An Analysis of Legal and Ethical Issues in Long-Term Care In taking care of the elderly, ethical issues are brought up, one way or the other. Healthcare administrators continually find themselves in different situations where they are needed to make the right decision for the well-being of their patients (or clients), and their organization. Various things bring about ethical issues in long-term care, and religious commitment is not a very rare one in long-term care. Even though the United States recognize the right to exercise religious freedom, but if that right will lead to breaking another law, or becomes harmful to others, or the society at large, then the religious freedom is re-addressed. Decisions made at the end of life are very important aspects of healthcare delivery. There are new forms of technology now in existence that has given patients or their
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The American Medical Association (AMA) and even appellate courts at various times have made it clear that any competent patient can either refuse or even withdraw totally any medical treatment, even if the treatment is for sustaining or prolonging life. The patient has the legal right to refuse getting fed through the tubes. Some religious organizations like the Catholic Church believe that the tube feeding that will not make the patient get better is just prolonging unnecessary suffering (CITATION). They think that if there is nothing medically to benefit from the tube feeding, then patients in a coma, with no hope of recovery should never be subjected to it. Concerning the case of the 80-year old man in a coma, there are a few alternatives to solving the problem. It would have been a different case if the man had prepared an advanced directive, whether a health care proxy or a living
The American Medical Association (AMA) and even appellate courts at various times have made it clear that any competent patient can either refuse or even withdraw totally any medical treatment, even if the treatment is for sustaining or prolonging life. The patient has the legal right to refuse getting fed through the tubes. Some religious organizations like the Catholic Church believe that the tube feeding that will not make the patient get better is just prolonging unnecessary suffering (CITATION). They think that if there is nothing medically to benefit from the tube feeding, then patients in a coma, with no hope of recovery should never be subjected to it. Concerning the case of the 80-year old man in a coma, there are a few alternatives to solving the problem. It would have been a different case if the man had prepared an advanced directive, whether a health care proxy or a living