Prepare a facility staff policy and procedure manual
Your group consists of the corporate leadership of a long term care organization with operations in 32 states,
primarily in the mid-west and deep south.
After seven years of being cared for at home for progressive Alzheimer’s disease operated by your
organization, Mrs. Dowd has been admitted to a LTC home, also part of your corporate portfolio. Upon visiting
his wife one day, Mr. Dowd finds her walking hand-in-hand with a male resident. Staff report Mrs. Dowd has
been observed following this male resident into his room, which is immediately next to hers. Mr. Dowd
becomes angry and states, “Look, it is your job to protect my wife. Get that man out of here right now. I don’t
want her involved with any other man. That’s why I admitted her here.” What are some of the ethical issues in
this case? What do you recommend? Does the staff have an obligation to intervene to protect Mrs. Dowd? Or
at the request of Mr. Dowd? (Also add your opinion about Mr. Dowd.)
Consider the experience of retired US Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor, described at
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/1576716/Judge-lost-husband-to-Alzheimers-and-love.html. Does
this change your mind?
Prepare a facility staff policy and procedure manual (https://notejoy.com/resources/policy-and-proceduremanual ) for corporate-wide implementation that addresses situations such as this.
