EP33: Voting with Alzheimer's Disease

<p><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Voting with Alzheimer's Disease</span></em></p> <p><strong><em>“Just because you have a cognitive impairment doesn't automatically disqualify your right to vote.”</em></strong><strong>— Melissa Batchelor, PhD, RN, FNP, FAAN (01:44-01:49)</strong></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Should a person with Alzheimer’s disease be allowed to vote? </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The majority of people living with Alzheimer's disease live at home with family or have friends who help provide care. These family and friends may need to help the person living with dementia to vote, so in this week’s episode, we will review some things to think about when helping someone to vote. </span></p> <p><strong>Part One of ‘Voting with Alzheimer's Disease’</strong></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">In a</span> <a href= "https://melissabphd.com/ep-32-nursing-homes-and-families-during-covid/"> <span style="font-weight: 400;">previous episode</span></a> <span style="font-weight: 400;">when I was talking to my mom regarding visitation in nursing homes, she mentioned that the leadership team was also trying to figure out how to get people into the nursing home to help the residents there to vote (those that could). Shortly after that, I got an email from a colleague asking me if a resident with Alzheimer’s disease should be allowed to vote, and the question was posed as an ethical dilemma. These two things and more recent news led me to do this podcast.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Less than four percent of older adults will ever end up living in a skilled nursing home. If for those who do, around sixty-percent of those residents do have some form of cognitive impairment.  The right to vote is a fundamental right and privilege, and just because you have a medical diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease doesn't automatically disqualify your right to vote.</span></p> <p><strong>Decision-Making Capacity vs. Competency</strong></p> <p><strong><em>“When we're providing car