[Refusal of care by the elderly]

Abstract

Refusal of care is a frequent occurrence in geriatric medicine, especially among people with neurocognitive diseases, particularly in the advanced stages. These refusals of care are a daily burden, not only for the patients themselves, but also for their carers and caregivers. Although they can be prevented, the absence of a single, simple strategy for overcoming them is a real challenge for professionals and carers alike. Their management calls for an approach that is essentially non-pharmacological, always interdisciplinary, humanistic and ethically grounded.

Keywords: caregiver; elderly people; maladie neurocognitive; management; neurocognitive disease; personne âgée; prise en charge; refus de soins; refusal of care; soignant.