Designated Capacity Assessor Services

Shauna Crouter (MacEachern) is an Occupational Therapist and Designated Capacity Assessor, based in the City of Kawartha Lakes, with over 25 years experience. I work with adults and seniors with memory or cognitive impairments to determine if they can understand and appreciate their financial, health, social and/or legal affairs in order to make informed decisions and to reason and problem solve how to manage their affairs. There are no standardized capacity assessment tools to assess decision-making capacity in Ontario. Sometimes referred to as “decision-making capacity”, “legal capacity”, or “mental capacity,” an assessment by a Designated Capacity Assessor uses the criteria outlined by the Substitute Decisions Act, 1992.

A person is incapable if the person is not able to understand information that is relevant to making a decision, OR

is not able to appreciate the reasonably foreseeable consequences of a decision or lack of decision.

For those who lack capacity I will help to arrange for supports and advocates to work with them. The prevention of Elder Abuse plays a significant role in some of my interactions with vulnerable adults since being incapable of making well thought out choices is a significant risk factor for abusers to take advantage of them. I offer thorough, client-centred capacity assessments to vulnerable adults with developmental or neurological disabilities, brain injuries, mental health concerns and/or dementia. 

I work with clients throughout central Ontario. Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic I have successfully provided a range of secure, valid and safe capacity assessments using videoconferencing solutions for clients across Ontario. Where videoconference is not suitable or available, I see clients face to face in their home environments.

My home office is ideally located in Kirkfield, Ontario in the City of Kawartha Lakes. I will travel up to one and a half hours to conduct capacity assessments in home. I can also provide assessments in person at my home office, or via videoconference.