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. Author manuscript; available in PMC: 2022 Jul 1.
Published in final edited form as: Clin Gerontol. 2019 Jul 15;44(4):494–503. doi: 10.1080/07317115.2019.1640332

Table 3.

Are any of the following mechanisms helpful if you need guidance on decisions for an unbefriended older adult?

If Available %
Mechanism Setting Not Available % χ2 Not helpful Sometimes helpful Always helpful
Institutional Program or Position
Ethics committee Outpt 26.5 4.49* 18.4 46.9  8.2
Inpt  8.3 19.4 38.9 33.3
Risk management or legal department Outpt 28.6 9.50** 26.5 36.7  8.2
Inpt  2.8 38.9 41.7 16.7
Chief medical officer Outpt 35.4 2.34 35.4 25.0  4.2
Inpt 20.0 34.3 42.9  2.9
State Protective Actions
Guardianship Outpt  3.8 0.07  9.6 73.1 13.5
Inpt  2.8  8.3 61.1 27.8
Adult protective services Outpt  0.0 27.5 66.7  5.9
Inpt  0.0 34.3 57.1  8.6
Clinical Consultation or Action
Opinion of a second clinician Outpt  4.0 1.47 12.0 58.0 26.0
Inpt  0.0 16.7 58.3 25.0
Make decision yourself, abiding by professional ethics/standards Outpt  6.3 0.51  6.3 68.8 18.8
Inpt  2.9 11.4 80.0  5.7

Note. N = 85 (missing data (question skipped) for n = 37). χ2 analyses compare whether the option was reported as available in each setting. χ2 was not calculated for adult protective services as 100% rated this option as available.

*

p< .05

**

p< .01.