Essays on ETHICAL ISSUES: THEORY, PRACTICE AND RESEARCH

Nowadays, a great number of elder adults require counseling services which provide effective psychological aid. Of course, different losses, health and family troubles influence the state of health and can lead to serious diseases. That is why it is necessary to pay attention to the first symptoms and to use the services of the counselor who has appropriate knowledge and skills to help an elder adult with his problems.

In our case, George who is 71 is brought to the first counseling session by his son Michael.

GEORGE’S CASE STUDY

George has serious psychological problems. He lost his wife four months ago. She was the dearest person to him. However, it is rather difficult for him to admit the changes in his life. He has lost interest in good food, although he has always been a lover of good food. Moreover, he seldom leaves his house. He is always depressed and sullen. He avoids communication. It is known that George’s father committed suicide when George was a small boy. Lately, the old man is unkempt and rather quite.

MY ETHICAL CONCERNS WITH REGARD TO GEORGE’S CASE

It is known that counseling has its own code of ethics which should be taken into consideration by any counselor. That is why I will pay special attention to ethical issues in my work with George. It’s my duty to adhere to the following dictates: autonomy and justice, fidelity, non-maleficence and beneficence. Moreover, I am sure that my personal values will help me to solve some ethical issues concerning George’s case. As he is an elder adult, he has his right to initiate, withdraw or terminate his treatment.

It is very important to find appropriate ways for interpersonal communication with the client. The client should trust his counselor. Only in this case it is possible to render effective psychological aid. Moreover, it is necessary to take into consideration the following ethical responsibilities while constructing an assessment plan for George: appropriate counseling relationships which will not cause harm to the client, confidentiality and professional responsibility to behave honestly in relation to the client and to use appropriate counseling techniques which will not harm the client.

MY INITIAL COUNSELING GOALS FOR GEORGE

In order to help George with his health problems, it is necessary to set counseling goals. It is clear that the client needs some time to prepare for making changes in his life. My goal is to explain George that he needs changes. Moreover, George should realize his problem. He should realize that he is not alone. He has his son and his grandchildren. It is very important to explain George that he has certain goals in his life, and that he must live a full life. Of course, it is necessary to touch upon the theme of life and death but it should be done in a professional manner. All the symptoms described by George’s son prove the fact that George is terribly depressed. In order to help George to get rid of depression, special treatment plan should be worked out. It is very important to pay attention to the client’s age, gender, major causes of depression, intensity of the symptoms, support from the family members, type of personality of the client. (Corey et al., 2011, p.128)

As the information represented by George’s son Michael is limited, it is necessary to know more about George. In order to achieve this goal, it is very important to use testing. Using tests in counseling can give positive results in treatment. In George’s case, I will practice psychotherapeutic treatment plan with the use of some antidepressants. Cognitive behavior therapy and interpersonal therapy will help George to improve his psychological state. It is known that these approaches are effective for the treatment of such problems as anxiety, eating, some specific psychological disorders, personality problems and others. I will initially focus on the following areas of assessment:

• social status which includes family relations and friendships of the client;
• mental status which includes the client’s educational level, his ability to read and write;
• emotional status which shows the client’s emotional state, his feelings and relation to life;
• sensory perception which includes changes in each of the five senses of the client;
• motor stability which shows the client’s ability to move.(Seligman, 1998, p.212)

It is also very important to entice George to become actively involved in the process of treatment planning and goal setting because only in this case the major goals will be achieved. George should have a great desire to return to his normal life, to perform his every day duties in a proper way, to communicate with his grandchildren and with other family members, to go out and to enjoy good food.

CONCLUSION

In conclusion, it is necessary to say that counseling elder adults is a serious job which requires appropriate knowledge and skills, certain personal characteristics and patience. In George’s case, it is very important for the counselor to find individual approach to the client, to understand his troubles and his feelings. Only trust and mutual understanding will help George to improve his psychological state.