensive interviews, and cognitive and psychological testing.
Requesting Capacity Assessments
Capacity assessments may be requested by a patient’s attorney, particularly in situations involving wills and trusts. Neuropsychologists play a crucial role in ensuring that individuals’ decisions are made freely, without undue influence.
Undue Influence
Undue influence is a significant consideration in capacity cases, where psychologists assess the extent to which another person’s wishes influence decision-making. Post-mortem examinations may be necessary to examine the presence of undue influence and capacity.
Schedule Your Appointment
If you or a loved one require a capacity assessment, schedule an appointment with Dr. Annette Swain today at either our Encino or Burbank locations.