Refusals of Medical Care in the Home Setting

Extract

The home setting presents particular problems in assessing a client/patient's ability to refuse suggested medical care. Home is familiar; it is associated with relaxation and not with the mobilization required to combar anxiety, uncertainty, illness and pain. In the home family members may be overly involved or controlling. Especially in the situation of elderly siblings with long combined histories, there may be shared peculiarities or even shared personaliry disorders which complicate an individual's choice of care. The home, because it is familiar, may maximize patient orientation but may also support denial of illness; the patient/client may reason “If I'm home, I'm really not ill.” In contrast, hospitals and long-term care facilities are intimidating and infantilizing institutions that tend to undercut personal resolve and challenge denial.