Case practice · Neuropsychology
ne-03 · AdvancedMr Okafor: "they want to lock me away"
The case (fictional)
Mr Emeka Okafor is 81, a retired engineer born in Enugu, Nigeria, who has lived in Leicester for fifty years. Three weeks ago he had a stroke on the right side of his brain. His left side is weak and he walks with a frame and help. His wife died three years ago and he lives alone in a first-floor flat.
He wants to go home. The ward team thinks he should go to a care home: he has fallen twice on the ward and "doesn't seem to realise" how weak he is; he insists he can walk fine. The occupational therapist notes that he leaves the food on the left side of his plate and bumps into door frames on his left.
His daughter in London supports a care home. His son in Lagos says, "Papa must decide." Mr Okafor is articulate, enjoys talking about engineering, and is angry: "They want to lock me away." He has diabetes and mild hearing loss.
The consultant asks the psychologist to assess whether Mr Okafor has the capacity to decide where he will live after discharge.
Plan the first session
Plan this capacity assessment: how you will prepare, what you will do in the session, and what happens afterwards. (The case is set in England, under the Mental Capacity Act 2005.)