TY - JOUR
T1 - Addressing the ethical, legal, and social issues raised by voting by persons with dementia
AU - Karlawish, Jason H.
AU - Bonnie, Richard J.
AU - Appelbaum, Paul S.
AU - Lyketsos, Constantine
AU - James, Bryan
AU - Knopman, David
AU - Patusky, Christopher
AU - Kane, Rosalie A.
AU - Karlan, Pamela S.
PY - 2004/9/15
Y1 - 2004/9/15
N2 - This article addresses an emerging policy problem in the United States: participation in the electoral process by citizens with dementia. At present, health care professionals, family caregivers, and long-term care staff lack adequate guidance to decide whether individuals with dementia should be precluded from or assisted in casting a ballot. Voting by persons with dementia raises a series of important questions about the autonomy of individuals with dementia, the integrity of the electoral process, and the prevention of fraud. Three subsidiary issues warrant special attention: development of a method to assess capacity to vote; identification of appropriate kinds of assistance to enable persons with cognitive impairment to vote; and formulation of uniform and workable policies for voting in long-term care settings. In some instances, extrapolation from existing policies and research permits reasonable recommendations to guide policy and practice. However, in other instances, additional research is necessary.
AB - This article addresses an emerging policy problem in the United States: participation in the electoral process by citizens with dementia. At present, health care professionals, family caregivers, and long-term care staff lack adequate guidance to decide whether individuals with dementia should be precluded from or assisted in casting a ballot. Voting by persons with dementia raises a series of important questions about the autonomy of individuals with dementia, the integrity of the electoral process, and the prevention of fraud. Three subsidiary issues warrant special attention: development of a method to assess capacity to vote; identification of appropriate kinds of assistance to enable persons with cognitive impairment to vote; and formulation of uniform and workable policies for voting in long-term care settings. In some instances, extrapolation from existing policies and research permits reasonable recommendations to guide policy and practice. However, in other instances, additional research is necessary.
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U2 - 10.1001/jama.292.11.1345
DO - 10.1001/jama.292.11.1345
M3 - Review article
C2 - 15367557
AN - SCOPUS:4544305068
SN - 0098-7484
VL - 292
SP - 1345
EP - 1350
JO - JAMA
JF - JAMA
IS - 11
ER -