To address the shortage in geriatric behavioral health professionals, it is crucial for more psychologists to become competent in working with older adults. This article will provide an overview of foundational geropsychology knowledge regarding intervention, consultation, and related services. We will begin by reviewing general and specialized psychological interventions with older adults, as well as adaptations based on aging-related changes and diverse care settings. Next, we will review health and medical factors that can impact service delivery. We will highlight characteristics of different treatment settings and interdisciplinary collaboration in providing consultation services, as well as services such as health promotion and illness prevention. We will summarize administrative best practices when psychologists work with older clients, including documentation of medical necessity for psychological services, billing, and reimbursement procedures compliant with state and federal laws and regulations. Finally, we will end with a discussion of ethical and legal considerations such as informed consent, confidentiality, substitute or end-of-life decision-making and potential conflicts of interest, diminished capacities, and elder abuse and neglect. Public Health Significance StatementGiven the growing population of older adults aged 65 and older, there is a need for psychologists who are competent to provide psychological services to older adults. Psychologists who find themselves working with older adults are encouraged to enhance their knowledge and competencies specific to diverse older adult populations and treatment settings to ensure high quality care of older clients. The authors hope that information provided within this article will serve as a guide to providing foundational knowledge competencies related to providing interventions and consultation services with older adult clients.

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This survey aimed to understand job selection decisions in clinical geropsychology and what information and resources support such decision making. Enhancing mentorship discussions to focus on early career job identification may promote placement satisfaction and match alongside growth and success of the geriatric mental health workforce. This cross-sectional observational study analyzed data from 97 respondents, including geropsychology trainees (n ϭ 42) and professional geropsychologists (n ϭ 55), who completed an online survey. Trainees endorsed a variety of ideal job characteristics in geropsychology; particularly settings with interdisciplinary teams and in medical, palliative/hospice, long-term, and geriatric outpatient care. Location was one of the most important factors in selecting a job for both trainees and professionals; the latter also reported the importance of setting-specific fit. Most trainees described mentoring as the main supportive factor in their job search and placement, specifically with regards to skill development, decision-making assistance, and personal support. Respondents listed the resources they utilized to identify open geropsychology positions, but also responded that more specific resources to aid job selection would be useful. Mentorship in the selection of job opportunities offers

Mentorship carries the potential to improve the placement, persistence, and success of those working in geriatric mental health. We sought to explore the career preferences and perceived barriers to obtaining desired jobs in the field of clinical geropsychology using an online survey of trainees and etablished professional geropsychologists. This cross-sectional observational cohort study recruited 96 respondents .Both trainees (n = 42) and professional geropsychologists (n = 54) completed an online survey. Trainees endorsed a variety of characteristics to describe their ideal jobs in geropsychology; particularly interdisciplinary teamwork and jobs in medical settings, palliative/hospice care facilities, long-term care, and geriatric outpatient care. The most commonly endorsed perceived barrier to trainees’ ideal jobs was the location of the position. Responses from professional geropsychologists elucidated factors that influenced their first job and resources that were helpful, or would have been helpful, during their job search process. The majority of respondents described the role of mentoring in career development, specifically with skill development, decision-making assistance, and personal support. Mentorship is instrumental throughout one’s training and career and offers instrumental and emotional support in job-searching and defining one’s career. Results should be considered with respect to training and retention of clinical geropsychologists given the workforce shortage, particularly in academia.