GeriMedRisk Virtual Rounds

GeriMedRisk - Geriatric Clinical Pharmacology Rounds

GeriMedRisk offers free monthly webcast accredited educational rounds on topics related to safe prescribing for older adults. For more information please join our mailing list. Registration is required to attend.

GeriMedRisk September Rounds 

September 9, 2025  | 12:00-1:00 PM EST

Title: 
Dementia and Dying with Dignity: Rethinking Capacity and Consent in Advanced MAiD Requests

Presenter:

Dr. Saumil Dholakia MBBS, MD 

Click Here to Register 
 

Learning Objectives:

1. Analyze the legal and policy frameworks governing advanced MAiD requests in dementia within Canada, and contrast them with international models (e.g., Netherlands, Belgium).
   • Focus on how different jurisdictions define capacity, suffering, and the threshold for honoring advance directives.
2. Evaluate the ethical tensions inherent in honoring advance requests in dementia, including respect for autonomy, identity over time, and substituted judgment.
   • Draw on concepts like precedent autonomy vs. best interests, and ethical critiques from disability and elder care perspectives.
3. Discuss the practical and clinical implications of implementing MAiD via advance requests in dementia, including consent protocols, communication with families, and interprofessional roles.
   • Highlight challenges in timing, interpreting prior wishes, and navigating uncertainty in cognitive decline.

Presenter:

Dr. Saumil Dholakia MBBS, MD 

Dr. Saumil Dholakia is the Medical Director of Ethics at the Ottawa Hospital, Assistant Professor at the University of Ottawa, and a Consultant Psychiatrist with the GeriMedRisk program. He holds a Master’s degree in Bioethics and brings an interdisciplinary approach to clinical ethics, psychiatry, and education.

At the individual level, his core work centers on advocating for those at the margins, using a humanistic lens to navigate ethically complex intersections—particularly at the intersection of  aging and mental health.

At the organizational level, Dr. Dholakia explores the ethical and emotional complexities of Medical Assistance in Dying (MAiD), with a focus on the nature of suffering in mental illness and its impact on healthcare professionals.

At the educational level, he champions the development of relational autonomy in therapeutic relationships, helping learners engage deeply with the meaning of suffering, care, and the ethics of medicine.

Missing September 9th Rounds?

We will be hosting an additional webinar session that will broadcast a recording of Dr. Dholakia's presentation: "Dementia and Dying with Dignity: Rethinking Capacity and Consent in Advanced MAiD Requests". 
Please register to attend the replay session.

Replay session: September 10 at 7 pm EST

Click Here to register for the recorded session

Please note: this session will not be interactive.
 

Presenter Evaluation:

Complete your anonymous presenter evaluation.
 

Accreditation Statement:

GeriMedRisk- Geriatric Clinical Pharmacology Rounds is a self-approved group learning activity (Section 1) as defined by the Maintenance of Certification program of The Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada.

Frequently Asked Questions 

Do you share GeriMedRisk rounds presentation slides or archive presentation recordings? 

We do not share presentation slides or archive presentation recordings. Our presenters are renowned and offer their expertise at no cost. We also believe in ensuring that our education and resources are current, scientifically based and reflective of best practices. Due to the risk of material from our rounds presentations being altered or incorrectly interpreted, we are unable to attach or forward the presentation slide deck.   With presenter permission, we host an evening replay session of the recorded rounds presentation. If a replay is being offered, it will be posted on this page.  

Can I join your mailing list to receive monthly educational updates? 

Yes, please visit: https://www.gerimedrisk.com/mailing-list.htm 

GeriMedRisk Rounds Attracts International Attendees from 24 Countries