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Restraint: Legal Implications for Aged Care
Author(s) -
Retsas AP.,
Crabbe H.
Publication year - 1996
Publication title -
australian journal on ageing
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.63
H-Index - 34
eISSN - 1741-6612
pISSN - 0726-4240
DOI - 10.1111/j.1741-6612.1996.tb00190.x
Subject(s) - autonomy , dilemma , aged care , face (sociological concept) , perspective (graphical) , psychology , long term care , medicine , gerontology , psychiatry , political science , sociology , law , social science , philosophy , epistemology , artificial intelligence , computer science
Physically restraining elderly people who are residents in long term aged care facilities is common. However, the extent to which carers are aware of the effects of restraint on the restrained person, and of legal consequences for themselves, is low. In this paper, mechanisms of physical restraint are discussed and justifications and myths debunked. The dilemma that carers face, and the loss of autonomy and self control of the aged person who is restrained, are also considered. Legal consequences for carers of the aged are analysed in the light of the need to reduce physical restraint of aged people in institutional care to a minimum.