CAPACITY ASSESSMENT
A decision-making capacity assessment is a specialized evaluation designed to examine a person’s ability to make decisions in one or more areas. These may relate to decisions about personal matters such as health care or where to live, or decisions about financial matters such as selling property or making a large donation. In some situations, there may be questions pertaining to an adult's ability to create or change legal documents such as a Will, Personal Directive, and Enduring Power of Attorney. Psychologists may also have a role in assessing adults who are considering medical assistance in dying. Capacity assessment usually involve a targeted interview frequently accompanied by cognitive testing, depending on the situation.
How might this be useful?
Examples of questions that a capacity assessment might answer are listed below:
Is the adult able to make decisions about whether to consent to this health care treatment?
Is the adult able to make decisions about financial matters?
Is the adult able to make changes to a Will (testamentary capacity)?
Is the adult able to create a Personal Directive?
Is the adult able to create an Enduring Power of Attorney?
Has this adult regained capacity?
Is the adult expected to regain capacity?