APS Member Groups
Psychology and Ageing
Articles and Research Information
APS Position Papers
- APS Position Paper: The psychological aspects of successful ageing
- APS Discussion Paper: Brief on the Role of Psychologists in Aged Care Services
(260kb)
In AUSTRALIAN PSYCHOLOGIST
Volume 41, Number 1 / March 2006
Guidelines for the provision of psychological services for older adults
Nancy A. Pachana, School of Psychology, University of Queensland, Brisbane
Edward Helmes, Deborah Koder, School of Psychology, James Cook University, Townsville, Queensland, Australia
Abstract: The practice of psychology covers the range of ages from conception through to the end of life and palliative care. Psychologists practice in a variety of roles, but the majority of these roles involve interactions with nonprofessionals of varying ages. These interactions are governed by codes of ethical practice, whether these are developed by the funding bodies for research activities, professional associations, or regulatory bodies. Ethical codes vary in their format and emphasis, but all have the protection of the public as a major purpose. Often there are special provisions in these codes for particular populations or circumstances. Here we describe the development of ethical guidelines for the practice of psychology with older adults in Australia and report on those guidelines and their supporting literature.
Volume 38, Number 1 2003
The Role of Psychologists in Fostering the Wellbeing of Older Australians
Lindsay Gething, The University of Sydney, Australia
Heather Gridley, Victoria University, Australia
Colette Browning, La Trobe University, Australia
Edward Helmes, James Cook University, Australia
Mary Luszcz, Flinders University, Australia
Jane Turner, Royal North Shore Hospital, Australia
Lynn Ward, The University of Adelaide, Australia
Yvonne Wells, La Trobe University, Australia
The United Nations International Year of Older Persons (IYOP) in 1999 prompted the Australian Psychological Society (APS) to review its responsibilities and to consider the contribution of psychological research and practice to the wellbeing of older Australians. This article reports a series of recommendations for public policy, research, training and psychological practice, drawn from a larger Position Paper that addressed a spectrum of issues. The aim is to encourage psychologists to turn a critical gaze on themselves and to examine ways in which psychology can be used to promote successful ageing. The article begins with a definition of “successful ageing”. This is followed by an examination of ageism and how this affects community expectations of older people and the quality of aged care services. Attention also is given to the low visibility of psychologists in service planning and delivery and to the overemphasis of much psychological research and practice on deficits and decline in later years. The International Year of Older Persons has come and gone, but the true test of its effectiveness will lie in evidence of longer-term changes in attitudes, policies and practices. Psychologists have much to contribute to these changes and to enhancing the wellbeing of older Australians.
Towards a Happier Old Age: Psychological Perspectives on Successful Ageing
Trang Thomas, Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology, Australia
The Australian Psychological Society’s position paper is reported by Gething et al. (2002) in “The Role of Psychologists in Fostering the Wellbeing of Older Australians”. An orientation towards “successful ageing” requires the authors to meet head-on the unfortunately dominant view of older people in the negative. They are successful in showing that the stereotype is contradicted by the evidence and may be costly in terms of life satisfaction for the older person. The need for a new paradigm of research is considered, one that takes into account both social changes and the nature of continuity and individual differences in ageing. The practitioner’s role may be enhanced because the future generation of older persons has grown up with a greater acceptance of counselling services than the present occupants of this age group, and the families of older persons might be expected to seek greater assistance in helping their relatives through relocation transitions. Issues related to older persons from diverse cultural backgrounds are briefly discussed.
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