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My uncle is of sound mind but elderly.When he was living at home I was making the decisions and because he was usually right there all the medical personnel were ok with it. Now that he is in the nursing home they question everything and because he's hard to understand they hear what they want to hear. How can we make it so they don't ask him unless it's something drastic?

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Why doesn't he want to be involved in his own health decisions?

Is he from another country and doesn't understand English well?

Or maybe he doesn't understand the complex information given by doctors of human diseases and conditions?
(Many doctors talk to patients on a "professional level" and many patients don't understand but don't want to say.)

Maybe he's looking to you for reinforcement on his decisions.

Well, whatever the case, since he is of sound mind, legally the doctors HAVE to ask him first. He can have them contact you but the final decision is his. I doubt if any doctor is going to like "Do whatever my niece says." You will probably need to go to the facility and talk with him. They are going to want to hear his decision out of his mouth. It's just how the legal system is set up.
It's called HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996) is United States legislation that provides data privacy and security provisions for safeguarding medical information.
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I believe he can make you his medical surrogate decision maker ( something like that) I see it at the hospital all the time. ( some families don't want the person told they have cancer, and it gets honored) Also some POAs are worded that you can make medical decisions if the person wants it that way. From the sounds of things he trusts you. He can also sign forms that you may be given any and all medical information about him.. both hubs and I have that for my mom.
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I agree with pam, though I'm not an attorney.
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He has issues speaking clear because of a trach he had years ago and he mumbles and because he is having hearing issues.He trusts that I know what he wants and he has mild to moderate dementia so he cant remember things like I can i.e. medicines he takes and procedures hes had done.He supposedly denied treatment one time and when I asked him he couldnt remember being asked and told me the treatment was fine..I suspect either they couldnt understand him or he couldnt understand them. The problem with hearing the decisions out of his mouth is like I said he is hard to understand.personally I believe his dementia is pass the stage where he really should be making decisions on his own but getting this proven involves a lot of red tape to cross so our family was just hoping to avoid all that.I've been his primary caregiver for two years as well as being his niece.
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Do you have medical power of attorney?
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Indiananiece, Dad had PD and just couldn't communicate clearly or loudly enough at all. I was the only one who could understand him, and it was very comforting to him just to not have to worry about any of it. I knew my dad very well, and he knew I would articulate his wishes for him. I believe dementia is always progressive, so now is probably the time to get the DPOA in order. An elder-care attorney can best advise you.
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