Ethical Issues in Geropsychology: Clinical and Forensic Perspectives

Ethical practice and decision making in geropsychology require an awareness and understanding of the ethical issues and challenges that are commonly encountered when working with older adults in clinical and forensic contexts. Although multiple resources are available to assist practitioners with identifying common ethical issues and challenges, experienced colleagues often serve as one of the richest sources of information. The purpose of this article was to tap the ethical knowledge of psychologists who have considerable experience working with older adults. Three board certified geropsychologists were each asked to respond to five questions about ethical issues. Their responses are presented in this article. Although multiple resources are typically necessary for addressing complex ethical issues, the experiences and advice of senior colleagues provide one important perspective to help clinicians anticipate, avoid, and address ethical challenges.