ETHICAL GUIDELINES OF THE ALZHEIMER-SOCIETY-OF-CANADA

Alzheimer's disease raises numerous ethical issues which vary and evol ve over the course of the illness. In recognition of the need for ongo ing discussion of these issues, the Alzheimer Society of Canada establ ished a Task Force on Ethics in 1995. Through a process of ''discourse ethics'' and consultation on a national scale, the Task Force produce d a series of guidelines dealing with the issues of: communicating the diagnosis, driving, respecting individual choice, quality of life, pa rticipation in research, genetic testing, the use of restraints, and e nd-of-life care. This manuscript presents a summary of these guideline s as well as a summary of the ideas on which they were based. It was t he hope of the Society that the publication of these guidelines will s erve to facilitate discussion of the ethics of care of those with Alzh eimer's disease.