ABSTRACT
Dealing with the ageing of societies not only makes it necessary to adapt medical, social and economic services to the needs of seniors but, above all, to broaden the research into and diagnosis of the needs of the oldest group of citizens. Research into ageing impacts all disciplines, from medicine and the biological sciences to economics, law and the social sciences – anywhere where seniors become the subjects of research.
This chapter considers ethical standards, as modified in response to the dynamic development of research into old age. The purpose of the text is to define ethical requirements regarding the acquisition of older people as respondents of research, particularly in relation to the researcher.
The chapter discusses the boundaries of such a researcher’s knowledge and insights, data confidentiality and ways to provide respondents with anonymity and a sense of security, as well as issues arising when conducting research on sensitive issues in which a group of elderly people talk about their emotions, feelings, experiences, needs, motivations and privacy.
In light of developments in social research, various attempts are made to systematize the relationship between ethics and methodology.
