ORCID Profile
0000-0002-8927-4205
Current Organisations
Technische Universität Dresden
,
University of Queensland
Does something not look right? The information on this page has been harvested from data sources that may not be up to date. We continue to work with information providers to improve coverage and quality. To report an issue, use the Feedback Form.
In Research Link Australia (RLA), "Research Topics" refer to ANZSRC FOR and SEO codes. These topics are either sourced from ANZSRC FOR and SEO codes listed in researchers' related grants or generated by a large language model (LLM) based on their publications.
Psychology | Other Behavioural And Cognitive Sciences | Other Psychology and Cognitive Sciences | Sensory Processes, Perception And Performance | Population Trends And Policies | Social Policy And Planning | Cultural Studies | Mental Health | Multicultural, Intercultural and Cross-cultural Studies | Health, Clinical And Counselling Psychology | Developmental Psychology And Ageing | Social And Community Psychology | Personality, Abilities And Assessment | Road And Rail Transportation | Developmental Psychology and Ageing | Transport Engineering | Social Policy | Transportation and Freight Services | Social and Community Psychology
The aged | Health related to ageing | Road safety | Families | Gender | Injury control | Ageing and Older People | Expanding Knowledge in Psychology and Cognitive Sciences | Communication Across Languages and Culture | Health policy economic outcomes | Automotive equipment | Other road transport | Productivity | Mental health | Other social development and community services |
Publisher: Informa UK Limited
Date: 10-11-2009
Publisher: SAGE Publications
Date: 06-2018
Abstract: Courthouse facility dogs are increasingly used to support child witnesses and complainants during testimony in courtrooms across the globe. Although already commonplace in the United States, this practice has been largely unexplored in the Australian context. This paper puts forward the case for courthouse facility dogs in Australia and offers some insight into striking the delicate balance between protecting defendants’ rights to a fair trial, and improving the efficiency and quality of the legal system for vulnerable witnesses and victims.
Publisher: Informa UK Limited
Date: 30-05-2022
DOI: 10.1080/07317115.2022.2074814
Abstract: Anxiety is common in Parkinson's disease (PD), negatively impacting daily functioning and quality of life in PD patients and their families. This systematic review evaluates the effectiveness of different psychotherapeutic approaches for reducing anxiety in PD and provides recommendations for clinical practise. Following PRISMA guidelines, 36 studies were included and risk of bias was evaluated. We identified cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), mindfulness-based therapies, acceptance and commitment therapy, and psychodrama psychotherapies. There is good evidence-base for anxiety reduction using CBT approaches, but with mixed results for mindfulness-based therapies. Other therapeutic approaches were under researched. Most randomized control trials examined anxiety as a secondary measure. There was a paucity of interventions for anxiety subtypes. Secondarily, studies revealed the consistent exclusion of PD patients with cognitive concerns, an importance of care partner involvement, and a growing interest in remote delivery of psychotherapy interventions. Person-centered anxiety interventions tailored for PD patients, including those with cognitive concerns, and trials exploring modalities other than CBT, warrant future investigations. Practitioners should consider PD-specific anxiety symptoms and cognitive concerns when treating anxiety. Key distinctions between therapeutic modalities, therapy settings and delivery methods should guide treatment planning.
Publisher: SLACK, Inc.
Date: 09-2014
DOI: 10.3928/00989134-20140731-01
Abstract: class="ftSection" span class="ftInlineSubsectionTitle" How to Obtain Contact Hours by Reading this Article /span class="ftSection" span class="ftInlineSubsectionTitle" Instructions /span strong .3 /strong contact hours will be awarded by Villanova University College of Nursing upon successful completion of this activity. A contact hour is a unit of measurement that denotes 60 minutes of an organized learning activity. This is a learner-based activity. Villanova University College of Nursing does not require submission of your answers to the quiz. A contact hour certificate will be awarded once you register, pay the registration fee, and complete the evaluation form online at ext-link xmlns:xlink="999/xlink" ext-link-type="uri" xlink:href="ev_students.asp?action=browse& main=Nursing+Journals& misc=564" ev_students.asp?action=browse& main=Nursing+Journals& misc=564 /ext-link . To obtain contact hours you must: list list-type="order" li st-item label . /label /list-item /list Read the article, & Multisensory Installations in Residential Aged-Care Facilities: Increasing Novelty and Encouraging Social Engagement Through Modest Environmental Changes& found on pages 20& ndash , carefully noting any tables and other illustrative materials that are included to enhance your knowledge and understanding of the content. Be sure to keep track of the amount of time (number of minutes) you spend reading the article and completing the quiz. list-item label . /label Read and answer each question on the quiz. After completing all of the questions, compare your answers to those provided within this issue. If you have incorrect answers, return to the article for further study. /list-item list-item label . /label Go to the Villanova website listed above to register for contact hour credit. You will be asked to provide your name contact information and a VISA, MasterCard, or Discover card number for payment of the $20.00 fee. Once you complete the online evaluation, a certificate will be automatically generated. /list-item This activity is valid for continuing education credit until August 31, 2016. / class="ftSection" span class="ftInlineSubsectionTitle" Contact Hours /span This activity is co-provided by Villanova University College of Nursing and SLACK Incorporated. Villanova University College of Nursing is accredited as a provider of continuing nursing education by the American Nurses Credentialing Center& rsquo s Commission on Accreditation. / class="ftSection" span class="ftInlineSubsectionTitle" Activity Objectives /span list list-type="order" list-item label . /label Explore the benefits of indoor garden installations in aged-care facilities. /list-item list-item label . /label Describe the study results of indoor garden installations on social engagement. /list-item /list / class="ftSection" span class="ftInlineSubsectionTitle" Disclosure Statement /span Neither the planners nor the authors have any conflicts of interest to disclose. / / class="ftSection" span class="ftInlineSubsectionTitle" The current study examined the effect of an indoor simulated garden installation that included visual, auditory, and olfactory stimuli on resident well-being, compared to the effect elicited by a reminiscence installation and a control no-installation condition. A quasi-experimental ABA design was used (i.e., two intervention conditions plus a wait-list control condition). A survey instrument was administered to nursing home residents ( em N /em = 33) at three time points (pre-, during, and post intervention) over an 8-week period, which measured mood, behavior, health, and social interaction. Additionally, staff reports ( em N /em = 24) were collected. Both the nature-based and non-nature-based installations led to enhanced well-being and significantly more social benefits for residents because of their novel and aesthetic appeal, compared with the control condition. Residents in the nature-based installation condition reported more satisfaction with their living environment during the intervention phase than those in the comparison conditions. The results show that an indoor garden simulation is a relatively inexpensive way to transform a disused indoor area of an aged-care facility for the benefit of residents and staff. [ em Journal of Gerontological Nursing, 40 /em (9), 20& ndash .] /span / class="ftAuthorNotes" Dr. Scott is Postdoctoral Researcher, Dr. Masser is Associate Professor, and Dr. Pachana is Professor, School of Psychology, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, Queensland, Australia. Dr. Pachana is also Co-Director, UQ Ageing Mind Initiative, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, Queensland, Australia. The authors have disclosed no potential conflicts of interest, financial or otherwise. The authors thank the staff and residents who participated in this study. Address correspondence to Theresa L. Scott, PhD, Postdoctoral Researcher, School of Psychology, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, Queensland 4072, Australia e-mail: theresa.scott@uq.edu.au. / class="ftHistory-received" Received: March 02, 2014 / class="ftHistory-accepted" Accepted: July 01, 2014 br / br / style="text-transform: uppercase padding: 3px 10px border: 1px solid #dddddd width: 273px font-size: 11px " Do you want to Participate in the a href="~/link.aspx?_id=9F2D189677774BA9A16A01338B2FF284& _z=z" span style="text-decoration: none " CNE activity /span /a ? /
Publisher: American Medical Association (AMA)
Date: 03-05-1995
Publisher: Hindawi Limited
Date: 2016
DOI: 10.1155/2016/7109052
Abstract: Background . Motor and nonmotor symptoms negatively influence Parkinson’s disease (PD) patients’ quality of life. Mindfulness interventions have been a recent focus in PD. The present study explores effectiveness of a manualized group mindfulness intervention tailored for PD in improving both motor and neuropsychiatric deficits in PD. Methods . Fourteen PD patients completed an 8-week mindfulness intervention that included 6 sessions. The Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire (FFMQ), Geriatric Anxiety Inventory, Hamilton Depression Rating Scale, PD Cognitive Rating Scale, Unified PD Rating Scale, PD Quality of Life Questionnaire, and Outcome Questionnaire (OQ-45) were administered before and after the intervention. Participants also completed the FFMQ-15 at each session. Gains at postassessment and at 6-month follow-up were compared to baseline using paired t -tests and Wilcoxon nonparametric tests. Results . A significant increase in FFMQ-Observe subscale, a reduction in anxiety, depression, and OQ-45 symptom distress, an increase in PDCRS-Subcortical scores, and an improvement in postural instability, gait, and rigidity motor symptoms were observed at postassessment. Gains for the PDCRS were sustained at follow-up. Conclusion . The mindfulness intervention tailored for PD is associated with reduced anxiety and depression and improved cognitive and motor functioning. A randomised controlled trial using a large s le of PD patients is warranted.
Publisher: Hindawi Limited
Date: 2013
DOI: 10.1155/2013/284780
Abstract: Objectives . Australian data regarding delirium in older hospitalized patients are limited. Hence, this study aimed to determine the prevalence and incidence of delirium among older patients admitted to Australian hospitals and assess associated outcomes. Method . A prospective observational study ( n = 493 ) of patients aged ≥70 years admitted to four Australian hospitals was undertaken. Trained research nurses completed comprehensive geriatric assessments using standardized instruments including the Confusion Assessment Method to assess for delirium. Nurses also visited the wards daily to assess for incident delirium and other adverse outcomes. Diagnoses of dementia and delirium were established through case reviews by independent physicians. Results . Overall, 9.7% of patients had delirium at admission and a further 7.6% developed delirium during the hospital stay. Dementia was the most important predictor of delirium at ( OR = 3.18 , 95% CI: 1.65–6.14) and during the admission ( OR = 4.82 95% CI: 2.19–10.62). Delirium at and during the admission predicted increased in-hospital mortality ( OR = 5.19 , 95% CI: 1.27–21.24 OR = 31.07 , 95% CI: 9.30–103.78). Conclusion. These Australian data confirm that delirium is a common and serious condition among older hospital patients. Hospital clinicians should maintain a high index of suspicion for delirium in older patients.
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 30-09-2013
DOI: 10.1111/J.1741-6612.2012.00635.X
Abstract: The ageing of the population may not be accompanied by an increase in accurate knowledge about older adults. Palmore's Facts on Aging Quiz (FAQ) has been among the most popular measures of knowledge, and the original, true-false format measure has been used in a variety of English-speaking countries. However, the more recent multiple-choice version, which has methodological advantages with respect to reliability and validity, has no current Australian translation. Here we report on the adaptation of version 2 of the FAQ in multiple-choice format (FAQ-2(MC)). Data from 151 university undergraduates (132 women, mean age 19.9 years (SD = 5.1), range 17 to 53 years) completed the FAQ-2(MC) in exchange for course credit. The mean percentage correct on the Australian FAQ-2(MC) was 51.5%. Our adaptation suggests the utility of this Australian multiple-choice version of the FAQ and reinforces the need for local verification of items.
Publisher: Informa UK Limited
Date: 03-2012
Publisher: Cambridge University Press (CUP)
Date: 12-05-2020
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 09-2015
DOI: 10.1016/J.JAD.2015.05.059
Abstract: Depression is a prominent non-motor symptom in Parkinson's disease (PD). Assessing depression in PD remains a challenge due to the overlap of somatic symptoms between depression and PD. Other neuropsychiatric manifestations associated with PD, such as cognitive decline, also complicate assessment of depression. Therefore it is critical to investigate the validity of depression rating scales for use in PD. This will allow evaluation of observer- and self-report instruments to be administered in neurologically ill geriatric populations such as PD, and identification of appropriate scales to use in cognitively challenged PD patients. The present review includes all studies examining the validity of depression rating scales in PD. It discusses the usefulness of 13 depression rating scales in PD. The clinician-rated and widely used HAMD-17 and the self-report GDS scales are recommended for screening and measuring severity of depression in PD. The GDS-15 may be a preferred choice due to its brevity and ease of use design for older adults. Other valid and reliable instruments to use in PD include self-rated scales, such as the HADS-D, HDI, and the BDI, and the observer-report, MADRS. The CSDD displayed satisfactory validity and reliability for identification of PD patients with and without dementia. The PHQ-2, PHQ-10, SDS, CES-D, UPDRS-Depression item, IDS-SR, and IDS-C each showed some evidence of validity or reliability, however further research on the psychometric properties of these scales when used in a PD population are required.
Publisher: Cambridge University Press (CUP)
Date: 2002
DOI: 10.1017/S132389220000065X
Abstract: Neurobehavioural symptoms, such as changes in personality, psychiatric symptoms such as depression, and behavioural changes such as increased irritability, are frequent consequences of head injury. Even in the case of mild head injuries, such symptoms may be severe enough to have a negative impact upon rehabilitation. The nature of these symptoms, mitigating factors and possible responses within a rehabilitation context are discussed.
Publisher: Informa UK Limited
Date: 11-2006
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 09-2009
Publisher: Oxford University Press (OUP)
Date: 05-2006
DOI: 10.1016/J.ACN.2006.04.004
Abstract: The focus of the discipline of neuropsychology is shifting towards a greater emphasis on understanding the relationship between assessment results and performance of everyday tasks (ecological validity). To date, the literature has highlighted the importance of this concept in the assessment of patients with brain injury or disease (e.g. in rehabilitation and forensic settings). This paper presents the argument that there is another important area in which the ecological validity of neuropsychological assessments should be considered: in clinical outcomes studies using neurologically intact participants. For ex le, determining the extent to which a medical procedure or intervention affects performance of everyday cognitive tasks can provide useful information that can potentially guide decision-making regarding treatment options. It is argued that tests designed with ecological validity in mind (the verisimilitude approach), as opposed to traditional tests, may be most effective at predicting everyday functioning. Explanations are proposed as to why researchers may be reluctant to use tests with verisimilitude in favor of more traditional measures.
Publisher: Informa UK Limited
Date: 06-2011
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 05-2010
DOI: 10.1016/J.SEIZURE.2010.02.008
Abstract: Few studies have examined the impact of epilepsy on the quality of life of older people, although epilepsy is one of the most common neurological disorders of old age. This study investigated the association of depression, seizure type and frequency and locus of control on health related quality of life in community dwelling adults aged over 60 years. Sixty-four participants were administered a clinical diagnostic interview to assess depression and dysthymia, and completed measures of HRQOL (QOLIE-31), locus of control and provided information on seizure variables. Depression, dysthymia and more frequent seizures were important predictors of HRQOL, accounting for 63% of the variance, with dysthymia the strongest in idual predictor of impaired HRQOL. This study has highlighted the negative consequences of depression, dysthymia and seizure frequency on HRQOL for older people with epilepsy. Importantly, these results indicate that rather than major depression, it is the more chronic symptoms of dysthymia that are most disruptive of HRQOL. Seizure frequency, but not seizure type, was also associated with reduced HRQOL. The results of this study suggest that clinical treatment in late adulthood should address seizure control while concurrently focusing on the management of depressive symptomatology to improve overall HRQOL.
Publisher: Informa UK Limited
Date: 05-03-2019
DOI: 10.1080/07317115.2019.1590490
Abstract: The physical, psychological and social aspects of care for older adults in nursing homes has been the subject of research internationally for more than 50 years. Numerous guidelines, models and principles of care have been published, yet in many facilities the lack of care which is "person-focused" remains concerning. Potentially, a return to a basic set of simple principles guiding care, ones which are intrinsically focused on the person, would be of use. Despite the plethora of models within the human care literature, looking outside of this frame might be useful not only for those in aged care at the end of life, but for older in iduals more broadly. The argument for examining the "Five Freedoms" for animal welfare, which are recognized and applied internationally, is made, and suggestions for adapting this for human care, consistent within a One Health framework, are offered.
Publisher: American Psychological Association (APA)
Date: 12-2009
DOI: 10.1037/A0017305
Publisher: Informa UK Limited
Date: 16-04-2009
Publisher: American Psychological Association (APA)
Date: 2010
DOI: 10.1037/A0017306
Abstract: One reason that older drivers may have elevated crash risk is because they anticipate hazardous situations less well than middle-aged drivers. Hazard perception ability has been found to be amenable to training in young drivers. This article reports an experiment in which video-based hazard perception training was given to drivers who were between the ages of 65 and 94 years. Trained participants were significantly faster at anticipating traffic hazards compared with an untrained control group, and this benefit was present even after the authors controlled for pretraining ability. If future research shows these effects to be robust, the implications for driver training and safety are significant.
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 11-2011
DOI: 10.1016/J.AAP.2011.05.035
Abstract: Even though the driving ability of older adults may decline with age, there is evidence that some in iduals attempt to compensate for these declines using strategies such as restricting their driving exposure. Such compensatory mechanisms rely on drivers' ability to evaluate their own driving performance. This paper focuses on one key aspect of driver ability that is associated with crash risk and has been found to decline with age: hazard perception. Three hundred and seven drivers, aged 65-96, completed a validated video-based hazard perception test. There was no significant relationship between hazard perception test response latencies and drivers' ratings of their hazard perception test performance, suggesting that their ability to assess their own test performance was poor. Also, age-related declines in hazard perception latency were not reflected in drivers' self-ratings. Nonetheless, ratings of test performance were associated with self-reported regulation of driving, as was self-rated driving ability. These findings are consistent with the proposal that, while self-assessments of driving ability may be used by drivers to determine the degree to which they restrict their driving, the problem is that drivershave little insight into their own driving ability. This may impact on the potential road safety benefits of self-restriction of driving because drivers may not have the information needed to optimally self-restrict. Strategies for addressing this problem are discussed.
Publisher: Oxford University Press (OUP)
Date: 07-2008
Abstract: We investigated the hazard perception ability of older drivers. A s le of 118 older drivers (65 years and older) completed a video-based hazard perception test and an assessment battery designed to measure aspects of cognitive ability, vision, and simple reaction time that might plausibly be linked to hazard perception ability. We found that hazard perception response times increased significantly with age but that this age-related increase could be accounted for by measures of contrast sensitivity and useful field of view. We found that contrast sensitivity, useful field of view, and simple reaction time could account for the variance in hazard perception, independent of one another and of in idual differences in age.
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 10-2014
DOI: 10.1016/J.JAD.2014.06.029
Abstract: This study investigated symptom patterns that might distinguish between in iduals with and without a diagnosis of Social Phobia (SP) across the adult lifespan. A s le of 5411 self-reported social worriers was derived from Wave 1 (2001 and 2002) of the U.S. National Epidemiological Survey of Alcohol and Related Conditions (NESARC). Participants were stratified into four age groups (18-29 years, 30-44 years, 45-64 years, 65-96 years), and further ided into two diagnostic groups (self-reported social worriers with and without a SP diagnosis). Binary logistic regression analyses revealed that a core set of symptoms was associated with SP across the adult lifespan. There were also successive reductions in the number of symptoms associated with SP in each age group, such that older adults endorsed numerically fewer SP symptoms. Though our s le size is smaller than ideal for the nature of our analyses, the NESARC represents one of the largest existing clinical datasets we know of. Despite age-related reductions in symptom frequency, a core set of SP symptoms consistently distinguished between diagnostic groups, irrespective of age.
Publisher: Informa UK Limited
Date: 06-2018
DOI: 10.1111/AP.12297
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 04-10-2007
Publisher: Informa UK Limited
Date: 10-04-2020
Publisher: Informa UK Limited
Date: 06-2011
Publisher: Ovid Technologies (Wolters Kluwer Health)
Date: 11-2015
DOI: 10.11124/JBISRIR-2015-2415
Abstract: The objective of this review is to identify and appraise existing evidence regarding the effectiveness of interventions designed to enhance staff-family relationships for people with dementia living in residential aged care facilities.More specifically, the objectives are to identify the effectiveness of constructive communication, cooperation programs, and practices or strategies to enhance family-staff relationships. The effectiveness of these interventions will be measured by comparing the intervention to no intervention, comparing one intervention with another, or comparing pre- and post-interventions.Specifically the review question is: What are the most effective interventions for improving communication and cooperation to enhance family-staff relationships in residential aged care facilities? In our aging world, dementia is prevalent and is a serious health concern affecting approximately 35.6 million people worldwide. This figure is expected to increase two-fold by 2030 and three-fold by 2050. Although younger-onset dementia is increasingly recognized, dementia is most commonly a disease that affects the elderly. Among those aged 65 to 85, the prevalence of dementia increases exponentially, and doubles with every five-year increase in age.Dementia is defined as a syndrome, commonly chronic or progressive in nature, and caused by a range of brain disorders that affect memory, thinking and the ability to perform activities of daily living. While the rate of progression and manifestation of decline differs, all cases of dementia share a similar trajectory of decline. The progressive decline in cognitive functions and ultimately physical function that these people face affects not only the person with the disease but also their family caregivers and health care staff.The manifestation of dementia presents unique and extreme challenges for the family caregiver. Generally it causes great physical, emotional and social strain because the caregiving process is long in duration, unfamiliar, unpredictable and ambiguous. In the later stages of dementia, many family caregivers relocate their relative to a residential aged care facility, most often when the burden of care outweighs the means of the caregiver. This is especially likely when the person with dementia ages, and has lower cognitive function increased limitations in activities in daily living and poorer self-related health. As a result, approximately 50% of all persons aged 65 years or over admitted into residential aged care facilities have dementia.The relocation of a relative into a residential aged care facility can be complex and distressing for family caregivers. While relocation alleviates many issues for the family caregiver, it does not consequently reduce their stress. The stress experienced by the family caregivers who remain involved post-relocation often continues and may even worsen. This is because family caregivers are uncertain about how to transition from a direct caregiving role to a more indirect, supportive interpersonal role, and may be provided with little support from care staff in this regard. Although family caregivers experience a new form of stress post-relocation, family involvement in residential aged care settings has been shown to be beneficial to residents with dementia, their families and care staff.Family involvement is widely acknowledged to provide the resident physical and emotional healing, optimal well-being, and the sustainment of quality of life. Family caregivers benefit from improved satisfaction with the facility and experiences of care, and greater well-being. Care staff benefit from enhanced job satisfaction and greater motivation to remain in their job. The key to these positive outcomes is effective communication and strong relationships between care staff and family caregivers.Effective communication between care staff and family caregivers is crucial for residents with dementia. This is because residents with cognitive impairment may have difficulties articulating their needs, concerns and preferences effectively. Family caregivers rely on staff for information about their relative's behavior in the residential aged care facility however they themselves have in-depth information about the resident's physical, psychosocial and emotional histories that are necessary for developing in idualized care support plans. Family involvement can support care staff in reducing residents' behavioral symptoms by assisting to identify social and emotional needs, or unmet medical needs. Ineffective communication from family caregivers in conveying information to care staff may be disruptive in the caregiving process, and may lead to disagreement regarding respective roles and approaches to caring for the resident. Consequently, family caregivers may withhold information that may support care staff and improve care. They may also be concerned about negative repercussions for the resident.Care staff and family caregivers generally have differing needs and expectations. Care staff are usually in the position where they have to manage a relationship with the family, which is based on multiple roles. Perceptions of family caregivers by care staff include seeing them as colleagues, subordinates, or people who themselves may be in need of nursing care. These different perceptions lead to role ambiguity and result in separate approaches to the caregiving process.Cohen et al. suggest in their study that family involvement can benefit people with dementia in residential aged care settings, their family carers and staff however further research is required. The relationship between care staff and family caregivers is often challenging due to problems with communication, role ambiguity of both care staff and family carers, and differing approaches to caring for the resident. These problems highlight the need for interventions to constructively enhance the quality of family-staff relationships. For ex le, one intervention called Partners and Caregiving has been reported as being designed to increase cooperation and effective communication between staff and family. In this study, staff and family members were randomly subjected to treatment and control conditions. The treatment group received parallel training sessions on communication and conflict resolution techniques, followed by a joint meeting with the facility administrators. The results of the study demonstrated improved outcomes in the form of improved attitudes of staff and family members towards each other, less conflict between family and staff, and fewer intentions of staff to quit. Further research is vital in order to identify effective family-staff intervention studies that can provide directions for implementation in residential aged care facilities. Furthermore, it is equally important to identify interventions that are ineffective, so as to provide insights into potential pitfalls to avoid in order to improve staff and family members' relationships and the provision of care to people living with dementia in the future.Previous systematic reviews have focused on factors associated with constructive family-staff relationships in caring for older adults in the institutional setting and the family's involvement in decision making for people with dementia in residential aged care facilites. This review will however specifically investigate interventions for improving communication and cooperation that promote effective family-staff relationships when caring for people with dementia living in residential aged care facilities.
Publisher: Informa UK Limited
Date: 06-07-2023
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 11-03-2016
DOI: 10.1111/AJAG.12306
Abstract: The aim of this study was to improve our understanding of depression and anxiety among older immigrant Chinese Australians. The study was based on the National Ageing Research Institute's Cultural Exchange Model, an iterative process of exchange between researchers and stakeholders. The project involved a range of components including consultations with health professionals and community workers about perceptions of depression and anxiety within the Chinese community. This paper reports on these consultation findings. Thematic analysis generated five main categories to explain participants' perceptions of depression and anxiety within the Chinese community. Themes included: lack of knowledge personal weakness rather than illness stigma somatisation and experience of migration in later life. Responses to questions about education and information dissemination were collated separately and reported. Views of depression and anxiety among older Chinese people suggest that educating the community may be an important way to improve mental health literacy and help-seeking behaviour.
Publisher: SAGE Publications
Date: 04-2011
Abstract: Background. Driving cessation can lead to negative consequences, such as depression and reduced social activities. Purpose. The University of Queensland Driver Retirement Initiative (UQDRIVE) intensive support program is a six-week program to assist older people with driving cessation. Methods. Fifty-five participants completed a survey of satisfaction with the program, including identification of the aspects of the program that were useful and they had applied in real life. Findings. There was overall satisfaction with the program, and content analysis identified three areas that were highlighted as particularly useful: “Finding alternative means: transport and service options,” “Planning with more wisdom: thinking about driving cessation,” and “Being with people: sharing experiences with peers.” Implications. These findings indicate that program participants were satisfied with the current UQDRIVE intensive support group program and found both the psychosocial supports and practical strategies to be useful in managing driving cessation.
Publisher: Informa UK Limited
Date: 03-2005
Publisher: Cambridge University Press (CUP)
Date: 05-05-2017
DOI: 10.1017/S1041610217000783
Abstract: Wisdom is derived (in modern language terms) from the Old English words wis (“of a certainty, for certain” “Wisdom,” 2015) and dóm (“statute, judgment, jurisdiction” “Wisdom,” 2015) wisdom is, at its broadest, defined as the “Capacity of judging rightly in matters relating to life and conduct soundness of judgement in the choice of means and ends sometimes less strictly, sound sense, esp. in practical affairs” (“Wisdom,” 2015). As a concept, wisdom has been acknowledged within our history since the time of the Sumerians (and estimated to have originated in around 2,500 BCE). However, in modern times, the relevance of the traditional wise person is less clear. Nonetheless, wisdom research has been on the rise since it emerged as a focus of researchers in the 1970’s, and a part of that research focus has been to explore the significance of wisdom and its relevance in the current day (particularly with regards to how it is measured across cultures).
Publisher: SAGE Publications
Date: 07-2003
DOI: 10.2190/BR9Y-J1CL-LM6M-JACJ
Abstract: The Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D) is frequently used in epidemiological surveys to screen for depression, especially among older adults. This article addresses the problem of non-completion of a short form of the CES-D (CESD-10) in a mailed survey of 73- to 78-year-old women enrolled in the Australian Longitudinal Study on Women's Health. Completers of the CESD-10 had more education, found it easier to manage on available income and reported better physical and mental health. The Medical Outcomes Study Short Form Health Survey (SF-36) scores for non-completers were intermediate between those for women classified as depressed and not depressed using the CESD-10. Indicators of depression had an inverted U-shaped relationship with the number of missing CESD-10 items and were most frequent for women with two to seven items missing. Future research should pay particular attention to the level of missing data in depression scales and report its potential impact on estimates of depression.
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 05-09-2019
DOI: 10.1111/OPN.12268
Abstract: The ageing population is increasing, and negative attitudes towards older people are all too common and largely overlooked. However, little research has examined how ageist, prejudice, and discrimination, that often occur in healthcare settings, impact the community's perceptions of entering Residential Aged Care (RAC) in the future. In particular, studies have not investigated how contact with RAC influences in iduals' attitudes towards RAC facilities, residents and staff. This study is the first to examine in iduals' resistance towards living in RAC using the contact hypothesis, a theory of prejudice reduction. To explore how positive or negative contact with RAC residents and staff impacts in iduals' behavioural intentions towards entering RAC in the future. To examine whether perceptions of trust, independence and RAC staff mediate the relationship between contact and behavioural intentions towards entering RAC in the future. A cross-sectional survey design. Data were collected via online surveys using contact (positive or negative), trust, independence, perceptions of RAC staff and resistance levels (mild refusal or extreme refusal) measures. Participants (n = 373) from Australia and USA were recruited using social media, word of mouth and Amazons Mechanical Turk. In iduals who experienced negative contact with RAC residents and staff were more likely to report intense resistance to RAC, "I would rather die than enter RAC". Whereas, positive contact with RAC residents and staff was associated with reductions in the adverse appraisal of RAC staff a diminished perception that in iduals lost their independence, and an increased trust in RAC residents, facilities and staff. Participants from USA reported greater levels of resistance towards RAC in comparison with participants from Australia. This study demonstrates how interactions with RAC residents, facilities and staff are critical in shaping attitudes towards RAC. It is recommended that the public are exposed to opportunities where they can experience positive contact with RAC. RAC facilities can promote interaction between the public and RAC residents through encouraging participation in community partnership programs/intergenerational programs.
Publisher: Informa UK Limited
Date: 25-09-2023
Publisher: Cambridge University Press (CUP)
Date: 05-2010
DOI: 10.1375/JRC.16.1.14
Abstract: The current study investigated the ability of CogniScreen to differentiate older adults with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) from those reporting symptoms of depression. Participants included 140 community-based adults (30 MCI, 15 self-rated depressed, and 95 typical older adults) aged 50–89 years. Intergroup comparisons performed using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analyses suggest tasks within CogniScreen are sensitive to clinically significant memory loss. Data provided partial support for some CogniScreen tasks to also differentiate in iduals with MCI from those who are depressed. Results suggest CogniScreen may be potentially useful in screening older adults for early cognitive decline.
Publisher: MDPI AG
Date: 26-09-2022
DOI: 10.3390/ANI12192568
Abstract: Not all dog adoptions are successful. This two-year retrospective study used survival (i.e., time-to-event) analyses to investigate readmissions for dogs adopted from RSPCA Queensland shelters between 1 January 2019 and 31 December 2020. A better understanding of temporal patterns and risk factors associated with readmission may help RSPCA Queensland shelters better target and tailor resources to improve retention by adopters. The failure function (the cumulative percentage of adoptions that were readmitted by day of the adoption period) increased rapidly during the first 14 days of the adoption period. Approximately two-thirds of all returns occurred in this period. This readmission rate may have been influenced by the RSPCA Queensland adoption-fee refund policy. The cumulative percentage of adoptions that were readmitted plateaued at just under 15%. Dog size, age, coat colour, breed, and spending time in foster before adoption were factors associated with the risk of readmission. Failure functions for a low and a high-risk adoption ex le demonstrated the large degree of difference in hazard of readmission between covariate patterns, with estimated percentages of adoptions being returned by 90 days for those ex les being 2% and 17%, respectively. Spending time in foster care before adoption appears to be protective against readmission, presumably because it supports a successful transition to the new home environment. Behaviour support and training provided for dogs during foster care may contribute to improve their outcomes. These findings highlight the profile of the higher-risk dogs potentially providing shelters with an opportunity to examine where and how resources could be allocated to maximize outcomes for the overall cohort. Population attributable 90-day failure estimates were calculated for each of bodyweight and age at adoption, coat colour, spending time in foster care before adoption, and breed. This calculation shows the expected reduction in the cumulative percentage of dogs readmitted by day 90 if the hazards of readmission for higher risk categories were reduced to those of a lower risk category. Expected reductions for in idual factors ranged from 1.8% to 3.6% with one additional estimate of 6.8%. Risk of readmission could be reduced through increased development of foster capacity and capability, targeted interventions, improved adopter-dog matching processes, and more effective targeting of support for higher risk dogs, such as older or larger dogs. Population impact analyses provide a macro view that could assist shelters in strategically assessing the return on investment for various strategies aiming to improve adoption outcomes and potentially reduce readmissions.
Publisher: Cambridge University Press (CUP)
Date: 18-06-2010
DOI: 10.1017/S1041610210001237
Abstract: Background: Anxiety symptoms and anxiety disorders are highly prevalent among older people and are associated with considerable disability burden. While several instruments now exist to measure anxiety in older people, there is a need for a very brief self-report scale to measure anxiety symptoms in epidemiological surveys, in primary care and in acute geriatric medical settings. Accordingly, we undertook the development of such a scale, based on the Geriatric Anxiety Inventory. Methods: This is a cross-sectional study of randomly selected, community-residing, older women (N = 284 mean age 72.2 years) using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analyses. DSM-IV diagnostic interviews were undertaken using the Mini International Diagnostic Interview, fifth edition (MINI-V). Results: We developed a 5-item version of the Geriatric Anxiety Inventory, which we have termed the Geriatric Anxiety Inventory – Short Form (GAI-SF). We found that a score of three or greater was optimal for the detection of DSM-IV Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) in this community s le. At this cut-point, sensitivity was 75%, specificity was 87%, and 86% of participants were correctly classified. GAI-SF score was not related to age, MMSE score, level of education or perceived income adequacy. Internal consistency was high (Cronbach's α = 0.81) and concurrent validity against the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory was good (r s = 0.48, p 0.001). Conclusions: The GAI-SF is a short form of the Geriatric Anxiety Inventory, which we recommend for use in epidemiological studies. It may also be useful in primary care and acute geriatric medical settings.
Publisher: Informa UK Limited
Date: 07-2001
Publisher: Cambridge University Press (CUP)
Date: 09-01-2014
DOI: 10.1017/S1041610213002470
Abstract: Little is known about the effects of age on the symptoms of anxiety disorder. Accordingly, this study sought to investigate age-related differences in the number and kind of symptoms that distinguish between in iduals with and without a diagnosis of generalized anxiety disorder (GAD). A s le of 3,486 self-reported worriers was derived from Wave 1 of the National Epidemiological Survey of Alcohol and Related Conditions (NESARC), an epidemiological survey of mental health conducted in the USA in 2001–2002. Participants were stratified into the following age groups (18–29 years, 30–44 years, 45–64 years, 65–98 years), and then ided into diagnostic groups (GAD and non-GAD worriers). Binary logistic regression analyses revealed that four distinct sets of symptoms were associated with GAD in each age group, and that numerically fewer symptoms were associated with GAD in older adults. Moreover, there were graduated changes in the type and number of symptoms associated with GAD in each successive age group. There are graduated, age-related differences in the phenomenology of GAD that might contribute to challenges in the detection of late-life anxiety.
Publisher: Informa UK Limited
Date: 02-08-2022
Publisher: Cambridge University Press (CUP)
Date: 15-04-2014
DOI: 10.1017/S104161021400060X
Abstract: Driving cessation has demonstrated impacts on well-being and lifestyle. Despite the recognized reluctance of older people to plan for driving cessation, this study has identified a new group who has a stated plan to stop driving within 12 months. Although gradual reduction of driving has been documented as part of the usual driving cessation, this study explored the differences between retired drivers and those with a stated plan to retire within 12 months in sociodemographic, well-being and lifestyle outcomes. This study extracted all baseline data from a clinical trial exploring the effectiveness of a group program for older retiring and retired drivers. Sociodemographic data included age, gender, health status, educational level, and living situation. All participants completed measures related to episodes away from home, well-being, and lifestyle. These were compared using parametric and nonparametric statistical analysis. Participants ( n = 131) included 68 retired drivers (mean age 79.8 years) and 63 retiring drivers (mean age 77.8 years). Retiring drivers engaged in more episodes away from home ( p = 0.03), and more social activities ( p = 0.02), used less alternative transport ( p 0.001), displayed fewer anxiety ( p = 0.05), and depressive ( p = 0.01) symptoms, but demonstrated lower transport and lifestyle self-efficacy ( p = 0.04). Both retired and retiring drivers require support for driving cessation and community engagement. Retiring drivers may be in a critical position to engage in driving cessation interventions to improve self-efficacy and begin adapting community mobility.
Publisher: Informa UK Limited
Date: 04-10-2017
DOI: 10.1080/07317115.2016.1240131
Abstract: Anxiety negatively impacts the quality of life of Parkinson's disease (PD) patients and caregivers. Despite high prevalence, there is a paucity of trials investigating effective treatments for anxiety in PD. This uncontrolled study investigated the use of a manualized and tailored Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT) for anxiety in PD. Participants completed 6 weekly CBT sessions. Pre-, post- and follow-up (3 and 6 months) assessments were made. Change in outcomes were analysed using t-tests and Reliability Change Index. Of 17 PD patients who agreed to CBT, 12 completed the intervention. This study showed a significant reduction in Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale scores in PD immediately post CBT (t(11) = 3.59, p < .01), maintained at 3-month (t(8) = 2.83, p = .02) and 6-month (t(7) = 2.07, p = .04) follow-up. A reduction in caregiver burden (t(11) = 2.68, p = .03) was observed post intervention. Improvements in motor disability (t(11) = 2.41, p = .04) and cognitive scores (t(11) = -2.92, p = .01) were also observed post intervention and at follow-up. Tailored CBT can be used to treat anxiety in PD. This study provides preliminary evidence suggesting that tailored CBT reduces anxiety in PD with persisting benefits, and lowers caregiver burden.
Publisher: American Psychological Association (APA)
Date: 2011
DOI: 10.1037/A0021337
Abstract: The number of life events reported by study participants is sensitive to the method of data collection and time intervals under consideration. In idual characteristics also influence reporting respondents with poor mental health report more life events. Much current research on life events is cross-sectional. Data from a longitudinal study of women's health from 4 waves over a decade suggest that over time additional systematic biases in reporting life events occur. Inconsistency over time is due to both fall-off of reporting and telescoping. Intracategory variability and ambiguity of items, as well as respondent characteristics, also potentially contribute to response biases. Although some factors (e.g., item wording) are controllable, others (e.g., respondents' mental health) are not and must be factored into data analysis and interpretation.
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 09-10-2013
DOI: 10.1002/MDS.25689
Abstract: A significant proportion of persons affected by Parkinson's disease (PD) are over age 65 years. Mental health issues are often less a focus of treatment in this population than physical manifestations of the illness. Anxiety or depression alone, as well as comorbid depression and anxiety, are underrecognized in patients with PD and are associated with deleterious effects on physical and interpersonal functioning, negatively impacting quality of life and well-being. We offer a brief overview of salient clinical points with respect to assessment and treatment approaches to enhance efficacy of the treatment of mental health symptoms in older adults with PD. Cognitive behavior therapy involves the patient learning to overcome behavioral avoidance associated with anxiety and challenge unhelpful negative cognitions. It is suggested that cognitive behavior therapy is an effective approach to treatment of anxiety and depression in PD and should be offered as a treatment to patients.
Publisher: Cambridge University Press (CUP)
Date: 03-07-2014
DOI: 10.1017/S1041610214001148
Abstract: Research on the behavioral correlates of anxiety in older adults is sparse. The aim of this study was to explore the association of anxiety with behavioral patterns defined by health, activity, emotional and social variables. A convenience s le of 395 older adults completed measures of health, activity, emotions, social variables and experiential avoidance. Cross-sectional data were analysed using cluster analysis. Five clusters were identified: active healthy, healthy, active vulnerable, lonely inactive and frail lonely. Participants in the active healthy and healthy clusters showed the highest scores on health variables (vitality and physical function), and adaptive scores on the rest of variables. They also reported the lowest scores on anxiety and included the lowest number of cases with clinically significant anxiety levels. Active vulnerable showed high scores on social support, leisure activities and capitalization on them but low scores in vitality and physical functioning. Participants in the lonely inactive cluster reported the highest mean score in experiential avoidance and high scores on boredom and loneliness, and low scores on social support, leisure activities capitalizing on pleasant activities and health variables. Frail lonely represent a particularly vulnerable profile of participants, similar to that of lonely inactive, but with significantly lower scores on health variables and higher scores on boredom and hours watching TV. Anxiety in older adults is not only linked to poor health, but also to dysfunctional social behavior, loneliness, boredom and experiential avoidance. Maladaptive profiles of older adults with regard to these variables have been identified.
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 16-02-2020
DOI: 10.1111/AJAG.12775
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 21-03-2022
DOI: 10.1111/AJAG.13069
Abstract: Older adults are an untapped resource for leading sustainability change. This study assessed a pilot study of a Sustainability Ambassadors Training Program for older adults. The pilot training program was conducted with a s le of 14 older adults over a single day, with some follow‐up activities for participants at home. Activities included completing a sustainable action card‐sorting activity measuring an in idual's ability to make sustainable changes within their lives. A brief researcher‐devised empowerment scale was administered pre‐ and postworkshop. Quantitative data revealed that sustainability empowerment increased from pre‐ to post‐training sessions and was related to the number of sustainability actions participants thought were achievable. The data suggest that such a brief training workshop can both yield personal change and potentially provide opportunities for a peer network to facilitate change within communities.
Publisher: Cambridge University Press (CUP)
Date: 20-06-2014
DOI: 10.1017/S1041610214001021
Abstract: The Geriatric Anxiety Inventory (GAI) is a recently developed scale aiming to evaluate symptoms of anxiety in later life. This 20-item scale uses dichotomous answers highlighting non-somatic anxiety complaints of elderly people. The present study aimed to evaluate the psychometric properties of the Brazilian Portuguese version GAI (GAI-BR) in a s le from community and outpatient psychogeriatric clinic. A mixed convenience s le of 72 subjects was recruited for answering the research protocol. The interview procedures were structured with questionnaires about sociodemographic data, clinical health status, anxiety, and depression previously validated instruments, Mini-Mental State Examination, Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview, and GAI-BR. Twenty-two percent of the s le were interviewed twice for test–retest reliability. For internal consistency analyses, the Cronbach's α test was applied. The Spearman correlation test was applied to evaluate the test–retest GAI-BR reliability. A ROC (receiver operating characteristic) curve study was made to estimate the GAI-BR area under curve, cut-off points, sensitivity, and specificity for the Generalized Anxiety Disorder diagnosis. The GAI-BR version showed high internal consistency (Cronbach's α = 0.91) and strong and significant test–retest reliability ( ρ = 0.85, p 0.001). It also showed moderate and significant correlation with the Beck Anxiety Inventory ( ρ = 0.68, p 0.001) and the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory ( ρ = 0.61, p 0.001) showing evidence of concurrent validation. The cut-off point of 13 estimated by ROC curve analyses showed sensitivity of 83.3% and specificity of 84.6% to detect Generalized Anxiety Disorder (DSM-IV). GAI-BR has demonstrated very good psychometric properties and can be a reliable instrument to measure anxiety in Brazilian elderly people.
Publisher: SAGE Publications
Date: 22-11-2017
Abstract: Interpretation of changes in health and health care utilization patterns across the life span depends on an understanding of the effects of age, period, and cohort. The purpose of this article is to illustrate differences among three generations of women in demographic factors, health risk factors, and health status indicators from 1996 to 2008. The article examines data from the Australian Longitudinal Study on Women’s Health, a broad-ranging project funded by the Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing (DoHA) and involving three age groups of women (born in the periods 1973—1978, 1946—1951, and 1921—1926) who were first surveyed in 1996 and will be surveyed every 3 years until at least 2015. Patterns in selected demographic factors (marital status and level of educational qualification), health risk factors (smoking, alcohol consumption, physical activity, and body mass index [BMI]), and health status indicators (asthma, hypertension, diabetes and depression physical functioning and mental health scores from the SF-36) were examined to illustrate ex les of biological age, generational differences, or period effects that affect all age groups and generations simultaneously. The results can be used to inform the development of responsive and effective models for both prevention and management of chronic disease, including health and aged-care systems that will meet the needs of different generations of women across their life span.
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 09-2003
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 27-02-2013
DOI: 10.1111/J.1445-5994.2012.02962.X
Abstract: Dementia and delirium appear to be common among older patients admitted to acute hospitals, although there are few Australian data regarding these important conditions. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence and incidence of dementia and delirium among older patients admitted to acute hospitals in Queensland and to profile these patients. Prospective observational cohort study (n = 493) of patients aged 70 years and older admitted to general medical, general surgical and orthopaedic wards of four acute hospitals in Queensland between 2008 and 2010. Trained research nurses completed comprehensive geriatric assessments and obtained detailed information about each patient's physical, cognitive and psychosocial functioning using the interRAI Acute Care and other standardised instruments. Nurses also visited patients daily to identify incident delirium. Two physicians independently reviewed patients' medical records and assessments to establish the diagnosis of dementia and/or delirium. Overall, 29.4% of patients (n = 145) were considered to have cognitive impairment, including 102 (20.7% of the total) who were considered to have dementia. This rate increased to 47.4% in the oldest patients (aged ≥ 90 years). The overall prevalence of delirium at admission was 9.7% (23.5% in patients with dementia), and the rate of incident delirium was 7.6% (14.7% in patients with dementia). The prevalence of dementia and delirium among older patients admitted to acute hospitals is high and is likely to increase with population aging. It is suggested that hospital design, staffing and processes should be attuned better to meet these patients' needs.
Publisher: MDPI AG
Date: 16-10-2020
DOI: 10.3390/ANI10101894
Abstract: Previous studies have indicated that human gender and canine sex influences human–dog interactions. However, the majority of studies have considered the interaction when dogs were off-leash and the behavioural interactions when dogs are walked on a leash have not been addressed. This study investigated human–dog interactions when shelter volunteers take shelter dogs for an on-leash walk. Video records were made of 370 walks, involving 74 volunteers and 111 shelter dogs, and a leash tension meter was used to determine the pull strength of dogs and walkers. Human gender and canine sex had dyadic effects during the walk. Male dogs tended to pull more frequently and created increased leash tensions. Dogs displayed more stress related behaviours when interacting with men than women, with the signs being spending less time holding the tail in the high position, and more frequent gazing and lip-licking behaviours. Finally, there was a greater pre-disposition in women to use verbal commands, and language typically used with babies, while men were more inclined to have physical contact with dogs. This study’s results may be used to match shelter dogs with appropriate men and women volunteers for walking exercise of the dog, and to improve potential dog socialisation efforts by shelters.
Publisher: Informa UK Limited
Date: 2004
Publisher: Oxford University Press (OUP)
Date: 20-02-2008
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 05-2006
DOI: 10.1016/J.BANDL.2005.09.001
Abstract: Progress in understanding brain/behavior relationships in adult-acquired dysprosody has led to models of cortical hemispheric representation of prosodic processing based on functional (linguistic vs affective) or physical (timing vs pitch) parameters. These explanatory perspectives have not been reconciled, and also a number of neurobehavior syndromes that include dysprosody among their neurological signs have not yet been integrated. In addition to expanding the functional perspective on prosody, some of these syndromes have implicated a significant role of subcortical nuclei in prosodic competence. In this article, two patients with acquired dysprosodic speech following damage to basal ganglia nuclei were evaluated using behavioral, acoustic, cognitive, and radiographic approaches. Selective quantitative measures were performed on each in idual's performance to provide detailed verification and clarification of clinical observations, and to test hypotheses regarding prosodic function. These studies, combined with a review of related clinical research findings, exemplify the value of a broader perspective on the neurobehavioral dysfunction underlying acquired adult dysprosodic speech, and lead to a new, proposed conceptual framework for the cerebral representation of prosody.
Publisher: Cambridge University Press (CUP)
Date: 1998
DOI: 10.1017/S1323892200001289
Abstract: The proportion of older adults seeking rehabilitation services are certain to rise as the population ages. Cognitive rehabilitation techniques can be successfully adapted and used with older adults with a range of clinical diagnoses. An understanding of cognitive changes which could be expected as a result of “normal” (non-disease-related) aging is essential for both assessment and treatment planning for this group. Age-related changes in attention, memory and executive functioning are briefly noted. Common cognitive sequelae of head-injury, depression and dementia are discussed, and useful assessment and rehabilitation strategies described. Case illustrations are used to illustrate major points.
Publisher: Cambridge University Press (CUP)
Date: 30-01-2015
DOI: 10.1017/S1041610214002701
Abstract: Four constructs are encompassed by the term “falls-related psychological concerns” (FrPC) “fear of falling” (FOF), “falls-related self-efficacy” (FSe), “balance confidence” (BC) and “outcome expectancy” (OE). FrPC are associated with negative consequences including physical, psychological, and social. Identifying factors associated with FrPC could inform interventions to reduce these concerns. Sixty-two empirical papers relating to psychological factors associated with FrPC in community-dwelling older people (CDOP) were reviewed. Four levels of evidence were used when evaluating the literature: good, moderate, tentative, and none. Evidence that anxiety predicted FOF, BC, and OE was tentative. Moderate evidence was found for anxiety predicting FSe. Good evidence was found for depression predicting FSe. Moderate evidence was found for depression predicting both FOF and BC. No evidence was found for depression predicting OE. Tentative evidence was found for FSe predicting depression. Good and moderate evidence was found for quality of life (QoL) being predicted by FOF and BC respectively. Tentative evidence was found for FSe predicting QoL. Moderate evidence was found for QoL predicting both FSe and BC. No evidence was found for QoL predicting FOF. Good and moderate evidence was found for activity avoidance/restriction (AA/AR) being predicted by FOF and FSe respectively. Tentative evidence was found for BC and OE predicting AA/AR, as well as for AA/AR predicting FOF. Moderate evidence for activity level (AL) predicting FOF was identified, however the evidence of this predicting FSe and BC was tentative. Evidence for FOF, FSe, and BC predicting AL was tentative as was evidence to suggest FOF predicted coping. Mixed evidence has been found for the association of psychological factors in association with FrPCs. Future research should employ theoretically grounded concepts, use multivariate analysis and longitudinal designs.
Publisher: Cambridge University Press (CUP)
Date: 19-06-2015
DOI: 10.1017/S1041610215000617
Abstract: This impressive collection of papers encompasses key themes at the heart of current research on anxiety in older adults, confirming that the study of anxiety in older adults has, indeed come of age (Beekman et al. , 2015). The papers range from those providing in-depth exploration of an aspect of anxiety, such as the review by Hughes and colleagues of the concepts encompassed by the term “fear of falling” (Hughes et al. , 2015), to those dealing with the assessment of anxiety, such as those by Mueller (Mueller et al. , 2015) and Nitschke Massena (Nitschke Massena et al. , 2015), while yet others address important issues in relation to anxiety treatment. This demonstrates the progress that has been made in recent years in our understanding and treatment of this significant group of disorders. I took a particular interest in reading these papers from the perspective of a clinician, and in this commentary will focus on themes and findings that I found to be of particular relevance to the mental health practitioner.
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 07-10-2019
DOI: 10.1111/SIPR.12049
Publisher: Public Library of Science (PLoS)
Date: 25-02-2020
Publisher: American Psychological Association (APA)
Date: 12-2009
DOI: 10.1037/A0017215
Publisher: SLACK, Inc.
Date: 07-2010
DOI: 10.3928/19404921-20100528-99
Abstract: Comorbid depression and anxiety in late life present challenges for geriatric mental health care providers. These challenges include identifying the often complex diagnostic presentations both clinically and in a research context. This potent comorbidity can be conceived as double jeopardy in older adults, further diminishing their quality of life. Geriatric health care providers need to understand psychiatric comorbidity of this type for accurate diagnosis and early referral to specialists, and to coordinate interdisciplinary care. Researchers in the field also need to recognize potential multiple impacts of comorbidities with respect to assessment and treatment domains. This article describes the prevalence of late-life depression and anxiety disorders and reviews studies on this comorbidity in older adults. Risk factors and protective factors for anxiety and depression in later life are reviewed, and information is provided about comparative symptoms, the selection of assessment tools, and challenges to the provision of interdisciplinary, evidence-based care.
Publisher: Informa UK Limited
Date: 16-04-2010
Publisher: Cambridge University Press (CUP)
Date: 11-2009
DOI: 10.1017/S1355617709990567
Abstract: The objective of this study is to identify whether decline in cognitive functioning after chemotherapy in women with breast cancer is associated with health/disease, treatment, and psychological variables. Neuropsychological performance, health/disease, and treatment-related information of 136 women with breast cancer (age M = 49.38 SD = 7.92 range = 25.25–67.92) was assessed pre-chemotherapy and 1-month post-chemotherapy. The Reliable Change Index corrected for practice (RCIp) identified women whose performance significantly declined, while Pearson correlations assessed the relationship between cognitive change and predictor variables. A total of 16.9% of women showed significant decline post-chemotherapy, with affected domains including verbal learning and memory, abstract reasoning, and motor coordination. Decline in hemoglobin levels and increased anxiety over the course of chemotherapy was found to significantly predict impairment in multiple cognitive measures. Change in specific cognitive measures was significantly associated with baseline fatigue, depression, and functional well-being ( r = 0.23 to 0.33 p = .01 to .001). Although the effects are small, there is evidence that psychological and health factors may increase vulnerability to cognitive dysfunction after chemotherapy for breast cancer. Significant associations reported in this study may be useful in the identification and treatment of at-risk in iduals. ( JINS , 2009, 15 , 951–962.)
Publisher: Informa UK Limited
Date: 04-11-2008
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 09-2003
Publisher: Cambridge University Press (CUP)
Date: 04-08-2011
DOI: 10.1017/S1041610211001505
Abstract: Background: The Geriatric Anxiety Inventory (GAI) was developed for assessing anxiety in older adults. The objectives of this work were: (a) to analyze the psychometric properties of the Spanish version of the GAI, and (b) to explore the associations between anxiety and other variables related to emotional distress (depression) and emotion regulation (rumination, experiential avoidance, and emotion suppression). Methods: Three-hundred-and-two people (75.5% female) aged 60 years and over living in the community participated in this study. Anxiety, depression, rumination, suppression and experiential avoidance were measured. Results: Three factors explaining 50.11% of the variance were obtained. The obtained internal consistency for the total scale was 0.91, with alphas ranging between 0.71 and 0.89 for the factors. Significant associations between all the GAI factors, the GAI total score, and depression, rumination, and experiential avoidance were found (all p 0.01). Women reported higher scores than men for both the GAI total score and for all of the subscales. However, no significant gender differences were found between people with scores higher than the cut-off score for the GAI. Conclusions: The results of this study suggest that the Spanish version of the GAI displays good psychometric properties. Further, our data suggest that the scale can be recommended for measuring anxiety in non-clinical older Spanish persons, and may be a useful instrument to be used in research studies aimed at analyzing anxiety and its correlates among older adults.
Publisher: Informa UK Limited
Date: 03-2012
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 06-2015
DOI: 10.1016/J.JAGP.2014.08.010
Abstract: Symptoms and disorders of anxiety are highly prevalent among older adults however, late-life anxiety disorders remain underdiagnosed. The objective of this study was to (1) estimate the prevalence of late-life threshold and subthreshold generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), (2) examine sociodemographic and health correlates associated with membership in these groups, (3) assess 3-year conversion rates of these groups, and (4) explore characteristics associated with 3-year conversion to GAD. Using Waves 1 and 2 of the National Epidemiological Survey of Alcohol and Related Conditions, 13,420 participants aged 55-98 years were included in this study. Subthreshold GAD was more highly prevalent than threshold GAD and was interposed between asymptomatic and GAD groups in terms of severity of health characteristics. Although most participants with subthreshold and threshold GAD were asymptomatic by Wave 2, differences in disability persisted. Subthreshold GAD at baseline was not a predictor of threshold GAD at follow-up. These findings suggest that late-life GAD should be conceptualized as a dimensional rather than categorical construct. The temporal stability of anxiety-associated disability further suggests that subthreshold GAD bears clinical significance. However, the suitability and efficacy of interventions for minimizing negative sequelae in this group remain to be determined.
Publisher: Informa UK Limited
Date: 17-02-2023
Publisher: Informa UK Limited
Date: 28-08-2021
DOI: 10.1080/14992027.2021.1969454
Abstract: To determine the impact of owning a hearing dog on self-reported hearing handicap, quality of life (QoL), and social functioning. Group comparison study design, utilising five surveys (General Information Survey, Hearing Information Survey, Hearing Handicap Inventory for the Elderly/Adults, Medical Outcomes Survey, and Social Functioning Questionnaire). 23 respondents from the 2019 Australian Lions Hearing Dog waitlist (controls) and 58 respondents from all clients who had received a hearing dog through the Australian Lions Hearing Dog service (cases). No significant difference was found in Hearing Handicap Inventory or Social Functioning Questionnaire scores between the groups, although there was a tendency for improvement with dog ownership. The owner group scored significantly lower than the waitlist group on three Medical Outcomes Survey sub-items (general health, physical functioning, and role limitations due to physical health), along with total health-related QoL. These results contrasted with the broad emotional and psychosocial benefits identified through thematic analysis of responses. It is feasible, yet not certain, that owning a hearing dog may bring a reduction in hearing handicap, as well as emotional and social benefits to the QoL of in iduals, but it also appears to be associated with poorer perception of health.
Publisher: Informa UK Limited
Date: 12-2017
DOI: 10.1111/AP.12244
Publisher: Informa UK Limited
Date: 04-2010
DOI: 10.1080/13607861003587628
Abstract: To assess the psychometric properties and health correlates of the Geriatric Anxiety Inventory (GAI) in a cohort of Australian community-residing older women. Cross-sectional study of a population-based cohort of women aged 60 years and over (N = 286). The GAI exhibited sound internal consistency and demonstrated good concurrent validity against the state half of the Spielberger State Trait Anxiety Inventory and the neuroticism domain of the NEO five-factor inventory. GAI score was significantly associated with self-reported sleep difficulties and perceived memory impairment, but not with age or cognitive function. Women with current DSM-IV Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) had significantly higher GAI scores than women without such a history. In this cohort, the optimal cut-point to detect current GAD was 8/9. Although the GAI was designed to have few somatic items, women with a greater number of general medical problems or who rated their general health as worse had higher GAI scores. The GAI is a new scale designed specifically to measure anxiety in older people. In this Australian cohort of older women, the instrument had sound psychometric properties.
Publisher: Cambridge University Press (CUP)
Date: 14-06-2021
Publisher: Cambridge University Press (CUP)
Date: 05-09-2014
DOI: 10.1017/S1041610214001847
Abstract: The anxiety disorders are a prevalent mental health problem in older age with a considerable impact on quality of life. Until recently there have been few longitudinal studies on anxiety in this age group, consequently most of the evidence to date has been cross-sectional in nature. We undertook a literature search of Medline, PsycINFO, the Cochrane trials database and the TRIP medical database to identify longitudinal studies which would help elucidate natural history and prognosis of anxiety disorders in the elderly. We identified 12 papers of 10 longitudinal studies in our Review. This represented 34,691 older age participants with 5,199 with anxiety disorders including anxious depression and 3,532 in iduals with depression without anxiety. Relapse rates of anxiety disorders are high over 6 year follow-up with considerable migration to mixed anxiety-depression and pure depressive mood episodes. Mixed anxiety-depression appears to be a poorer prognostic state than pure anxiety or pure depression with higher relapse rates across studies. In community settings treatment rates are low with 7–44% of the anxious elderly treated on antidepressant medications. To our knowledge this is the first Systematic Review of longitudinal trials of anxiety disorders in older people. Major longitudinal studies of the anxious elderly are establishing the high risk of relapse and persistence alongside the progression to depression and anxiety depression states. There remains considerable under-treatment in community studies. Specialist assessment and treatment and major public health awareness of the challenges of anxiety disorders in the elderly are required.
Publisher: Cambridge University Press (CUP)
Date: 09-2001
DOI: 10.1017/S1355617701236157
Abstract: As in iduals gain expertise in a chosen field they can begin to conceptualize how what they know can be applied more broadly, to new populations and situations, or to increase desirable outcomes. Judd's book does just this. It takes our current understanding of the etiology, course, and sequelae of brain injuries, combines this with established psychotherapy and rehabilitation techniques, and expands these into a cogent model of what Judd calls “neuropsychotherapy.” Simply put, neuropsychotherapy attempts to address the cognitive, emotional and behavioral changes in brain-injured persons, changes that may go undiagnosed, misdiagnosed, or untreated.
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 20-02-2015
DOI: 10.1002/GPS.4273
Abstract: Worry is a hallmark feature of generalized anxiety disorder (GAD). However, age-related changes in symptom presentation raise questions about the clinical significance of these symptom clusters in later life. The aim of this study was to explore the relative contribution of worry and physical symptom frequency to clinical significance associated with late-life GAD. A s le of 637 self-reported worriers (aged 65 years and older) was extracted from Wave 1 of the National Epidemiological Survey of Alcohol and Related Conditions. Consistent with previous findings, we observed reductions in worry frequency and increases in physical symptom frequency with increasing age of participants. Physical symptoms, but not worry symptoms, distinguished older adults with clinical and sub-threshold GAD. Whereas physical symptom count was associated with distress, occupational, and functional disability, worry count was only associated with distress. Among self-reported worriers, worry frequency provides limited clinical utility over and above physical symptom frequency. These findings suggest that physical symptom frequency may become an increasingly important feature of GAD in later life.
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 07-2010
Publisher: Cambridge University Press (CUP)
Date: 19-06-2015
DOI: 10.1017/S1041610215000605
Abstract: Anxiety is an adaptive human experience that may occur at all ages and serves to help draw attention to, avoid or cope with immanent threat and danger. Given its evolutionary importance, it has strong genetic and biological underpinnings, and when it serves that adaptive function for the organism, anxiety may be viewed as useful. However, complex adaptive systems, such as our adaptation to threat or stress, by definition provide many and often interrelated points of breakdown or dysregulation, which, if sustained, may lead to psychopathology. Anxiety has been described as a common currency for psychopathology, indicating that it is a first line and universal way for us to respond to stress and threat. It is more or less prominent in patients diagnosed with practically all psychiatric or neurodegenerative disorders. This has lead to the inclusion of anxiety as a cross-cutting symptom measure in the development of DSM-5 (APA, 2013). Given that they are rooted in a complex adaptive system that has many potential points of impact to develop pathology, it is not surprising that anxiety disorders are extremely heterogeneous. This heterogeneity of anxiety disorders pertains to symptomatology, etiology and outcomes, and poses great challenges to both research and clinical practice.
Publisher: Oxford University Press
Date: 09-2010
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 07-2011
DOI: 10.1016/J.JAD.2011.02.023
Abstract: Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) occurs commonly, with widespread consequences including decreased functioning and wellbeing, and increased consumption of health resources. Notwithstanding its prevalence and impact, knowledge about GAD in older adults is still scarce. Accordingly, the main goals of this study were to estimate the prevalence and analyze the correlates of 12-month DSM-IV GAD in older community-residing adults. The s le was drawn from the 2007 Australian National Survey of Mental Health and Well-Being and consisted of 3035 participants aged between 55 and 85years, assessed by lay interviewers with the fully-structured Composite International Diagnostic Interview. Eighty-four participants were diagnosed with GAD, equivalent to a weighted 12-month population prevalence of 2.8% (95% CI: 2.0, 3.7). In a multivariate logistic regression model older age (OR=0.24, p=0.006), functional limitations (OR=1.07, p=0.001), lifetime depression comorbidity (OR=5.31, p<0.001), concerns about having a serious illness despite doctor's reassurance (OR=2.29, p=0.021), and family history of anxiety or depression (OR=2.41, p=0.007) were the most significant predictors of 12-month GAD in older adults. This was a cross sectional study, limiting causal inferences. In community-residing older adults GAD is highly prevalent and strongly associated with functional limitations, psychiatric comorbidity and increased medication intake. These findings suggest the need for greater clinical awareness of GAD among older adults.
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 04-03-2019
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 08-2005
Publisher: Informa UK Limited
Date: 04-1999
DOI: 10.1076/JCEN.21.2.245.933
Abstract: Neuropsychological research has primarily focused on identification of malingerers through specialized tests designed for this purpose. Little attention has been given to the degree to which traditional clinical measures differentiate between malingerers and non-malingerers. This study examined the neuropsychological performance of 81 subjects who had a history of mild to moderate head injury, some of whom are believed to have been motivated to malinger their test performance. Subjects were classified as malingerers or non-malingerers based on their history as well as their performance on specific neuropsychological malingering tests. Performance on traditional neuropsychological clinical measures was examined for both groups. Results indicated that subjects' pattern of neuropsychological performance was not a reliable indicator of malingering performance, supporting the notion that specialized malingering tests are a critically necessary component to clinical classification of malingering. However, level of performance may provide an indication of malingering, as probable malingerers consistently performed worse on traditional and clinical neuropsychological measures. These findings are discussed in the context of the malingering literature.
Publisher: Informa UK Limited
Date: 27-08-2008
Publisher: The Haworth Press
Date: 04-10-2006
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 06-04-2006
Publisher: Ovid Technologies (Wolters Kluwer Health)
Date: 11-2010
Publisher: The Haworth Press
Date: 04-10-2006
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 04-2014
DOI: 10.1016/J.MATURITAS.2014.01.013
Abstract: To identify the proportion of female carers who experience death thoughts and the factors associated with these thoughts, using data from the Australian Longitudinal Study on Women's Health (ALSWH). A cross-sectional analysis of the fifth ALSWH survey was conducted. 10,528 middle-aged women provided data on caring and death thoughts, 3077 were carers and 2005 of those were included in the multivariate analysis. 7.1% of female carers had felt life was not worth living in the previous week and were classified as having experienced death thoughts, compared with 5.7% of non-carers (p=.01). Carers with death thoughts had poorer physical and mental health, higher levels of anxiety, lower levels of optimism, and reported less social support (p<.01). In a multivariate model social support, mental health, carer satisfaction, and depressive symptoms significantly predicted death thoughts. Carers with clinically significant depressive symptoms were four times more likely to experience death thoughts than those without. Carers who were satisfied with their role were 50% less likely to have experienced death thoughts than those who were dissatisfied. A small but significant proportion of female carers experience death thoughts and may be at risk for suicide. These findings add to the growing body of evidence on suicide-related thoughts and behaviours in carers and have implications for health professionals and service providers.
Publisher: Cambridge University Press (CUP)
Date: 27-08-2014
DOI: 10.1017/S0144686X14000865
Abstract: Research shows that contact with nature plays a vital role in our psychological wellbeing. Domestic gardening is common among older adults who spend more leisure hours gardening than any other age group. Despite this, few studies have systematically explored the significance of domestic gardens in relation to older adults' health and wellbeing. This study examined the perceived therapeutic benefits of gardening, and the effect of ageing in relation to older gardeners' continued participation in gardening, using quantitative and qualitative data from a survey of Australian older adult gardeners (N=331). The quantitative data, which included frequencies, were analysed using the PASW Statistics 18.0 package. The qualitative data, which included participants' responses to open questions, were analysed by deriving themes via Leximancer, an innovative text analytics software that uses word association information to elicit concepts, extracting the most important and grouping these according to themes. In relation to the reasons for gardening, several themes were identified including valuing the aesthetics of gardens, connecting with nature, achievement, and physical and mental activity. The benefits of gardening, and the variety of ways that respondents had adapted or modified their gardening activities in order to continue, are also reported. Gardening was more than a casual leisure pursuit for these participants, who saw it as critical to their physical and psychological wellbeing.
Publisher: Informa UK Limited
Date: 31-07-2007
Publisher: Cambridge University Press (CUP)
Date: 28-05-2013
DOI: 10.1017/JRC.2013.5
Abstract: This review of the literature sought to highlight key barriers to the implementation of rehabilitation-based interventions in an aged care facility context. It then identifies how such barriers might be actively countered with a view to facilitating rehabilitation-based strategies within such contexts. Key barriers identified included staffing issues, heterogeneity of residents, and the potential complexity behind establishing appropriate forms of rehabilitation for the residents. The most successful facilitators identified included training, the provision of appropriate support, and an open communication process. Having an awareness and an appreciation of potential barriers to the use of rehabilitation interventions in aged care facilities provides the opportunity to actively plan around them, thereby increasing and improving their use.
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 04-2016
DOI: 10.1016/J.JPHYS.2016.02.006
Abstract: Whiplash-associated disorders (WAD) are a huge worldwide health and economic burden. The propensity towards developing into chronic, disabling conditions drives the rise in health and economic costs associated with treatment, productivity loss and compulsory third party insurance claims. Current treatments fail to address the well-documented heterogeneity of WAD and often result in poor outcomes. A novel approach is to evaluate whether the care provided according to the estimated risk of poor prognosis improves health outcomes while remaining cost-effective. (1) Does a guideline-based clinical pathway of care improve health outcomes after whiplash injury compared to usual care? (2) Does risk of recovery have a differential effect on health outcomes for the clinical pathway of care? (3) Is the clinical pathway of care intervention cost-effective? (4) What are the variations in professional practice between usual care and the clinical pathway of care? Multi-centre, randomised, controlled trial conducted over two Australian states: Queensland and New South Wales. 236 people with WAD (grade I-III, within 6 weeks of injury) and their primary healthcare providers. A clinical pathway of care, with care matched to the predicted risk of poor recovery. Participants at low risk of ongoing pain and disability (hence, predicted to fully recover) will receive up to three sessions of guideline-based advice and exercise with their primary healthcare provider. Participants at medium/high risk of developing ongoing pain and disability will be referred to a specialist (defined as a practitioner with expertise in whiplash) who will conduct a more in-depth physical and psychological assessment. As a result, the specialist will liaise with the original primary healthcare provider and determine one of three further pathways of care. Usual care provided by the primary healthcare provider that is based on clinical judgment. Primary (global rating of change and neck-related disability) and secondary (self-efficacy, pain intensity, general health and disability and psychological health) outcomes will be collected using validated scales. Direct (eg, professional care, transportation costs, time spent for care, co-payments) and indirect (eg, lost economic productivity) costs will be obtained through an electronic cost diary. Health and cost outcomes will be assessed at baseline, 3, 6 and 12 months after randomisation. Professional practice outcomes will be evaluated through questionnaires completed by healthcare providers and their patients at 3 months. Potential participants (patients) will be identified through emergency departments, primary health clinics and advertisements. Eligible participants will complete baseline assessments and will be categorised into low or medium/high risk of poor recovery using a clinical prediction rule. After this assessment, participants will be randomly allocated to either a control group (n=118) or intervention group (n=118), stratified by risk subgroup and treatment site. The participants' nominated primary healthcare providers will be informed of their involvement in the trial. Consent will be obtained from the primary healthcare providers to participate and to obtain information about professional practice. Participants in the intervention group will additionally have access to an interactive website that provides information about whiplash and recovery relative to their risk category. Analysis will be conducted on an intention-to-treat basis. Outcomes will be analysed independently through cross-sectional analyses using generalised linear models methods, with an appropriate link function, to test for an intervention effect, adjusted for the baseline values. The risk category will be tested for its association with treatment effect by adding risk group to the regression equation. Cost-effectiveness will be calculated using utility weights and the resulting measure will be cost per quality-adjusted life year (QALY) saved. Professional practice outcomes will be analysed using descriptive statistics. This research is significant as it will be the first study to address the heterogeneity of whiplash by implementing a clinical pathway of care that matches evidence-based interventions to projected risk of poor recovery. The results of this trial have the potential to change clinical practice for WAD, thereby maximising treatment effects, improving patient outcomes, reducing costs and maintaining the compulsory third party system.
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 09-2009
Publisher: SAGE Publications
Date: 16-09-2015
Abstract: There are age-related differences in the manifestation of generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) symptoms and their associated impact on psychosocial and functional status. However, it remains unclear whether specific symptoms (or symptom patterns) are of comparable clinical significance across different functional domains. A s le of 865 self-reported worriers (aged 60 years and older) who endorsed GAD screening questions in the Alcohol Use Disorder and Associated Disabilities Interview Schedule, Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, fourth edition, were derived from Wave 1 of the National Epidemiological Survey of Alcohol and Related Conditions. Being easily fatigued was significantly associated with occupational disability and a functional disability variable (restricting usual activity in any way). Irritability was significantly associated with social friction (arguments with friends, family, or colleagues) and a functional disability variable (found was unable to do something wanted to do), and poor self-perceived health was also associated with the same functional disability variable. Excessive worry, despite being among the least reported symptoms, was significantly associated with distress. These findings suggest that in idual GAD symptoms are differentially associated with aspects of clinical significance relevant to daily life, such as social, occupational, and functional ability. The differential impact of in idual symptoms on functional status may be diluted when using symptom sum scores. A nuanced approach to assessing the clinical significance of in idual GAD symptoms in older adults may be fruitful for efforts aimed at early detection and treatment.
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 06-2004
Publisher: American Psychological Association
Date: 2015
DOI: 10.1037/14458-017
Publisher: Informa UK Limited
Date: 31-08-2010
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 09-2003
Publisher: Informa UK Limited
Date: 07-2006
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 07-2014
DOI: 10.1002/MDS.25937
Abstract: Anxiety is common in Parkinson's disease (PD), and contributes to increased disability and poorer quality of life. In spite of its significant impact, the symptomatology, chronology, and neurobiology of anxiety in PD are all poorly understood, and this hinders accurate diagnosis and development of effective treatment strategies. This review investigates and updates literature related to the clinical spectrum of anxiety in PD. The reported prevalence of anxiety in PD varies considerably, with emerging interest in the frequency of the DSM-IV residual category of "Anxiety disorder, not otherwise specified" (Anxiety disorder NOS), which is observed in up to 25% of PD patients. By design, there are no standardized diagnostic criteria for Anxiety disorder NOS, because this is the category applied to in iduals who do not meet diagnostic criteria for any other current anxiety disorder. Anxiety rating scales incompletely capture anxiety symptoms that relate specifically to PD symptoms and the complications arising from PD therapy. Consequently, these scales have been deemed inappropriate for use in PD, and there remains a need for the development of a new PD-specific anxiety scale. Research establishing accurate symptom profiles of anxiety in PD is sparse, although characterizing such symptomatology would likely improve clinical diagnosis and facilitate targeted treatment strategies. Research into the neurobiological and psychological underpinnings of anxiety in PD remains inconclusive. Anxiety can precede the onset of PD motor symptoms or can develop after a diagnosis of PD. Further investigations focused on the chronology of anxiety and its relationship to PD diagnosis are required.
Publisher: Informa UK Limited
Date: 13-08-2008
DOI: 10.1080/08952840801984816
Abstract: This study aims to describe rehabilitation and resocialization methods we believe to be appropriate for application to female patients with schizophrenia, in a psychiatric unit with a predominantly older population. We briefly describe the unit and the interventions used as an ex le of the proposed rehabilitation and resocialization methods applied. The article provides an overview to guide accurate intervention, particularly in inpatient women, in different types of cognitive impairment under the broad category of schizophrenia. Our clinical approach includes a token economy approach, cognitive remediation therapy, and social skills training. The token economy intervention is particularly directed to patients that present with a high mental deterioration and/or debility. Cognitive remediation training is applicable to subjects with both cognitive and social dysfunction, but that do not possess signs of an organic cerebral illness or of substance abuse. Social skills training can be the third step to resocialization, training verbal and nonverbal communication competencies.
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 09-2016
DOI: 10.1016/J.JSAMS.2015.10.002
Abstract: This study investigated isometric and isokinetic hip strength in in iduals with and without symptomatic femoroacetabular impingement (FAI). The specific aims were to: (i) determine whether differences exist in isometric and isokinetic hip strength measures between groups (ii) compare hip strength agonist/antagonist ratios between groups and (iii) examine relationships between hip strength and self-reported measures of either hip pain or function in those with FAI. Cross-sectional. Fifteen in iduals (11 males 25±5 years) with symptomatic FAI (clinical examination and imaging (alpha angle >55° (cam FAI), and lateral centre edge angle >39° and/or positive crossover sign (combined FAI))) and 14 age- and sex-matched disease-free controls (no morphological FAI on magnetic resonance imaging) underwent strength testing. Maximal voluntary isometric contraction strength of hip muscle groups and isokinetic hip internal (IR) and external rotation (ER) strength (20°/s) were measured. Groups were compared with independent t-tests and Mann-Whitney U tests. Participants with FAI had 20% lower isometric abduction strength than controls (p=0.04). There were no significant differences in isometric strength for other muscle groups or peak isokinetic ER or IR strength. The ratio of isometric, but not isokinetic, ER/IR strength was significantly higher in the FAI group (p=0.01). There were no differences in ratios for other muscle groups. Angle of peak IR torque was the only feature correlated with symptoms. In iduals with symptomatic FAI demonstrate isometric hip abductor muscle weakness and strength imbalance in the hip rotators. Strength measurement, including agonist/antagonist ratios, may be relevant for clinical management of FAI.
Publisher: Hogrefe Publishing Group
Date: 26-05-2023
DOI: 10.1024/1662-9647/A000315
Abstract: Abstract: Research on anxiety in later life has advanced significantly in the last two decades. Within the extant literature, there are both gaps and opportunities for further cross-disciplinary linkages in terms of the assessment, diagnosis, and treatment of late-life anxiety. Research across cultures and cohorts has increased our understanding of the experience of anxiety across groups and thus has advanced measurement efficacy and diagnostic accuracy. Work on addressing social determinants across the lifespan regarding anxiety symptoms and their sequelae may help address anxiety as a globally growing concern.
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 11-10-2012
DOI: 10.1002/GPS.2797
Abstract: Although several longitudinal studies indicate that weight loss precedes dementia in men and women, the relationship between weight changes and cognitive performance is unclear. This study investigated the relationship between changes in adiposity and cognitive function in community-dwelling women. Data were derived from the Longitudinal Assessment of Women Study, a population-based study of 511 urban women initially aged 40-79 years. We analyzed data from 334 women who had complete information on demographics, cardiovascular risk factors, medical status, weight, height, and waist-to-hip ratio and cognitive scores at baseline and after a mean of 7.45 years of follow-up. Cognition was assessed at baseline and follow-up using the Mini Mental State Examination the Auditory Delayed Index, Visual Delayed Index, and Working Memory Index from the Wechsler Memory Scale, Third Edition and the Processing Speed Index from the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale, Third Edition. Associations were adjusted for age, education, baseline cognitive performance, cardiovascular risk factors, menopausal status, and apolipoprotein E-4 status. In multivariate analysis, both weight gain and loss were associated with poor Visual Delayed Index performance at follow-up compared with stable weight (β = -4.02 ± 1.57, p = 0.011 β = -6.50 ± 2.39, p = 0.007, respectively). No significant associations were found between body mass index, waist circumference, or waist-to-hip ratio and any cognitive domains at follow-up. Changes in cognitive performance were not associated with changes in adiposity measures. Weight loss and weight gain were associated with poor cognitive performance in middle-aged and older women compared with women with stable weight.
Publisher: Springer Singapore
Date: 2015
Publisher: Cambridge University Press (CUP)
Date: 28-02-2022
Publisher: Cambridge University Press (CUP)
Date: 23-06-2015
DOI: 10.1017/S1041610215000885
Abstract: Assessing anxiety in Parkinson's disease (PD) has been a recent focus, and a number of studies have extensively investigated the validity of anxiety rating scales in PD. The present review aims to provide an overview of anxiety scales widely used and/or validated in PD, and to highlight recommendations for future research required in this area. A literature search was performed using terms such as Parkinson* disease, psychiatric, depress*, anxiety, assessment, scales, and valid* in PsycInfo, PubMed, and Web of Science databases. Validation studies and reviews focussed on assessment of anxiety in PD were included. The literature search identified nine anxiety rating scales. The new Parkinson's Anxiety Scale (PAS) showed good psychometric properties. Having a simple design appropriate for older adults and items focussed on cognitive anxiety, the Geriatric Anxiety Inventory (GAI) also appeared promising for use in PD. The Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI), Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, and Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale (HAM-A) did not demonstrate satisfactory psychometric characteristics when used in PD, while other scales had limited or no evidence of validity or reliability to infer judgments. PAS and GAI are can be recommended for use in PD without dementia. Usefulness of these scales to assess anxiety in dementia should be examined in the future. Moreover, the complex symptomatology of anxiety relating to “off” PD medication states were not addressed in these scales. Further research is required to develop an anxiety scale tailored for PD.
Publisher: Cambridge University Press (CUP)
Date: 13-08-2014
DOI: 10.1017/S1041610214001628
Abstract: Centenarians’ psychological well-being is presently of great interest in psychogeriatric research but little is known about factors that specifically account for the presence of clinically relevant anxiety symptoms in this age group. This study examined the presence of anxiety and its predictors in a s le of centenarians and aims to contribute to a better understanding of anxiety determinants in extreme old age. We examined how socio-demographic, health, functional, and social factors contribute to the presence of clinically significant anxiety symptoms in centenarians recruited from two Portuguese centenarian studies. The Geriatric Anxiety Inventory – Short Form (GAI-SF) was used to assess anxiety symptoms. A total of 97 centenarians (mean age 101.1 years SD = 1.5 years range = 100–108) with no/minor cognitive impairment were included. Clinically significant anxiety symptoms (GAI-SF ≥3) were present in 45.4% ( n = 44) of the s le. Main predictive factors included worse health perception, higher number of medical conditions, financial concerns related to medical expenses (income inadequacy) and loneliness. Results suggest that along with health status (subjective and objective), income inadequacy related to medical expenses and feeling lonely may predispose centenarians to clinically significant anxiety and be important to their overall well-being. Further research is needed on the repercussions of clinical anxiety in centenarians’ quality of life and on co-morbid conditions (e.g. depression) at such advanced ages.
Publisher: Springer Singapore
Date: 2015
Publisher: Informa UK Limited
Date: 10-11-2009
Publisher: Cambridge University Press (CUP)
Date: 09-05-2014
DOI: 10.1017/S1041610214000891
Abstract: Worry is experienced by many older adults, yet our understanding of the emotional experience of late-life worry is poor as findings regarding older adults are inferred from findings of studies conducted with young adults. In the present study, we aimed to characterize age differences in affect, self-reported arousal, and physiological arousal experienced during worry. Fifty-three young (M = 21.4, SD = 2.6 years) and 55 older community-dwelling adults (M = 69.1, SD = 8.1 years) participated in an experimental induction of worry or pleasant/neutral recall. Measures collected included: Penn State Worry Questionnaire (PSWQ), worry intensity item, Multiple Affect Adjective Checklist-Revised (MAACL-R), Self-Assessment Maniken arousal item, and heart rate. Standardized residual scores were calculated to represent change from baseline for self-report and psychophysiological measures. Older adults had lower trait worry and worry intensity at baseline. A significant age by induction type interaction was found for the MAACL-R subscales of anxiety, depression, hostility, and positive affect. Compared with young adults, older adults experienced smaller changes in emotions in response to the worry induction than in the recall induction. For both worry and recall inductions, older adults exhibited less change in self-reported arousal and interbeat intervals from baseline compared with young adults. Findings from the present study illuminate both similarities and differences in the experience of worry for older and young adults. This study provides preliminary evidence for the characterization of late-life worry as generating less anxiety than worry during young adulthood.
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 2019
Publisher: Informa UK Limited
Date: 17-08-2019
DOI: 10.1080/07317115.2019.1650863
Abstract: . The aim of this systematic literature review (SLR) was to investigate the effect of companion animals (whether simply as pets or used in more formal intervention approaches) on the physical and mental health of older adults (aged 60+). . The reviewers identified key search terms and conducted a systematic search of the PsycINFO and PubMed databases. The 70 articles reviewed were evaluated through tabular and thematic analysis. . In 52 of the studies examined, companion animals positively contributed to the mental and/or physical health of older adults. With respect to mental health, involvement with a companion animal improved participant quality of life and effectively attenuated symptoms of depression, anxiety, cognitive impairment, and the behavioral and psychiatric symptoms of dementia (BPSD). In relation to physical health, marked increases in physical activity and improvements in blood pressure and heart rate variability were the only consistent physical health improvements observed from companion animal interactions. . Animal companionship can benefit the mental and physical health of older adults, although more and better controlled research on this topic is required. . Use of companion animals has the potential to be an effective treatment or adjunct therapy to improve the health status and quality of life of older in iduals.
Publisher: Informa UK Limited
Date: 07-10-2015
Publisher: Cambridge University Press (CUP)
Date: 21-06-2017
DOI: 10.1017/S0144686X16000507
Abstract: Anticipated driving cessation required due to health or cognitive decline often evokes concerns about practical aspects of retaining mobility and quality of life as well as personal and social identity changes in older persons. While driving cessation is often perceived as stressful because it disrupts peoples' lives and poses practical hurdles, we argue that part of the stress associated with driving cessation can be attributed to identity change with regard to thinking of oneself as ‘no longer a driver’ as well as the perception of ‘getting old’. In an exploratory study, 208 older adults who had either ceased driving or had a plan to stop driving in the near future completed a ‘Driver Identity Survey’ with multiple questions about how they thought they would feel before and after stopping driving, as well as worries about practical hassles, life changes and changed relationships. Participants reported driving cessation as a significant life event associated with subjectively feeling older. Irrespective of current driving status, older participants identified the state of having ceased driving as associated with feeling older than their chronological age. Participants' expectations about practicalities and social identity changes were both significant predictors of stress associated with driving cessation. Discussion focuses on how expectations of anticipated changes in functionality and identity may influence driving cessation decisions and adjustment in later life.
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 05-08-2010
Abstract: There are well-established risk factors, such as lower education, for attrition of study participants. Consequently, the representativeness of the cohort in a longitudinal study may deteriorate over time. Death is a common form of attrition in cohort studies of older people. The aim of this paper is to examine the effects of death and other forms of attrition on risk factor prevalence in the study cohort and the target population over time. Differential associations between a risk factor and death and non-death attrition are considered under various hypothetical conditions. Empirical data from the Australian Longitudinal Study on Women's Health (ALSWH) for participants born in 1921-26 are used to identify associations which occur in practice, and national cross-sectional data from Australian Censuses and National Health Surveys are used to illustrate the evolution of bias over approximately ten years. The hypothetical situations illustrate how death and other attrition can theoretically affect changes in bias over time. Between 1996 and 2008, 28.4% of ALSWH participants died, 16.5% withdrew and 10.4% were lost to follow up. There were differential associations with various risk factors, for ex le, non-English speaking country of birth was associated with non-death attrition but not death whereas being underweight (body mass index 18.5) was associated with death but not other forms of attrition. Compared to national data, underrepresentation of women with non-English speaking country of birth increased from 3.9% to 7.2% and over-representation of current and ex-smoking increased from 2.6% to 5.8%. Deaths occur in both the target population and study cohort, while other forms of attrition occur only in the study cohort. Therefore non-death attrition may cause greater bias than death in longitudinal studies. However although more than a quarter of the oldest participants in the ALSWH died in the 12 years following recruitment, differences from the national population changed only slightly.
Publisher: Oxford University Press (OUP)
Date: 10-2008
Abstract: an abbreviated form of the Duke Social Support Index (DSSI) as used in a large longitudinal study of older Australian women was examined with respect to factors that might be expected to affect social support for older women over time. in this large cohort study two sub-scales of the DSSI, one describing the size and structure of the social network (four items) and the other perceiving satisfaction with social support (six items), were analysed in relation to outcome and exploratory variables. over a 3-year period, the network score increased among women whose life circumstances meant that they were likely to receive more support (e.g. recent widowhood). Likewise, those women at risk of becoming more socially isolated (e.g. those with sensory loss) became less satisfied with their social support. Changes in both measures were tempered by women's mental health and optimism. although the sub-scales of the DSSI may not fully reflect the complexity of social support paradigms, they are responsive to changes in the lives of older women and can be useful in community-based epidemiological studies.
Publisher: Informa UK Limited
Date: 14-07-2006
Publisher: Informa UK Limited
Date: 26-02-2018
Publisher: MDPI AG
Date: 20-08-2023
DOI: 10.3390/ANI13162680
Abstract: Assistance dogs provide significant benefits to older adult owners. However, despite protective legislation, aged care facilities continue to not allow owners to retain their dogs on relocation. The purpose of the current study was to explore whether older adults should be allowed to retain their dog on relocation to an aged care facility, and what factors should impact this decision. Further, if allowed to retain their dog, what would be the best practice to allow for this? A deliberative democracy methodology was used, with a range of key stakeholders recruited. Focus groups were held, with follow-up questionnaires to establish deliberation for all questions. Results indicated that with sufficient objective measurement, fair decisions can be made to ensure the welfare and well-being of the owner and dog. Key policy and procedure changes would also be necessary to ensure ongoing support, such as training, care plans, and emergency directives. By ensuring sufficient policies and procedures are in place, training and support could lead to an ideal outcome where facilities could be at the forefront of a better future for aged care.
Publisher: Informa UK Limited
Date: 08-06-2022
DOI: 10.1080/07317115.2021.1933291
Abstract: The aim of the current study was to investigate meaning-making in 57 older predominantly female adults ( Quantitative and qualitative data were collected by telephone interviews and an online survey. Results indicated that most participants valued attending the Clinic, and experienced a number of physical, social and emotional benefits from attending, including a sense of meaning. Specifically, some participants developed social connections, learned to cope more effectively with mental health conditions, and regained strength following stressful or traumatic events through their attendance at the clinic. Throughout the pandemic, most participants retained their resilience and continued to derive meaning from various sources, including their families, careers, interests, and attitude toward life. Older adults may experience enhanced physical, emotional and social health from engaging in community-based programs focused on exercise and overall wellness. Furthermore, meaning-making has the potential to buffer the harmful effects of stress and traumatic events on the physical, emotional and social health of older adults.
Publisher: Cambridge University Press (CUP)
Date: 26-02-2014
DOI: 10.1017/S1041610214000209
Abstract: Declines in financial capacity in later life may arise from both neurocognitive and/or psychiatric disorders. The influence of socio-demographic, cognitive, health, and psychiatric variables on financial capacity performance was explored. Seventy-six healthy community-dwelling adults and 25 older patients referred for assessment of financial capacity were assessed on pertinent cognitive, psychiatric, and financial capacity measures, including Addenbrooke's Cognitive Examination – Revised (ACE-R), Informant Questionnaire on Cognitive Decline in the Elderly (IQCODE), Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS), Geriatric Anxiety Inventory (GAI), selected Neuropsychiatric Inventory (NPI) items, Financial Competence Assessment Inventory (FCAI), and Social Vulnerability Scale (SVS). The internal consistency of the debt management subscale of the FCAI was relatively poor in our s le. Financial capacity performance differed between controls and patients. In our s le, performance on the FCAI was predicted by Mini-Mental State Examination, IQCODE, and GAI, but not by ACE-R, GDS, NPI items, or SVS (adjusted R 2 = 0.7059). Anxiety but not depression predicted financial capacity performance, possibly reflecting relatively low variance of depressive symptoms in this s le. Current cognitive decline as measured by the informant-rated IQCODE was more highly correlated to financial capacity than either educational attainment or ACE-R scores. Lack of significance of ACE-R data may reflect the instrument's decreased sensitivity to domains relevant to financial capacity, compared with more detailed neuropsychological assessment tools. The FCAI displayed fairly robust psychometric properties apart from the debt management subscale.
Publisher: IGI Global
Date: 2010
DOI: 10.4018/978-1-61520-825-8.CH008
Abstract: This chapter aims to examine the adoption of technology by older adults within a framework of current gerontological theories and research. Cognitive, physical, mental and interpersonal development and change later in life will also be described. Two main psychological frameworks for understanding successful ageing are briefly outlined and within these frameworks, the role of technology in enhancing the lives of older adults, regardless of the level at which they incorporate it into their lives, will be discussed. The chapter concludes with suggestions for removing barriers and enhancing uptake of technology for older adults, helping to bridge the grey digital ide.
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 29-12-2012
DOI: 10.1111/J.1741-6612.2010.00487.X
Abstract: To examine the psychometric properties of a novel anxiety rating scale, the Geriatric Anxiety Inventory (GAI) in Parkinson's disease (PD). The predictive validity of the GAI was tested against the presence of any DSM-IV anxiety disorders in 58 PD patients using receiver operating curve analysis. The concurrent validity of this scale was also studied against the state half of the Spielberger State Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI). The internal consistency and test-retest reliability of the GAI were also examined. The GAI displayed good concurrent validity against the STAI and the DSM-IV. It also showed good internal consistency and test-retest reliability. This study suggested that the GAI is an appropriate scale to use in non-demented PD patients.
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 06-2005
DOI: 10.1207/S15327558IJBM1202_8
Abstract: A large longitudinal dataset on women's health in Australia provided the basis of analysis of potential positive health effects of living with a companion animal. Age, living arrangements, and housing all strongly related to both living with companion animals and health. Methodological problems in using data from observational studies to disentangle a potential association in the presence of substantial effects of demographic characteristics are highlighted. Our findings may help to explain some inconsistencies and contradictions in the literature about the health benefits of companion animals, as well as offer suggestions for ways to move forward in future investigations of human-pet relationships.
Publisher: Oxford University Press (OUP)
Date: 02-11-2016
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 26-05-2023
DOI: 10.1111/AJAG.13218
Abstract: Driving cessation is a major life transition lack of support in this process may lead to deleterious outcomes in terms of physical, mental and social well‐being. Despite approaches to driving cessation being developed, their integration into ongoing geriatric clinical practice has been slow. Health‐care providers were surveyed about their impressions of the barriers and facilitators to implementing a driving cessation intervention as part of regular clinical services. Methods of funding the intervention were queried. Surveys were sent via professional listserves and a snowballing strategy employed. Twenty‐nine completed surveys were analysed by content analysis. Participants identified that an understanding of driving cessation and optimal driving cessation supports was required. They identified four key approaches to support the implementation of driving cessation support: the need to consider complexity and emotional support needs in clinical contexts knowing and showing the outcomes by clearly communicating the benefits and values to different stakeholders managing systemic barriers included workforce issues, funding models and efforts required for initiating and sustaining an intervention and not doing it alone , but instead developing processes supports to collaboratively provide access to programs. The current study reveals a recognition of unmet needs of older persons and families regarding driving cessation as well as signalling service delivery, costing and workforce needs which act as barriers.
Publisher: Oxford University Press
Date: 10-2014
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 07-2008
Publisher: Cambridge University Press (CUP)
Date: 27-09-2023
Publisher: Informa UK Limited
Date: 12-2017
DOI: 10.1111/AP.12209
Publisher: Cambridge University Press (CUP)
Date: 03-2023
Publisher: Informa UK Limited
Date: 13-11-2020
DOI: 10.1080/07317115.2018.1539424
Abstract: Sleep disturbances are a debilitating non-motor symptom in Parkinson's disease (PD) and negatively impact patients, their carers and the patient-carer dyadic relationship. This review outlines the phenomenology, as well as factors associated with and treatment of sleep disturbances, in PD patients and their informal carers. The following terms were used in four databases: Parkinson*, sleep* disturbance*, carer*, dyad*, intervention* and treatment*. Across the articles reviewed, the frequency of reported sleep disturbances in PD ranged between 60% and 98%. Common sleep problems in PD included insomnia, excessive day time sleepiness, REM sleep behavior disorder (RBD), sleep apnoea, periodic limb movements and sleep attacks. Within dyads, significant correlations were found with depression, anxiety and carer burden relating to night time care in particular. Despite the negative impact of sleep disturbance in PD, the evidence-base for treatment remains limited. While addressing in idual factors associated with sleep disturbances, it is also important to emphasize the needs arising from the patient-carer dyadic relationship. While a number of non-pharmacological interventions were suggested in the literature, further well-controlled trials are still required. Multiple approaches are required to reduce sleep disturbances and associated burden in PD.
Publisher: Cambridge University Press (CUP)
Date: 29-06-2007
Publisher: Cambridge University Press (CUP)
Date: 21-12-2022
Publisher: Informa UK Limited
Date: 23-01-2023
Publisher: Informa UK Limited
Date: 13-06-2022
DOI: 10.1080/07317115.2022.2086090
Abstract: The aim of the study was to assess the prevalence of anxiety and depression in older Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander adults. A modified version of the PHQ-9 (KICA-dep) and the Geriatric Anxiety Inventory (GAI) were administered as part of a wider dementia prevalence study conducted in the Torres Strait. Results were compared to diagnoses obtained on Geriatric review to evaluate their applicability in the region. A total of 236 participants completed the KICA-dep and 184 completed the GAI short form. Of these, 10.6% were identified with depression and 15.8% with anxiety. Some participants found questions about suicide ideation and self-harm offensive and others had difficulty understanding concepts on the GAI. The KICA-dep performed poorly in comparison to diagnosis on geriatric clinical review, so results are unlikely to reflect the true prevalence of depression in the region. Further research is required to explore the underlying dimensions of depression and anxiety and terminology used to express mood symptoms in the Torres Strait. • Current mental health screening tools are not applicable for the Torres Strait• More work is required to determine how symptoms of depression and anxiety are expressed within Torres Strait communities.
Publisher: Cambridge University Press (CUP)
Date: 04-06-2010
DOI: 10.1017/S1041610210000529
Abstract: The need to train more health workers, and particularly mental health workers, in the care of older adults, has been highlighted by a variety of disciplines including psychiatry (Jeste et al ., 1999), psychology (Knight et al ., 1995), social work (Rosen et al ., 2002) and nursing (Hirst et al ., 1996). This rise in attention paid to geriatric health care is partly driven by demographics. Over the next 50 years, the global population of people aged 60 years and over is expected to triple to 2 billion by 2050 (U.N. Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division, 2007). This same UN report states that the expected number of centenarians is set to increase globally by a factor of 20. Worldwide, the demographic trends in aging suggest that the number of people in the world aged 65 years and over will surpass the number aged 5 years or less in approximately 2017 (UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division, 2005). The issues concerning who will care for older adults are faced by a growing number of nations throughout the world.
Publisher: Springer New York
Date: 2011
Publisher: No publisher found
Date: 2016
DOI: 10.1111/AP.12203
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 29-12-2010
DOI: 10.1111/J.1741-6612.2010.00498.X
Abstract: To review findings from the Men, Women and Ageing (MWA) longitudinal studies and consider their implications for national health guidelines. Guidelines for good health for older adults in the areas of body mass index (BMI), physical activity, alcohol consumption and smoking behaviours are compared with MWA findings. Findings from MWA suggest that current BMI guidelines may be too narrow because BMI in the overweight range appears to be protective for both older men and women. Across all levels of BMI, even low levels of physical activity decrease mortality risk compared with being sedentary. Our findings suggest that consideration should be given to having different alcohol guidelines for older men and women and should include recommendations for alcohol-free days. The benefit of quitting smoking at any age is apparent for both women and men. Current national guidelines in the areas discussed in this paper should be reviewed for older people.
Publisher: Cambridge University Press (CUP)
Date: 2004
DOI: 10.1017/S1323892200000260
Abstract: The relationship between social support, mental health, and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptomatology was investigated in a s le of 229 former New Zealand military personnel. It was hypothesised that veterans reporting greater satisfaction with their social support networks would also report better mental health and lower levels of PTSD symptomatology, and that social support would buffer the relationship between trauma and PTSD. The number of social supports was expected to be unrelated to both PTSD and mental health. Among the subs le of combat veterans ( N = 166), results from multiple regression analyses revealed that satisfaction with social support was significantly related to PTSD severity but unrelated to general mental health. The moderating model of social support on the relationship between trauma and PTSD was not supported in hierarchical regression analysis in the total s le ( N = 229). Methodological limitations and other explanations for these results are discussed.
Publisher: Informa UK Limited
Date: 06-2011
Publisher: Cambridge University Press (CUP)
Date: 08-11-2017
DOI: 10.1017/S1041610217002332
Abstract: Older Chinese people are one of the largest and fastest growing immigrant groups in Western countries. The Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS) and the Geriatric Anxiety Inventory (GAI) are screening tools that have been specifically designed for older people. This study explored their validity, concurrent reliability, and cultural appropriateness for detecting depression and anxiety symptoms among older Chinese immigrants living in Melbourne, Australia. A total of 87 Chinese people were recruited from Chinese senior groups. Five screening tools were used, including the GDS, the GAI, the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), the Kessler 10 (K10), and the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9). Data were collected through standardized interviews. The GDS and the GAI were found to be reliable and valid tools for detecting depression and anxiety in this s le. Based on the results of the five screening tools, approximately 20% of participants exhibited clinically significant symptoms of depression and 8% of anxiety. Unexpectedly, there was a higher rate of depression and anxiety symptoms among Mandarin speaking people compared with Cantonese speaking people. This study adds to the evidence that older Chinese immigrants are at greater risk of depression than the general older population. It suggests that primary care and mental health services should be aware of and responsive to the increased risk of depression among this group and that further studies are needed to investigate what is contributing to this increased risk.
Publisher: Informa UK Limited
Date: 07-2006
Publisher: Informa UK Limited
Date: 28-07-2016
DOI: 10.1080/07317115.2016.1215365
Abstract: In addition to the motor and cognitive symptoms that people with Parkinson's disease (PD) typically experience, psychiatric symptoms such as anxiety are also commonly experienced by people with PD. The overall purpose of the current study was to explore driving and driving cessation for people with PD and their families. A descriptive phenomenological approach was employed using semi-structured interviews and 34 interviews were conducted overall (22 participants with PD and 12 family members). Experiences of anxiety and worry that had an impact on driving and driving cessation arose from the data, and this article specifically captured the lived experience of anxiety with driving and driving cessation for people with PD and their families. Findings reveal that the experience of anxiety while driving, as well as anticipatory anxiety and/or worry related to driving cessation, affect the driving experiences and wellbeing of people with PD. Implications of the study findings are outlined and aim to provide information about the needs to enable future clinical directions to be developed.
Publisher: BMJ
Date: 08-2011
Publisher: Cambridge University Press (CUP)
Date: 20-02-2019
DOI: 10.1017/S1041610218002326
Abstract: This research addresses dementia and driving cessation, a major life event for affected in iduals, and an immense challenge in primary care. In Australia, as with many other countries, it is primarily general practitioners (GPs) who identify changes in cognitive functioning and monitor driving issues with their patients with dementia. Qualitative evidence from studies with family members and other health professionals shows it is a complicated area of practice. However we still know little from GPs about how they manage the challenges with their patients and the strategies that they use to facilitate driving cessation. Data were collected through five focus groups with 29 GPs at their primary care practices in metropolitan and regional Queensland, Australia. A semi-structured topic guide was used to direct questions addressing decision factors and management strategies. Discussions were audio recorded, transcribed verbatim and thematically analyzed. Regarding the challenges of raising driving cessation, four key themes emerged. These included: (i) Considering the in idual (ii) GP-patient relationships may hinder or help (iii) Resources to support raising driver retirement and (iv) Ethical dilemmas and ethical considerations. The impact of discussing driving cessation on GPs is discussed. The findings of this study contribute to further understanding the experiences and needs of primary care physicians related to managing driving retirement with their patients with dementia. Results support a need for programs regarding identification and assessment of fitness to drive, to upskill health professionals and particularly GPs to manage the complex issues around dementia and driving cessation, and explore cost-effective and timely delivery of such support to patients.
Publisher: Cambridge University Press (CUP)
Date: 20-06-2017
DOI: 10.1017/S1041610217001004
Abstract: Due to previously reported mixed findings, there is a need for further empirical research on the factorial structure of the commonly used Geriatric Anxiety Inventory (GAI). Therefore, the psychometric properties of the GAI and its short form version (GAI-SF) were evaluated in a psychogeriatric mixed in-and-out patient s le ( n = 543). Unidimensionality was tested using a bifactor analysis. Rasch modeling was used to assess scale properties. Sex, cognitive functioning and depressive symptoms were tested for differential item functioning (DIF). The bifactor analysis identified an essential unidimensional (general) factor structure but also specific local factors. The general factor comprises all the 20 items as one factor, and the results showed that the variance in the general and specific factors (subscale) scores is best explained by the single general factor. These findings were demonstrated for both versions of the GAI. Furthermore, the Rasch models identified extensive item overlap, indicating redundant items in the full version of the GAI. The GAI-SF also seems to extract much of the same information as the full form. Test scores and items have the same meaning for older adults across different demographic status. The findings support the use of a total sum score for both GAI and GAI-SF. Notably, when using the GAI-SF, no information is lost, in comparison with the full scale, thus, supporting the option of choosing the short form (version) when considered most appropriate in demanding clinical contexts.
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 07-2011
Publisher: Oxford University Press (OUP)
Date: 03-05-2019
Abstract: A systematic literature search was conducted across key databases (Cinahl, ASSIA, Cochrane reviews and trials, psycARTICLES, psycINFO, and PubMed) to identify studies measuring anxiety as an outcome for an intervention for older adults living with dementia in nursing homes, up to December 31, 2017. The search yielded a total of 1,925 articles with 45 articles accessed for full article review. A total of 13 articles were included in this review following quality appraisal based on Cochrane methodology with six different anxiety measures used. The studies included were moderate to high-quality randomized control trials although heterogeneity precluded a combined meta-analysis. The most common interventions used to address anxiety in this population were music therapy and activity-based interventions although there was limited evidence for the efficacy of either intervention. Little is known about effective nonpharmacological treatment for anxiety for people living with dementia in nursing homes. Further research using consistent measurement tools and time points is required to identify effective interventions to improve the quality of life for people living with both dementia and anxiety in nursing homes.
Publisher: SLACK, Inc.
Date: 05-2003
DOI: 10.3928/0098-9134-20030501-04
Abstract: Gardening can produce physical and psychological health benefits for older adults in inpatient and assisted living environments.
Publisher: Hogrefe Publishing Group
Date: 06-2015
DOI: 10.1024/1662-9647/A000126
Abstract: Conceptualizations of psychological assessment and therapy with older adults rarely refer to more generalist lifespan developmental theories. Yet such frameworks can greatly assist experienced practitioners as well as trainees and those who may be new to seeing older clients to orient themselves to specific issues and concerns of this age group. The Contextual Adult Lifespan Theory for Adapting Psychotherapy (CALTAP) model was developed as a way of both understanding clients from a lifespan perspective and adapting psychotherapy to their needs ( Knight & Poon, 2008 ). The CALTAP themes of developmental aging, social context, cohort differences, and cultural issues can inform and guide discussions regarding psychotherapy as was its original intent, but are also relevant for assessment purposes. In this paper we address how CALTAP can inform assessment as well as psychotherapy by practitioners. Moreover, we detail how the model may be used to prompt self-reflection by clients and psychologists alike.
Publisher: Cambridge University Press (CUP)
Date: 07-02-2022
DOI: 10.1017/S1041610221002866
Abstract: Informal carers play an essential role in the care of in iduals with Parkinson’s disease (PD). This role, however, is often fraught with difficulties, including emotional, physical, and financial. Coping styles and relationship quality have been hypothesized to influence the impact of stressors. The aim of this study is to examine the relationship between carers’ coping style, relationship quality, and carer burden. Cross-sectional. Thirty-nine PD patient carer dyads were included in the study. Participants completed self-rated questionnaires including the Dyadic Adjustment Scale, Zarit Burden Interview, and Brief Coping Orientation to Problems Experienced Inventory. Correlational analyses found significant and positive correlation between carer burden and all three coping styles (problem-focused, emotion-focused, and dysfunctional). There was also a moderate association between carers’ perceived relationship quality and satisfaction and carer burden. Regression analyses found that carer’s gender, severity of PD, relationship quality, emotion-focused, and dysfunctional coping styles did not predict carer burden. Conversely, problem-focused coping style predicted carer burden. The results highlight that there is no perfect way to react and care for a loved one and serves as important information for practitioners who design and implement interventions.
Publisher: Cambridge University Press (CUP)
Date: 2003
DOI: 10.1017/S132389220000048X
Abstract: As the proportion of the population over age 65 in many countries continues to grow, it becomes increasingly important for health care professionals to have well-grounded knowledge of ageing processes and positive attitudes towards their older clients. In New Zealand the third most limiting chronic health condition for older adults is hearing impairment. In this study, audiologists and hearing therapists in New Zealand were asked to complete measures of knowledge and attitudes towards older adults as well as a vignette measuring treatment options. While it was hypothesised that, due to audiologists' higher overall levels of academic qualifications gained, audiologists would have more knowledge and therefore better attitudes towards older adults, there was no difference between the groups' knowledge levels. Further analyses suggested that attitudes held were in part a function of gender and possibly education, with less educated females having more positive attitudes. While all participants had positive attitudes these did not always result in the most appropriate treatment. It was concluded that a lack of specific gerontological knowledge rather than negative attitudes resulted in less appropriate treatment recommendations for older adults.
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 11-2011
DOI: 10.1016/J.IJNURSTU.2011.05.007
Abstract: There is a need for simple multimedia training programs designed to upskill the dementia care workforce. A DVD-based training program entitled RECAPS and MESSAGE has been designed to provide caregivers with strategies to support memory and communication in people with dementia. The aims of this study were: (1) to evaluate the effects of the RECAPS and MESSAGE training on knowledge of support strategies, and caregiver satisfaction, in nursing home care staff, and (2) to evaluate staff opinion of the training. A multi-centre controlled pretest-posttest trial was conducted between June 2009 and January 2010, with baseline, immediately post-training and 3-month follow-up assessment. Four nursing homes in Queensland, Australia. All care staff were invited to participate. Of the 68 participants who entered the study, 52 (37 training participants and 15 controls) completed outcome measures at baseline and 3-month follow-up. 63.5% of participants were nursing assistants, 25% were qualified nurses and 11.5% were recreational/activities officers. The training and control groups were compared on the following outcomes: (1) knowledge of memory and communication support strategies, and (2) caregiver satisfaction. In the training group, the immediate effects of training on knowledge, and the effects of role (nurse, nursing assistant, recreational staff) on both outcome measures, were also examined. Staff opinion of the training was assessed immediately post-training and at 3-month follow-up. The training group showed a significant improvement in knowledge of support strategies from baseline to immediately post-training (p=0.001). Comparison of the training and control groups revealed a significant increase in knowledge for the training group (p=0.011), but not for the control group (p=0.33), between baseline and 3-month follow-up. Examination of caregiver satisfaction by care staff role in the training group revealed that only the qualified nurses showed higher levels of caregiver satisfaction at 3-month follow-up (p=0.013). Staff rated the training positively both for usefulness and applicability. The RECAPS and MESSAGE training improved nursing home care staff's knowledge of support strategies for memory and communication, and gains were maintained at 3-month follow-up. Moreover, the training was well received by staff.
Publisher: Cambridge University Press (CUP)
Date: 20-09-2011
DOI: 10.1017/S1041610210001845
Abstract: Background: Difficulties with memory and communication are prominent and distressing features of dementia which impact on the person with dementia and contribute to caregiver stress and burden. There is a need to provide caregivers with strategies to support and maximize memory and communication abilities in people with dementia. In this project, a team of clinicians, researchers and educators in neuropsychology, psychogeriatrics, nursing and speech pathology translated research-based knowledge from these fields into a program of practical strategies for everyday use by family and professional caregivers. Methods: From the available research evidence, the project team identified compensatory or facilitative strategies to assist with common areas of difficulty, and structured these under the mnemonics RECAPS (for memory) and MESSAGE (for communication). This information was adapted for presentation in a DVD-based education program in accordance with known characteristics of effective caregiver education. Results: The resultant DVD comprises (1) information on the nature and importance of memory and communication in everyday life (2) explanations of common patterns of difficulty and preserved ability in memory and communication across the stages of dementia (3) acted vignettes demonstrating the strategies, based on authentic s les of speech in dementia and (4) scenarios to prompt the viewer to consider the benefits of using the strategies. Conclusion: Using a knowledge-translation framework, information and strategies can be provided to family and professional caregivers to help them optimize residual memory and communication in people with dementia. Future development of the materials, incorporating consumer feedback, will focus on methods for enabling wider dissemination.
Publisher: Mary Ann Liebert Inc
Date: 08-2019
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 12-10-2010
DOI: 10.1002/JHM.811
Abstract: Hospital readmissions are common and costly. A recent previous hospitalization preceding the index admission is a marker of increased risk of future readmission. To identify factors associated with an increased risk of recurrent readmission in medical patients with 2 or more hospitalizations in the past 6 months. Prospective cohort study. Australian teaching hospital acute medical wards, February 2006-February 2007. 142 inpatients aged ≥ 50 years with a previous hospitalization ≤ 6 months preceding the index admission. Patients from residential care, with terminal illness, or with serious cognitive or language difficulties were excluded. Demographics, previous hospitalizations, diagnosis, comorbidities and nutritional status were recorded in hospital. Participants were assessed at home within 2 weeks of hospital discharge using validated questionnaires for cognition, literacy, activities of daily living (ADL)/instrumental activities of daily living (IADL) function, depression, anxiety, alcohol use, medication adherence, social support, and financial status. Unplanned readmission to the study hospital within 6 months. A total of 55 participants (38.7%) had a further unplanned hospital admission within 6 months. In multivariate analysis, chronic disease (adjusted odds ratio [OR] 3.4 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.3-9.3, P = 0.002), depressive symptoms (adjusted OR, 3.0 95% CI, 1.3-6.8, P = 0.01), and underweight (adjusted OR, 12.7 95% CI, 2.3-70.7, P = 0.004) were significant predictors of readmission after adjusting for age, length of stay and functional status. In this high-risk patient group, multiple chronic conditions are common and predict increased risk of readmission. Post-hospital interventions should consider targeting nutritional and mood status in this population.
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 12-2014
Publisher: Cambridge University Press (CUP)
Date: 31-07-2014
DOI: 10.1017/S1041610214001434
Abstract: Although fear of falling is prevalent among older adults recovering from hip fracture, current instruments are inadequate due to focus on specific situations and measurement of self-efficacy rather than fear. The authors revised and tested a form of the Fear of Falling Questionnaire with three groups of older adults: 405 recovering from hip fracture, 89 healthy community dwelling, and 42 with severe fear of falling. Test-retest reliability was evaluated in a subs le of 16 hip fracture patients. Internal consistency was compared across all groups. Construct validity was established through factor analysis, convergent validity with a measure of fall-related self-efficacy, and discriminant validity with measures of depression and affect. A revised two-factor, six-item scale appears to have adequate psychometric properties. Scores were lower in the healthy comparison group relative to the hip fracture and fear of falling groups. Cronbach's α ranged from 0.72–0.83, with test-retest reliability of 0.82. Correlations with a measure of fall-related self-efficacy were moderate for the hip fracture group (0.42) and high with the healthy comparison (0.68) and fear of falling (0.70) groups. Correlations with depression and negative and positive affect were low to moderate. The Fear of Falling Questionnaire – Revised shows promise as a self-report measure of fear of falling, and is one of the first to be tested in older adults recovering from hip fracture. Advantages are that it is global rather than situation-specific and measures fear rather than self-efficacy. Future research on this scale is recommended in other older adult s les for whom fear of falling is relevant.
Publisher: Cambridge University Press (CUP)
Date: 23-09-2019
DOI: 10.1017/S1041610219001212
Abstract: Sleep disturbances negatively impact the quality of life of patients with Parkinson’s disease (PD). While persons living in regional areas are at higher risk of PD, PD is poorly managed in regional communities. This study examined factors associated with sleep problems in PD in a regional context. A mixed-methods cross-sectional design was used. Patients with PD were recruited from the Queensland Parkinson’s Project database. Those who agreed to participate were sent a questionnaire assessing aspects of sleep, depression, anxiety, quality of life, and PD severity. Qualitative information was also gathered. Correlations between variables were examined thematic analyses were performed for qualitative data. All participants (n = 49) reported sleep disturbances, with 73% (n = 36) reporting sleep disturbance to be problematic. Global sleep dysfunction positively correlated with daytime napping (r = .34, p = .01), watching the clock when unable to sleep (r = .38, p = .01), staying in bed when unable to sleep (r = .43, p = .01), and going to bed hungry (r = .31, p = .03) and negatively correlated with daytime exercise (r = -.32, p = .02). Positive correlations were observed between global sleep dysfunction and depression (r = .55, p = .01), anxiety (r = .31, p = .04), and dysfunctional sleep beliefs (r = .39, p = .01). There is a clear need for identifying factors related to sleep disturbances in PD for effective management.
Publisher: Cambridge University Press (CUP)
Date: 13-08-2014
DOI: 10.1017/S1041610214001677
Abstract: The recent addition of hoarding disorder (HD) to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Health Disorders , 5th edition, has highlighted the dearth of information about the demographic, sociologic, and medical predictors of HD severity, particularly in older adults. Although there have been several previous studies examining the characteristics of older adults with HD, and one investigation of psychiatric correlates of hoarding symptom severity in non-clinical older adults, there has been little investigation about which characteristics predict hoarding symptom severity in older adults with HD. Participants were 71 older adults who were enrolled for one of the two studies of HD at the VA San Diego Healthcare System between January 2010 and January 2014. There were multiple differences in the predictive ability of patient characteristics between the more cognition-related symptoms of HD and the more concrete measure of clutter, including gender-based differences and anxiety severity. Further, married participants were more likely to report lower hoarding severity, and there was no significant relationship between hoarding severity and intervention attempts or hoarding and reported falls in the past three years. Multiple predictive factors have been presented, which may result in further studies to investigate possible predictive differences in cognition and clutter symptoms of HD. Future studies should examine the possibility of the predictive factors also identified to be moderators of treatment outcomes.
Publisher: International Society for Horticultural Science (ISHS)
Date: 07-2016
Publisher: International Society for Horticultural Science (ISHS)
Date: 07-2016
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 09-2005
DOI: 10.1207/S15327558IJBM1203_9
Abstract: Lists of life events are widely used in health outcomes research. As part of a large cohort study of women's health in Australia, age- and gender-specific life events lists were developed and administered to women in different age groups over time. In this article, we provide empirical evidence that recall of life events is subject to telescoping (i.e., remote events are reported to have occurred more recently) and to mood (women with lower mental health scores report more life events, especially perceived rather than factual events). Nevertheless, even after adjustment for confounders, there is a clear association between poorer physical health and more life events. Therefore, these results demonstrate a continuing need for lists of life events in health research but also highlight the methodological challenges in using them.
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 24-06-2023
DOI: 10.1186/S12884-023-05787-Z
Abstract: Pregnancy-related anxiety has received greater research attention recently given its association with adverse outcomes (e.g., negative birth experiences). The Pregnancy-related Anxiety Scale (PrAS) offers the possibility to assess pregnancy-related anxiety, but no German version is available. Therefore, the aim of this study was to validate a German version of the PrAS, a comprehensive measure with eight dimensions. Pregnant women of any parity or gestation completed an online survey consisting of the PrAS, PRAQ-R2, and measures of anxiety, depression, and resilience. The PrAS was translated into German (PrAS-G) using the back-translation method. Data were subjected to confirmatory factor analysis and inferential statistics. Complete data were provided by 443 women. Participants were predominantly German nationals, partnered, and well-educated with a planned pregnancy. Approximately half were nulliparous. The eight-factor model was well fitting and consistent with the development of the original PrAS. Criterion-related validity was demonstrated by strong correlations with similar measures (PRAQ-R2, anxiety, and depression) and lower correlations with resilience scores. Predictive validity was shown by group comparisons for: planned versus unplanned pregnancy, trimester, and parity. The PrAS-G provides a broader assessment of pregnancy-related anxiety than existing measures. Initial evaluation has demonstrated convergent, ergent, and predictive validity, excellent internal consistency, and good model fit indicating promising psychometric properties. The PrAS-G offers a comprehensive assessment of pregnancy-related anxiety which will enable tailored interventions aiming to improve birth experience and well-being of expectant mothers.
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 09-2009
DOI: 10.1016/J.AAP.2009.06.023
Abstract: The present study used a university s le to assess the test-retest reliability and validity of the Australian Propensity for Angry Driving Scale (Aus-PADS). The scale has stability over time, and convergent validity was established, as Aus-PADS scores correlated significantly with established anger and impulsivity measures. Discriminant validity was also established, as Aus-PADS scores did not correlate with Venturesomeness scores. The Aus-PADS has demonstrated criterion validity, as scores were correlated with behavioural measures, such as yelling at other drivers, gesturing at other drivers, and feeling angry but not doing anything. Aus-PADS scores reliably predicted the frequency of these behaviours over and above other study variables. No significant relationship between aggressive driving and crash involvement was observed. It was concluded that the Aus-PADS is a reliable and valid tool appropriate for use in Australian research, and that the potential relationship between aggressive driving and crash involvement warrants further investigation with a more representative (and erse) driver s le.
Publisher: Cambridge University Press (CUP)
Date: 2007
DOI: 10.1375/JRC.13.1.32
Abstract: Australia is preparing for a population increase in persons aged over 65 years, which will likely result in increased mental health needs for this group. Sub-clinical levels of depression, anxiety and loneliness are common in older adults. Older adults are also more likely than any other age group to live alone. Research has suggested that older adults living on their own often report companion animals as providing important social support. Thirty-two community-dwelling older adults, between 60 and 75+ years of age, took part in this study examining attachment to pets in an older cohort. Previous or current pet ownership was a requirement for inclusion in the study in order to account for possible bias of nonpet owners on reporting pets as a positive influence on wellbeing. Results found support for the psychometric properties of a relatively new attachment scale designed for older adults. Results also indicated limited support for a relationship between pet attachment and quality of life in the study group. Implications for clinical work with older adults and areas for future research are discussed.
Publisher: Informa UK Limited
Date: 06-2012
Publisher: Cambridge University Press (CUP)
Date: 11-1996
DOI: 10.1017/S1355617700001673
Abstract: Neuropsychological changes distinguishing mild Alzheimer's disease (AD) from frontotemporal dementia (FTD) have been described, but empirical verification of differential cognitive characteristics is lacking. Archival neuropsychological data on 15 FTD patients, 16 AD patients, and 16 controls were compared. Controls outperformed both patient groups on measures of verbal and nonverbal memory, executive ability, and constructional skill, with AD patients showing more widespread memory decline. No differences were found between the 3 groups in confrontation naming, recognition memory, or basic attention. Patient groups differed only in nonverbal memory, with FTD patients performing significantly better than AD patients. However, patient groups also differed in pattern of performance across executive and memory domains. Specifically, AD patients exhibited significantly greater impairment on memory than executive tasks, whereas the opposite pattern characterized ther FTD group. These findings suggest that examination of relative rankings of scores across cognitive domains, in addition to interpretation of in idual neuropsychological scores, may be useful in differential diagnosis of FTD versus AD. ( JINS , 1996, 2, 505–510.)
Publisher: JMIR Publications Inc.
Date: 21-01-2018
Abstract: he prevalence rates of depressive and anxiety disorders are high in residential aged care settings. Older adults in such settings might be prone to these disorders because of losses associated with transitioning to residential care, uncertainty about the future, as well as a decline in personal autonomy, health, and cognition. Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is efficacious in treating late-life depression and anxiety. However, there remains a dearth of studies examining CBT in residential settings compared with community settings. Typically, older adults living in residential settings have higher care needs than those living in the community. To date, no systematic reviews have been conducted on the content and the delivery characteristics of CBT for older adults living in residential aged care settings. he objective of this paper is to describe the systematic review protocol on the characteristics of CBT for depression and/or anxiety for older adults living in residential aged care settings. his protocol was developed in compliance with the recommendations of the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis Protocols (PRISMA-P). Studies that fulfill the inclusion criteria will be identified by systematically searching relevant electronic databases, reference lists, and citation indexes. In addition, the PRISMA flowchart will be used to record the selection process. A pilot-tested data collection form will be used to extract and record data from the included studies. Two reviewers will be involved in screening the titles and abstracts of retrieved records, screening the full text of potentially relevant reports, and extracting data. Then, the delivery and content characteristics of different CBT programs of the included studies, where available, will be summarized in a table. Furthermore, the Downs and Black checklist will be used to assess the methodological quality of the included studies. ystematic searches will commence in May 2018, and data extraction is expected to commence in July 2018. Data analyses and writing will happen in October 2018. n this section, the limitations of the systematic review will be outlined. Clinical implications for treating late-life depression and/or anxiety, and implications for residential care facilities will be discussed. ROSPERO 42017080113 www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO/display_record.php?RecordID=80113 (Archived by WebCite at 0dV4Qf54) R1-10.2196/9902
Publisher: Cambridge University Press (CUP)
Date: 13-10-2021
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 23-04-2013
DOI: 10.1111/AJAG.12021
Abstract: Few Australian studies have examined the impact of dementia on hospital outcomes. The aim of this study was to determine the relative contribution of dementia to adverse outcomes in older hospital patients. Prospective observational cohort study (n = 493) of patients aged ≥70 years admitted to four acute hospitals in Queensland. Trained research nurses completed comprehensive geriatric assessments using standardised instruments and collected data regarding adverse outcomes. The diagnosis of dementia was established by independent physician review of patients' medical records and assessments. Patients with dementia (n = 102, 20.7%) were significantly older (P = 0.01), had poorer functional ability (P < 0.01), and were more likely to have delirium at admission (P < 0.01) than patients without dementia. Dementia (odds ratio = 4.8, P < 0.001) increased the risk of developing delirium during the hospital stay. Older patients with dementia are more impaired and vulnerable than patients without dementia and are at greater risk of adverse outcomes when hospitalised.
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 14-06-2022
DOI: 10.1002/CASP.2631
Abstract: Social prescribing is being proposed by policy makers as a solution to primarily address lowered wellbeing and increased loneliness in older adults. Previous reviews have found a lack of supporting evidence for social prescribing. However, these reviews were using a narrow definition which may have left out some important evaluations. Therefore, this review aims to evaluate the evidence for social prescribing programs using a broader definition to encompasses a variety of referral pathways and activities. The review was conducted by searching PsycINFO, PubMed, Scopus, and ProQuest Social Sciences databases, and a final 77 articles were included. We found that there were five main themes in the outcomes reported: social connection improvement in the management of health and health status improvement in mental health and wellbeing life enrichment and link worker support. Social prescribing programs appeared to have generally positive impacts however there was a large variety in both programs reported and quality of the research, which made drawing definitive conclusions difficult. Researchers evaluating programs in future should attempt to recruit larger s le sizes and use a mixed methods approach to further examine the evidence base for social prescribing.
Publisher: Informa UK Limited
Date: 18-04-2023
DOI: 10.1080/14992027.2022.2056090
Abstract: To explore the barriers and facilitators faced by hearing healthcare clinicians (HHCs) with respect to asking adults with hearing loss (HL) about their emotional well-being. This qualitative study was conducted using semi-structured in idual interviews and focus groups. The interview topic guide was developed based on the COM-B model. Fifteen HHCs of a single hearing services organisation in Western Australia across 13 clinic locations participated. Barriers and facilitators that may influence HHCs' behaviour of routinely asking adults about their emotional well-being include having the knowledge and skills to ask about emotional well-being, forgetting to ask, awareness of the emotional impacts of HL, time and tools for asking, clients' reactions to being asked, supportive peers, normalisation of discussions relating to emotional well-being, presence of significant others, emotions associated with asking, being in the habit of asking, reminders, beliefs about consequences and confidence or capabilities, and scope of audiology practice. Application of the COM-B model identified barriers in capabilities (e.g. knowledge), opportunities (e.g. tools), and motivation (e.g. beliefs about benefits of asking about emotions) that need to be addressed for HHCs to ask their clients about their emotional well-being.
Publisher: AMPCo
Date: 02-2015
DOI: 10.5694/MJA14.00201
Abstract: Older people with cognitive impairment and/or dementia may be particularly vulnerable to diminished financial decision-making capacity. Financial capacity refers to the ability to satisfactorily manage one's financial affairs in a manner consistent with personal self-interest and values. Impairment of financial capacity makes the older in idual vulnerable to financial exploitation, may negatively affect their family's financial situation and places strain on relationships within the family. Clinicians are often on the front line of responding to queries regarding decision-making capacity, and clinical evaluation options are often not well understood. Assessment of financial capacity should include formal objective assessment in addition to a clinical interview and gathering contextual data. Development of a flexible, empirically supported and clinically relevant assessment approach that spans all dimensions of financial capacity yet is simple enough to be used by non-specialist clinicians is needed.
Publisher: Cambridge University Press (CUP)
Date: 15-09-2010
DOI: 10.1017/S1041610210001638
Abstract: Background: The underlying goals of the present study were (i) to assess knowledge of and attitudes towards aging in a s le of Portuguese undergraduate students undertaking various degrees in health and welfare subjects, and (ii) to analyze the extent to which knowledge, attitudes and other factors were associated with interest in working with older adults. Methods: The study was cross-sectional in design. The s le comprised 460 Portuguese undergraduate students enrolled in degrees in nursing, social work, and psychology. They were asked to complete questionnaires and quizzes, which were analyzed using contingency tables and one way analysis of variance for inter-group comparison, and then subjected to multivariate logistic regression analysis. Results: Significant differences emerged between groups on knowledge, attitudes towards aging and interest in working with older adults, with both nursing and social work students displaying more positive attitudes, knowledge, and interest in working with older adults, when compared with psychology students. A regression analysis indicated that attitudes, knowledge, and previous formal contact were significant predictors of interest. Conclusion: Interest in working with older adults was significantly related to positive attitudes, more knowledge and formal previous contact. Positive attitudes towards older adults can be promoted through interaction with faculty members and experts, knowledge acquisition about normative changes with age, and contact with healthy and impaired older adults.
Publisher: SAGE Publications
Date: 10-2010
Abstract: Clinicians are frequently called upon to determine whether an older adult is at undue risk of exploitation and, in particular, financial exploitation. However, there is currently no widely accepted clinical model for describing or explaining who will fall victim to exploitation in later life, and identification of vulnerable older people has been a somewhat onerous process. In this article, an overarching theoretical framework for conceptualizing such forms of vulnerability and its assessment in older adults is presented. Central to this framework are various personal competence factors (i.e., intelligence, cognitive functioning, social intelligence, social skill, personality traits, physical functioning) that purportedly contribute to, or protect against, exploitation. Recommendations and argument for a more holistic approach to assessing and educating potentially vulnerable older adults are presented, as well as directions for future research.
Publisher: Cambridge University Press (CUP)
Date: 2005
DOI: 10.1017/S1323892200000041
Abstract: Pharmacotherapy is the most frequently used treatment modality among the older adult population. Consequently, medication adherence represents an important treatment consideration. The present study was conducted to assess the extent of medication adherence in the New Zealand s le, and evaluate the effectiveness of an external cognitive support in a s le of 50 community-dwelling older adults ( M = 70.70, Mdn = 72.00, SD = 8.12). A randomised controlled trial to compare the usual medication practice with a medication calendar was conducted. The present s le had high levels of medication adherence, with high adherence measured on an adherence ratio 97% (range 82% to 109%), and low rate of medication errors (19 errors). There were no significant differences in medication adherence between intervention and control groups ( ps .05). However, consistent with prior research, there was some evidence to suggest that female participants were less compliant and made more errors than male participants. Further research on larger more representative older adult s les is warranted.
Publisher: Informa UK Limited
Date: 02-12-2020
Publisher: Cambridge University Press (CUP)
Date: 09-2009
DOI: 10.1017/S1355617709990312
Abstract: We examined differences in response latencies obtained during a validated video-based hazard perception driving test between three healthy, community-dwelling groups: 22 mid-aged (35–55 years), 34 young–old (65–74 years), and 23 old-old (75–84 years) current drivers, matched for gender, education level, and vocabulary. We found no significant difference in performance between mid-aged and young-old groups, but the old-old group was significantly slower than the other two groups. The differences between the old-old group and the other groups combined were independently mediated by useful field of view (UFOV), contrast sensitivity, and simple reaction time measures. Given that hazard perception latency has been linked with increased crash risk, these results are consistent with the idea that increased crash risk in older adults could be a function of poorer hazard perception, though this decline does not appear to manifest until age 75+ in healthy drivers. ( JINS , 2009, 15 , 799–802.)
Publisher: Cambridge University Press (CUP)
Date: 27-02-2014
DOI: 10.1017/S1041610214000210
Abstract: The Geriatric Anxiety Scale (GAS Segal et al . (Segal, D. L., June, A., Payne, M., Coolidge, F. L. and Yochim, B. (2010). Journal of Anxiety Disorders , 24, 709–714. doi:10.1016/j.janxdis.2010.05.002) is a self-report measure of anxiety that was designed to address unique issues associated with anxiety assessment in older adults. This study is the first to use item response theory (IRT) to examine the psychometric properties of a measure of anxiety in older adults. A large s le of older adults ( n = 581 mean age = 72.32 years, SD = 7.64 years, range = 60 to 96 years 64% women 88% European American) completed the GAS. IRT properties were examined. The presence of differential item functioning (DIF) or measurement bias by age and sex was assessed, and a ten-item short form of the GAS (called the GAS-10) was created. All GAS items had discrimination parameters of 1.07 or greater. Items from the somatic subscale tended to have lower discrimination parameters than items on the cognitive or affective subscales. Two items were flagged for DIF, but the impact of the DIF was negligible. Women scored significantly higher than men on the GAS and its subscales. Participants in the young-old group (60 to 79 years old) scored significantly higher on the cognitive subscale than participants in the old-old group (80 years old and older). Results from the IRT analyses indicated that the GAS and GAS-10 have strong psychometric properties among older adults. We conclude by discussing implications and future research directions.
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 2004
Publisher: Sociedade Brasileira de Geriatria e Gerontologia
Date: 2022
Abstract: OBJECTIVE: To present the study protocol for the Homebound Elderly People Psychotherapeutic Intervention (HEPPI), a home-delivered cognitive-emotional intervention aimed at homebound older adults with mild cognitive impairment and depression and/or anxiety symptoms. METHODS: A two-arm, open-label, parallel-group randomized controlled trial will be conducted to compare the effects of HEPPI with treatment as usual. Homebound older adults will be recruited from the community through contact with their health care networks in mainland Portugal. All participants will complete baseline, post-intervention, and 3-month follow-up assessments. Primary outcomes will be changes in episodic memory and depression and anxiety symptoms. Secondary outcomes will include changes in general cognition, attentional control, subjective memory complaints, quality of life, functional status, and loneliness. RELEVANCE: The availability of evidence-based home-delivered non-pharmacological interventions meeting the cognitive and emotional needs of the homebound older population could improve their access to mental health care resources and increase their mental health and quality of life.
Publisher: RCN Publishing Ltd.
Date: 13-10-2008
DOI: 10.7748/NOP2008.10.20.8.36.C6809
Abstract: The assessment of anxiety can be difficult in older populations. In particular, the assessment of anxiety in long-term care settings can be problematic, because patients may be experiencing some level of cognitive impairment as well as co-existing medical conditions. The Geriatric Anxiety Inventory (GAI) is a brief, 20-item anxiety screening tool validated previously in community and outpatient s les of older adults. In this series of studies the predictive validity of the instrument in residential care settings is examined. Results indicated that classification of presence or absence of anxiety symptoms by the GAI was not significantly associated with an in idual's cognitive status, in either community dwelling or residential care s les. In addition, data supported the predictive validity of the GAI in residential care settings with respect to diagnosis of anxiety disorders. Thus the GAI may be a useful measure to assess anxiety symptoms in residential care.
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 12-2014
DOI: 10.1016/J.JANXDIS.2014.08.001
Abstract: We examined the psychometric properties, internal scale reliability and validity, of two geriatric anxiety measures: the Geriatric Anxiety Inventory (GAI) and Geriatric Anxiety Scale (GAS). We also determined the extent to which memory ability influenced the psychometric properties of these measures. Older adult participants (N=110 M age=75 years) completed self-report, clinician-rated and diagnostic psychiatric measures and a neuropsychiatric battery. GAI and GAS scores had good internal consistency, adequate reliability, and strong convergent validity. GAI scores had better discriminant validity than GAS scores relative to a health rating. Both measures had strong associations with depression scores. Psychometric properties were decreased in participants with average delayed memory recall compared with those with superior recall. Both measures had good psychometric support, particularly in those with strong memory abilities. Psychometric performance characteristics indicate that the GAI and GAS may be good alternatives to anxiety measures not designed specifically for older adults.
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 19-02-2013
DOI: 10.1007/S12603-012-0439-8
Abstract: To compare the diagnostic accuracy of the interRAI Acute Care (AC) Cognitive Performance Scale (CPS2) and the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), against independent clinical diagnosis for detecting dementia in older hospitalized patients. The study was part of a prospective observational cohort study of patients aged ≥70 years admitted to four acute hospitals in Queensland, Australia, between 2008 and 2010. Recruitment was consecutive and patients expected to remain in hospital for ≥48 hours were eligible to participate. Data for 462 patients were available for this study. Trained research nurses completed comprehensive geriatric assessments and administered the interRAI AC and MMSE to patients. Two physicians independently reviewed patients' medical records and assessments to establish the diagnosis of dementia. Indicators of diagnostic accuracy included sensitivity, specificity, predictive values, likelihood ratios and areas under receiver (AUC) operating characteristic curves. 85 patients (18.4%) were considered to have dementia according to independent clinical diagnosis. The sensitivity of the CPS2 [0.68 (95%CI: 0.58-0.77)] was not statistically different to the MMSE [0.75 (0.64-0.83)] in predicting physician diagnosed dementia. The AUCs for the 2 instruments were also not statistically different: CPS2 AUC = 0.83 (95%CI: 0.78-0.89) and MMSE AUC = 0.87 (95%CI: 0.83-0.91), while the CPS2 demonstrated higher specificity [0.92 95%CI: 0.89-0.95)] than the MMSE [0.82 (0.77-0.85)]. Agreement between the CPS2 and clinical diagnosis was substantial (87.4% κ=0.61). The CPS2 appears to be a reliable screening tool for assessing cognitive impairment in acutely unwell older hospitalized patients. These findings add to the growing body of evidence supporting the utility of the interRAI AC, within which the CPS2 is embedded. The interRAI AC offers the advantage of being able to accurately screen for both dementia and delirium without the need to use additional assessments, thus increasing assessment efficiency.
Publisher: Informa UK Limited
Date: 21-01-2019
DOI: 10.1080/14992027.2018.1550687
Abstract: It is estimated that over 60% of adults with dementia will also have a hearing impairment, resulting in a dual sensory-cognitive communication disability. Hearing interventions may lessen the impact of hearing impairment on a communication disability yet, for audiologists to recommend appropriate hearing interventions, the in idual's hearing thresholds must first be accurately established. The gold standard test for establishing hearing thresholds is pure-tone audiometry (PTA). However, the ability of adults with dementia to successfully complete PTA is uncertain. This systematic review examined studies of adults with dementia to better determine the proportion who could complete PTA. Systematic review. Studies were included that assessed hearing in older adults who were reported as having mild and greater dementia. From a total of 1,237 eligible studies, only three were found to meet all inclusion criteria. Across these three studies, the proportion of adults with dementia who could successfully complete PTA ranged from 56% to 59%. Further research is needed in this area, particularly for adults with moderate and severe stages of dementia. Future research should also consider the feasibility of complementary, non-behavioural hearing tests. This systematic review was registered with the PROSPERO database, registration number CRD42017073041.
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 03-2011
DOI: 10.1016/J.MATURITAS.2010.11.009
Abstract: Physical functioning is an important determinant of mortality and morbidity in older adults and there may be differences by gender and marital status. This study compared disability, measured by the ability to perform activities of daily living (ADLs) and instrumental activities of daily living (IADLs), between older men and women who are either partnered or not partnered. Participants included 5497 women and 1072 men aged 82-87 years from cross sectional surveys conducted in 2008 (the Health in Men Study and the Australian Longitudinal Study on Women's Health). Ordinal logistic regression was used to examine the relationship between disability and gender by marital status, adjusting for self-reported chronic conditions. Women reported a higher prevalence of most chronic conditions than men. Unpartnered men had significantly higher odds of reporting difficulty in dressing the lower body and doing heavy housework, and significantly lower odds of reporting difficulty managing money and preparing meals than partnered men. Unpartnered and partnered women had significantly lower odds of reporting difficulty in dressing the lower body, walking inside the house, using the toilet, preparing meals, taking medications, using the telephone and performing leisure activities than partnered men. However, unpartnered and partnered women had significantly higher odds of reporting difficulty with eating, shopping, and doing light or heavy housework than did partnered men. Differences between partnered and unpartnered older men and women in difficulty with ADLs and IADLs were identified, with women reporting less difficulty overall, regardless of partner status.
Publisher: MDPI AG
Date: 28-06-2023
DOI: 10.20944/PREPRINTS202306.2028.V1
Abstract: Assistance dogs provide significant benefits to older adult owners. However, despite protective legislation, aged care facilities continue to not allow owners to retain their dog on relocation. The purpose of the current study was to explore whether older adults should be allowed to retain their dog on relocation to an aged care facility, and what factors should impact this decision. Further, if allowed to retain their dog, what would be the best practice to allow for this. A deliberative democracy methodology was used, with a range of key stakeholders recruited. Focus groups were held, with follow up questionnaire to establish deliberation for all questions. Results indicated that with sufficient objective measurement, fair decisions can be made to ensure the welfare and wellbeing for owner and dog. Key policy and procedure changes would also be necessary to ensure ongoing support, such as training, care plans, and emergency directives. By ensuring sufficient policies and procedures are in place, training and support could lead to an ideal outcome where facilities could be at the forefront of a better future for aged care.
Publisher: Informa UK Limited
Date: 11-2006
DOI: 10.1080/13548500600678180
Abstract: Research on the effect of hormone replacement therapy (HRT) on both mood and memory indicates that oestrogen may enhance verbal memory in younger mid-aged women. This study examined the effect of HRT on everyday memory, while accounting for mood changes, in women between ages 40 and 60. A within-subjects comparison of 17 women, showed that mood, everyday memory, working memory, and delayed verbal memory improved after 3 months of HRT use. The improvement in memory was not mediated by mood, but changes in mood were moderated by exercise habits. The results suggest that verbal memory in particular may be enhanced by HRT in this age group, and everyday memory is an important construct to consider in future research.
Publisher: Informa UK Limited
Date: 12-02-2010
Publisher: American Psychological Association (APA)
Date: 2011
DOI: 10.1037/A0021988
Abstract: The aims of this study were to investigate the relationships between performance on the National Adult Reading Test (NART) and retrospective, concurrent, and prospective memory functioning, as well as between the NART and change in memory functioning over time. NART administered in 2005 was used as a predictor for memory functioning in 2001, 2005, and 2008, and change in memory functioning from 2001 to 2008. Outcome measures were Logical Memory II, Letter-Number Sequencing, and Spatial Span from the Wechsler Memory Scale. Participants were 319 healthy women aged 40-79 years at baseline (2001). Significant correlations were found between the number of errors on the NART and memory measures in 2001, 2005, and 2008 Logical Memory II (r = -.41, -.38, -.39, respectively), Letter-Number Sequencing (r = -.38, -.35, -.36, respectively) and Spatial Span (r = -.23, -.22, -.19, respectively all p values < .001). NART significantly added to predictions of all three measures of memory, after controlling for age, level of education and socioeconomic status. NART also significantly added to predictions of change in Logical Memory II and Letter-Number Sequencing over a 7-year period. The results indicate that the NART is correlated with episodic and working memory, and that the NART added to predictions of change in verbal episodic and working memory. Although the relationships are only moderate at best, the NART may be used in conjunction with demographic information and clinical reasoning to estimate premorbid memory functioning.
Publisher: MDPI AG
Date: 23-11-2022
DOI: 10.3390/ANI12233250
Abstract: While the roles and efficacy of assistance animals have received attention in the literature, there has been less research focused on animal welfare issues regarding assistance animals. This is a pertinent area, given the burgeoning of types of assistance animals, situations in which they are employed, and access issues arising from increased assistance animal engagement. Animal welfare as pertains to assistance animals is discussed in this paper with respect to overall research on animal welfare concerns in a variety of contexts, training and access issues, and legal and regulatory concerns. Relevant ex les from global contexts, as well as the specific Australian context, are offered. Conclusions include that while human quality of life is often considered and protected in laws and policies, this is much less true for assistance animals. Additional attention is required to ensure that the quality of life of both persons with disabilities and their assistance animals can be ensured. Support for a person to meet the needs of an assistance animal, as well as considerations for keeping such working dyads together in changed circumstances (e.g., following a move to an assisted living mode of accommodation), are recommended.
Publisher: Cambridge University Press (CUP)
Date: 2001
DOI: 10.1017/S1323892200000831
Abstract: Audiometric tests do not adequately reflect the hearing handicap experienced by in iduals with hearing loss and account for only part of the variance in hearing handicap perceptions (Weinstein & Ventry, 1983). The present study investigates the relationship between degree of hearing impairment, psychosocial factors and hearing handicap in a New Zealand war veteran s le. Forty-seven veterans (Mean age = 77.51, SD = 5.99) with some degree of hearing impairment completed a questionnaire which included the Hearing Handicap Inventory (HHI) (Newman et al., 1990), the SF36 sub-scales for general health and mental health (Ware, Kosinski & Keller, 1994), questions relating to hearing aid use and demographic details. Audiometric test information for each veteran was accessed through the national war pensions organisation. Analyses revealed no significant relationship between percentage hearing loss and perceptions of hearing handicap. Those who reported lower satisfaction with their hearing aids, those in poorer physical health and those who had been using hearing aids for a longer time reported higher scores on the HHI. These findings suggest that aspects of the rehabilitation process are important factors in the in idual's experience of hearing handicap and that non-auditory factors (such as general health) may be essential considerations in this process.
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 13-10-2016
DOI: 10.1111/GGI.12613
Abstract: Much research on attitudes towards older adults has used younger adults as participants and identified a range of negative attitudes towards older persons. Comparatively little literature has explored the attitudes of older adults themselves towards their own age cohort. The present study explicitly compared attitudes towards other older adults from s les of 195 older adults in Australia and 172 older Canadians. Attitudinal measures included the Aging Attitudes Questionnaire (assesses older adults' attitudes toward other older adults), Fraboni Scale of Ageism (assesses younger adults' attitudes toward older adults) and the Reactions to Aging Questionnaire (assesses attitudes toward one's own aging), as well as a scale measuring knowledge of aging, the Facts on Aging Quiz, adapted for Australia and Canada. Responses on the three attitudinal measures were subjected to principal components analysis. Two components emerged in both s les, one defined by the Reactions to Aging Questionnaire and Aging Attitudes Questionnaire scales and the second by the Fraboni Scale of Ageism scales. Regression analyses to ascertain prediction of scores on the Facts on Aging Quiz, adapted for Australia and Facts on Aging Quiz, adapted for Canada showed that only the Aging Attitudes Questionnaire scale for Physical Changes predicted scores on the Facts on Aging Quiz, adapted for Australia and no attitudes predicted Facts on Aging Quiz, adapted for Canada scores. It appears that older adults distinguish between their own aging and aging in others. Knowledge of aging appears to be predicted only by attitudes toward physical changes. Given increasing proportions of older adults in the population, as well as increasing access to aging information available to older cohorts, continued research on how older adults view themselves and the aging process is important, and will almost certainly continue to evolve over time. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2016 16: 1226-1230.
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 09-2019
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 11-2008
DOI: 10.1016/J.AAP.2008.08.015
Abstract: Road rage is a topic that receives consistent attention in both the road safety literature and media. Before Australian research can address the underlying factors associated with road rage, there is a need for a valid instrument appropriate for use in this context. The present program of research consisted of two studies. Study 1 used a university s le to adjust the scoring technique and response options of a 19-item American measure of the propensity for angry driving with acceptable reliability and validity. In Study 2, Factor Analysis confirmed a one-factor solution and resulted in a 15-item scale, the Australian Propensity for Angry Driving Scale (Aus-PADS), with a coefficient alpha of .82 (N=433). The Aus-PADS may be used in future research to broaden the Australian road rage literature and to improve our understanding of the underlying processes associated with road rage in order to prevent the problem. Future research should also confirm the factor structure and generate normative data with a more representative s le.
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 12-01-2012
DOI: 10.1111/J.1748-6653.2011.02023.X
Abstract: Although serial administration of cognitive tests is increasingly common, there is a paucity of research on test-retest reliabilities and practice effects, both of which are important for evaluating changes in functioning. Reliability is generally conceptualized as involving short-lasting changes in performance. However, when repeated testing occurs over a period of years, there will be some longer lasting effects. The implications of these longer lasting effects and practice effects on reliability were examined in the context of repeated administrations of the Wechsler Memory Scale-III in 339 community-dwelling women aged 40-79 years over 2 to 7 years. The results showed that Logical Memory and Verbal Paired Associates subtests were consistently the most reliable subtests across the age cohorts. The magnitude of practice effects varied as a function of subtests and age. The largest practice effects were found in the youngest age cohort, especially on the Faces, Logical Memory, and Verbal Paired Associates subtests.
Publisher: Ovid Technologies (Wolters Kluwer Health)
Date: 03-2017
DOI: 10.11124/JBISRIR-2016-002984
Abstract: The objective of this systematic review is to identify, critically appraise and synthesize the best available literature regarding experiences and perceptions of family-staff relationships in the care of people with dementia living in residential aged care facilities. More specifically, the objectives are to identify family caregiver and healthcare staff experiences and perceptions of their own and each other's roles and responsibilities and the characteristics that facilitate or hinder a constructive family-staff relationship.
Publisher: Elsevier
Date: 1998
Publisher: Cambridge University Press (CUP)
Date: 09-2006
DOI: 10.1375/JRC.12.2.104
Abstract: Objectives: This study aimed to: (a) ascertain levels of satisfaction with pharmacy services, and (b) identify possible barriers to pharmacy services utilisation among older adults in New Zealand. Method: Data was collected using a mailed questionnaire. Participants were older adults randomly selected from the general electoral roll ( N = 180). Results: While satisfaction with pharmacy services was found to be generally high among older adults, considerable dissatisfaction was evident in relation to the cost of medication. Conclusions: While dissatisfaction was expressed with the cost of prescriptions, at present this does not appear linked to a failure to uplift medication. Physical access to pharmacy services may be compromised by disabling health problems, particularly among those living alone.
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 22-05-2015
DOI: 10.1111/APPY.12191
Abstract: Depression and anxiety are two common mental health problems among older people. There is evidence that using well-validated screening tools can improve detection of depression and anxiety among this group. The review explored the use of the Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS) and the Geriatric Anxiety Inventory (GAI) for screening depression and anxiety among older Chinese immigrants, one of the largest and fastest growing groups of older immigrants in Western society. It focused on the GDS and GAI because both are designed specifically for older people. Online literature searches were conducted in MEDLINE, CINAHL, and PsycINFO. A narrative approach was used to review included papers. A total of 21 articles were included. There were limited data on anxiety among older Chinese immigrants, with only one unpublished report identified. There were 13 studies (20 articles) using the GDS with this group. Results of these studies indicated that the GDS is a reliable tool in this population however, there was limited validity data. Two versions of the GDS-15 have been used with older Chinese immigrants, including the standard GDS-15 and Mui's GDS-15. Prevalence of depression ranged between 20% and 30% in most reviewed studies. Results of this review have practical implications for clinicians in their use of these tools with older Chinese immigrants in Western countries, such as the different GDS versions. It also suggests a number of directions for future research, such as the inclusion of clinical s les and consideration of the ersity within this group.
Publisher: Cambridge University Press (CUP)
Date: 10-11-2015
DOI: 10.1017/S1041610214002300
Abstract: Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) using traditional exposure techniques (i.e. imaginal and in vivo ) seems less effective to treat anxiety in older adults than in younger ones. This is particularly true when imaginal exposure is used to confront the older patient to inaccessible (e.g. fear of flying) or less tangible/controllable anxiety triggers (e.g. fear of illness). Indeed, imaginal exposure may become less effective as the person gets older since normal aging is characterized by the decline in cognitive functions involved in the creation of vivid/detailed mental images. One way to circumvent this difficulty is to expose the older patient to a virtual environment that does not require the ability to imagine the frightening situation. In virtuo exposure has proven to be efficient to treat anxiety in working-age people. In virtuo exposure could be employed to improve the efficacy of CBT with exposure sessions in the treatment of late-life anxiety? The current paper explores this question and suggests new research avenues.
Publisher: Informa UK Limited
Date: 2005
Publisher: Oxford University Press
Date: 10-2014
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 13-05-2014
DOI: 10.1111/AJAG.12041
Abstract: Early signs of dementia may raise concerns in family members as to the safety of the affected person when engaged in common activities. Here we report on the relative frequency of such concerns using data from the three waves of the Canadian Study of Health and Aging (CSHA). Our focus is on driving, cooking and paying bills, with a prediction that most carers' concern would be over driving. Participants were 2780 Canadians over 65 years, who underwent the first wave of CSHA and were subsequently followed during the next two waves. As predicted, concerns about driving were relatively more common than concerns about cooking and handling finances (P = 0.021) in the cognitively intact group, with the opposite order observed in the group with dementia. Carer concerns for those diagnosed with dementia shift with the progression of cognitive changes, with concerns declining over the 10-year period.
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 04-2008
DOI: 10.1016/J.SEIZURE.2007.09.001
Abstract: Epilepsy is one of the most common neurological disorders of late adulthood, yet little research has examined the impact of epilepsy on the quality of life of older people. Current measures of health-related quality of life (HRQOL) have been developed and used almost exclusively in adults under the age of 65. The issues, which affect HRQOL in younger adults, may differ from those which affect older adults who may have age-related physical limitations and multiple co-morbidities. This study sought to explore the HRQOL and psychosocial function of a community dwelling s le of 64 older adults with epilepsy compared with a similar, age-matched control group. An additional objective of the study was to examine the impact of perceived stigma and seizure frequency on HRQOL and psychosocial well-being. Results indicated that HRQOL and psychosocial functioning in the epilepsy group was significantly impaired relative to normal controls. A greater perception of stigma and more frequent seizures was also strongly related to poor quality of life and reduced psychosocial function. Although more than two thirds of the s le had seizure frequency of less than one per year, it was apparent that even infrequent seizures had the facility to impair HRQOL, suggesting that in older adults, the apprehension induced by even the possibility of a seizure may be sufficient to reduce HRQOL. The results have implications for the clinical management of epilepsy and suggest the need for further research in older populations.
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 30-04-2022
DOI: 10.1007/S00167-022-06933-4
Abstract: Hip microinstability is a relatively new diagnosis which is increasingly being discussed in the literature and yet there are no clear guidelines for making a diagnosis. Microinstability has generally been defined as persistent excessive hip motion that has become symptomatic especially with pain. This aim of this Delphi study was to seek expert opinion to formulate a diagnostic criteria for hip microinstability. A Delphi methodology was used for this consensus study. A literature search was conducted on PubMed up to March 2019 using the keywords ((hip) and (microinstability)) to identify relevant articles on this topic. All relevant criteria used for diagnosing hip microinstability were collated to create a questionnaire and further criterion suggested by the experts were included as well. Four rounds of questionnaires were delivered via an online survey platform. Between each round the authors acted as administrating intermediaries, providing the experts with a summary of results and synthesising the next questionnaire. The expert panel was comprised of 27 members: 24 (89%) orthopaedic surgeons and 3 (11%) physiotherapists from around the world. Expert panel participation in rounds 1–4 was: 27 (100%), 20 (74%), 21 (78%) and 26 (96%) respectively. A literature review by the authors identified 32 diagnostic criteria to populate the first questionnaire. Experts suggested amending three criteria and creating five new criteria. The panel converged on ranking 3 (8%) of criteria as “Not important”, 20 (54%) as “Minor Factors” and 14 (38%) as “Major Factors”. No criteria was ranked as “Essential”. Criteria were subcategorised into patient history, examination and imaging. Experts voted for a minimum requirement of four criteria in each subcategory, including at least six “Major factors”. The final diagnostic tool was approved by 20 (77%) of the final round panel. This study describes the first known expert consensus on diagnosing hip microinstability. The relative complexity of the final diagnostic tool is illustrative of the difficulty clinicians’ face when making this diagnosis. V.
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 05-06-2013
DOI: 10.1111/AJAG.12043
Abstract: This review aims to identify factors that facilitate the establishment of enduring powers of attorney (EPOAs), and those that create a barrier to their establishment. The primary aim was to provide guidance about how to encourage future planning while people are cognitively able to make such important decisions. A detailed search of the literature was conducted to identify research looking at the motivating factors behind putting future-planning strategies in place. The literature highlighted a number of broad areas motivating the establishment of EPOAs, including: demographic factors intrapersonal and personality factors health and psychological factors cognitive factors and socio-emotional factors. While a number of factors play a role in determining whether or not a person establishes an EPOA, the factor most malleable to change is the awareness and knowledge of older adults and their families regarding the utility of EPOAs.
Publisher: Informa UK Limited
Date: 19-07-2012
DOI: 10.1080/13607863.2011.583622
Abstract: Erectile dysfunction (ED) affects millions of men, and their partners, worldwide (Fisher, Meryn, et al. 2005). Viagra, widely used to treat ED, impacts on both in iduals and interpersonal relationships yet social and psychological aspects of treatment are absent from the majority of research on the drug. The advent of Viagra has seen diminishing sexual capacities once linked with normal ageing now viewed as dysfunctional, with possible alternative psychological factors largely ignored. Research reveals a lack of discussion relating to the key users of Viagra (older men), with partners largely absent from the consultation process. We identify gaps in the extant literature on Viagra, including the social, psychological and emotional impact on sexual relationships and the experiences of older men and women.
Publisher: Cambridge University Press (CUP)
Date: 12-2018
DOI: 10.1017/S104161021800176X
Abstract: When we recognize that we don't have all the time in the world, we see our priorities most clearly.
Publisher: Oxford University Press (OUP)
Date: 19-03-2014
Abstract: The UQDRIVE program, a group education and support program, was developed to meet the needs associated with driving cessation for older adults. The current study investigated the effect of the program on community mobility. A prospective, parallel, stratified randomized controlled trial was undertaken with a waitlist control group receiving current clinical practice (no intervention). Data were collected pre, post, and 3 months following the intervention. Participants were adults aged 60 years or older who had ceased driving or planned to cease driving within 12 months. A total of 131 participants were included in analyses (67 intervention, 64 control). Participating in the intervention was significantly associated with a higher number of episodes away from home per week at immediately postintervention (z = 2.56, p = .01). This was not significantly maintained at 3-month follow-up. Participation in the intervention also significantly predicted higher use of public transport at immediately postintervention (z = 2.12, p = .034), higher use of walking at immediately postintervention (z = 2.69, p = .007), increased aspects of community mobility self-efficacy (z = 3.81, p = .0001), and higher satisfaction with transport at 3-month follow-up (z = 2.07, p = .038). The program increased community mobility immediately postintervention and transport satisfaction at 3 months postintervention. Due to a high attrition rate, further research is required to clarify the long-term impact of the intervention.
Publisher: SAGE Publications
Date: 13-08-2021
Abstract: This study examines factors related to sleep disturbances, and the dyadic sleep relationship, in a convenience s le of 29 persons with Parkinson disease (PD) and spouse carer dyads living in regional Queensland. Carers completed questionnaires on sleep, depression, anxiety, carer burden, and well-being. Regarding carers, 66% reported sleep disturbances related to nocturnally care demands. Less than half of informal carers with a disturbed sleep had informed a health professional of this problem. Medication was the most commonly advised sleep intervention (44%). Sleep disturbances in informal carers correlated with increasing carer burden, depression scores, anxiety scores, poor quality of life, negative cognitions related to their sleep disturbance, and poor sleep hygiene. Regarding patient-carer dyads, 59% reported both the in iduals having problematic sleep disturbances. Patient sleep disturbance correlated with informal carer increase in depression and anxiety scores, and poor carer burden. Informal carer’s sleep disturbance correlated with patient anxiety scores and severity of complications from PD therapy. Evidence-based sleep interventions addressing such dyads in rural areas warrant future study.
Publisher: Informa UK Limited
Date: 20-05-2022
DOI: 10.1080/07317115.2022.2072791
Abstract: This study aimed to explore the relationships between aging attitudes and the outcomes of successful aging, including whether aging attitudinal types moderate psychological adjustment in the context of medical and mental health diagnoses. In total, 409 community-dwelling women aged 40-79 years in Australia completed the Reactions to Aging Questionnaire (RAQ), Geriatric Depression Scale, Center of Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale, and Geriatric Anxiety Inventory. Information about medical and mental health diagnoses were collected. Overall, aging attitudes and all three RAQ subscales were negatively correlated with scores on measures of depression and anxiety, and number of medical diagnoses. Attitudinal types toward aging were found to moderate the relationship between the number of mental health diagnoses and scores on the psychological measures of depression but not anxiety. Unique RAQ domain-specific relationships were found with the number of mental health diagnoses. The findings support the link between aging attitudes and psychological outcomes, the potential clinical value of RAQ attitudinal typologies classification as well as a multidimensional conceptualization of aging attitudes. The findings reinforce the need for efforts to reduce ageism on a societal level, as well as informing clinical decision-making with older clients.
Publisher: JMIR Publications Inc.
Date: 04-07-2018
DOI: 10.2196/RESPROT.9902
Publisher: Informa UK Limited
Date: 08-12-2019
DOI: 10.1080/07317115.2017.1397829
Abstract: This study explored unique and personal domains associated with quality of life (QOL) in 153 mid-aged and older Australian adults over age 50, using an innovative measure of in idualized QOL, the Schedule for the Evaluation of In idual Quality of Life (SEIQOL-DW). Demographic measures as well as the SEIQOL-DW were administered. The qualitative responses on this scale were analyzed by Leximancer, a text analysis program that extracts semantic meaning and relational information automatically from text. For the s le as a whole, the most important QOL domain was found to be Relationships, followed by Family, Health, Activities, Community, Security, Beliefs, Independence and finally Wellbeing. When the s le was broken down into age bands for analysis, the most important domain theme was Family (50-59 year olds), Relationships (60-69 year olds), Relationships (70-79 year olds), and Health (80+ year olds). The wide range of concepts elicited in each domain via Leximancer underscores the argument for analyzing QOL in an in idualized way, as it was clear from these concepts that different domains had unique meanings to each person. Understanding QOL at the level of which domains in an in idual are important to QOL in later life is critical to providing services to both healthy aged as well as those with health and mental health needs. The SEIQOL-DW affords clinicians a unique tool with which to describe an in idual's unique and relevant quality of life areas, and affords a way to measure change in these areas as a result of interventions.
Publisher: Cambridge University Press (CUP)
Date: 11-05-2018
DOI: 10.1017/S1041610218000340
Abstract: Over two-thirds of Parkinson's disease (PD) patients experience comorbid neuropsychiatric symptoms, which adversely impact their quality of life and often require intervention. There is a preference for non-pharmacological, psychological approaches in addressing these symptoms. Given mobility limitations, travel burden, and cost, accessibility to psychological treatment can be problematic in this population. There has been a recent shift toward delivering care via telehealth in PD. Accordingly, this review aimed to examine remotely delivered psychological interventions for PD patients. Most of the telehealth studies for PD involved Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) based anxiety and depression telephone interventions with relatively short (one month) follow-up periods. Although a preliminary work indicates efficacy, future studies should demonstrate the non-inferiority of these telehealth programs compared to face-to-face delivery, and examine the long-term outcomes of remotely delivered therapy. Video-conferencing (VC) appears to be a promising modality to overcome noted limitations of telephone delivery, and has demonstrated efficacy for PD speech programs. Further research should be conducted evaluating telehealth VC modalities for delivery of psychotherapy including CBT, as well as mindfulness-based therapy and acceptance and commitment therapy for remote treatment of depression and anxiety in PD.
Publisher: Oxford University Press (OUP)
Date: 21-04-2017
Abstract: Recognizing the clinical importance and safety and well-being implications for the population, a multidisciplinary team has been researching older drivers and driving cessation issues for more than 15 years. Using empirical approaches, the team has explored quality of life and participation outcomes related to driving and nondriving for older people and has developed interventions to improve outcomes after driving cessation. The team members represent occupational therapists, medical practitioners, and clinical and neuropsychologists. While building the evidence base for driving- and driving cessation-related clinical practice, the researchers have also had first-hand experiences of interruptions to their own or parents' driving involvement of older family members in road crashes and provision of support during family members' driving assessment and cessation. This has led to reflection on their understandings and re-evaluation and refocusing of their perspectives in driving cessation research. This work will share the narratives of the authors and note their developing perspectives and foci within research as well as their clinical practice. Personal reflections have indicated the far-reaching implications for older drivers and family members of involvement in road crashes: the potential for interruptions to driving as a time for support and future planning and the conflicting and difficult roles of family members within the driving cessation process. Overall the lived, personal experience of the authors has reinforced the complex nature of driving and changes to driving status for the driver and their support team and the need for further research and support.
Publisher: Cambridge University Press (CUP)
Date: 04-01-2012
DOI: 10.1017/S1041610211002560
Abstract: Background: This study explored the transport and lifestyle issues of older retired and retiring drivers participating in the University of Queensland Driver Retirement Initiative (UQDRIVE), a group program to promote adjustment to driving cessation for retired and retiring older drivers. Methods: A mixed method research design explored the impact of UQDRIVE on the transport and lifestyle issues of 55 participants who were of mean age 77.9 years and predominantly female ( n = 40). The participants included retired ( n = 32) and retiring ( n = 23) drivers. Transport and lifestyle issues were identified using the Canadian Occupational Performance Measure and rated pre- and post-intervention. Results: Paired t -tests demonstrated a statistically significant improvement in performance ( t = 10.5, p 0.001) and satisfaction ( t = 9.9, p 0.001) scores of in idual issues. Qualitative content analysis identified three categories of issues including: protecting my lifestyle a better understanding of transport options and being prepared and feeling okay. Conclusions: Participation in UQDRIVE had a positive and significant effect on the issues of the participants. The results highlight that although all participants stated issues related predominantly to practical concerns, there were trends in the issues identified by the drivers and retired drivers that were consistent with their current phase of the driving cessation process.
Publisher: Oxford University Press (OUP)
Date: 27-03-2012
Abstract: high levels of social support and engagement may help sustain good health and functional ability. However, the definition of social support in previous research has been inconsistent and findings are mixed. The aim of this analysis was to explore the effect of two aspects of social support on subsequent disability in a group of community dwelling older women and men. data were drawn from two concurrent prospective observational cohort studies of community-based older Australian women (N = 2,013) and men (N = 680). Baseline and follow-up data were drawn from the second (1999) and fifth (2008) surveys of the women and the second (2001) and third (2008) surveys of the men. At baseline, social support was measured by the two subscales (social network and subjective support) of the Duke Social Support Index (DSSI). The outcome measure was Activities of Daily Living (ADLs) and Instrumental Activities of Daily Living (IADLs). overall, social network size was not associated with subsequent disability in either women or men. After adjusting for health status at baseline, lack of satisfaction with social support was associated with greater difficulties in ADLs and IADLs for both women and men. our results suggest that the provision of social support is insufficient to limit subsequent disability: support provided must be subjectively perceived to be relevant and adequate.
Publisher: Cambridge University Press (CUP)
Date: 2004
DOI: 10.1017/S1323892200000223
Abstract: Hearing loss is the third most prevalent chronic disability among older adults, with older adults the prime users of aural rehabilitation services. Ex-service personnel, in particular, frequently develop hearing-related disorders, and yet research on hearing aid utilisation in this group is sparse. The present study explored predictors of hearing aid use in a randomly selected s le of 1249 New Zealand veterans. Perceived benefit, performance and ease of use of aid(s) were related to increased use. Older veterans were more likely to use their aid(s) and greater overall hearing loss also increased adherence however, inexperienced wearers were less adherent. Satisfaction with audiological service and overall satisfaction with the performance of the aid(s) was also linked to use. Health related variables were unrelated to frequency of aid use. These results highlight the need to provide ongoing support for all veterans, but in particular novice users, who become engaged in ongoing aural rehabilitation processes.
Publisher: Springer New York
Date: 2008
Publisher: SAGE Publications
Date: 10-07-2014
Abstract: This study examines how often depression and anxiety, in patients with diabetes, are detected by health professionals and whether detection is influenced by patient characteristics (age, gender), illness factors (duration of illness, diabetes control), and self-reported levels of depression and anxiety. Prevalence rates of clinically significant depression and anxiety were high (57% and 36%, respectively) however, of those identified, only 44 and 36 per cent, respectively, were detected by staff as depressed or anxious. The only significant predictors of detection were severity of depressive and anxious symptoms. Patient and illness characteristics did not influence whether professionals identified emotional problems in their patients.
Publisher: Informa UK Limited
Date: 03-04-2017
Publisher: Informa UK Limited
Date: 26-02-2017
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 26-10-2021
DOI: 10.1111/AJAG.13007
Abstract: Lifespace, the physical area in which someone conducts life activities, indicates lived community mobility. This study explored the feasibility of technology‐based lifespace measurement for older people with dementia and mild cognitive impairment (MCI), including the generation of a range of lifespace metrics, and investigation of relationships with health and mobility status. An exploratory study was conducted within a longitudinal observational study. Eighteen older adults (mean age 86.7 years (SD: 3.2) 8 men 15 MCI), participated. Lifespace metrics were generated from geolocation data (GPS and Bluetooth beacon) collected through a smartphone application for one week (2015–2016). Cognitive and mobility‐related outcomes were compared from study data sets at baseline (2005–2007) and 6‐year follow‐up (2011–2014). Lifespace data could be collected from all participants, and metrics were generated including percentage of time at home, maximum distance from home, episodes of travel in a week, days in a week participants left home, lifespace area (daily, weekly and total), indoor lifespace (regions in the home/hour), and a developed lifespace score that combined time, frequency of travel, distance and area. Results indicated a large range of lifespace areas (0.1 – 97.88 km 2 median 6.77 km 2 ) with similar patterns across lifespace metrics. Significant relationships were found between lifespace metrics and concurrent driving status and anteceding scores on the sit‐to‐stand test (at baseline and follow‐up). Further longitudinal exploration of lifespace is required to develop an understanding of the nature of lifespace of older community‐dwelling people, and its relationship with health, mobility and well‐being outcomes.
Publisher: Cambridge University Press (CUP)
Date: 06-01-2016
DOI: 10.1017/S1041610215002070
Abstract: As the global population ages, it is important that the professional care workforce is well prepared to support the needs of people with dementia. In Australia, the Dementia Behaviour Management Advisory Service (DBMAS) supports people with dementia and their carers through an interdisciplinary team approach. To provide DBMAS Behaviour Consultants with a tool to guide them in their professional development, this project aimed to develop a self-assessment tool to enable self-reflection on clinical competencies required for working in the service and identification of areas where further development would be required. A multi-stage process was applied in the development of the tool, including review of the relevant literature and focus groups with DBMAS Behaviour Consultants and Team Leaders. The tool encompasses both skills and knowledge in working with people with dementia and caregivers. A pilot study including 14 DBMAS consultants was conducted to assess the utility of the measure and ensure variability of ratings across knowledge and skill areas relative to time working in DBMAS. The Knowledge and Skills Assessment (KASA) was developed and is now used in DBMAS service both with novice Behaviour Consultants and more experienced staff, and is also being used as an on-line version, accompanied with case vignettes. The KASA provides a valuable self-assessment tool for professional care staff working in dementia care, but would nevertheless still warrant further testing of its psychometric characteristics.
Publisher: Informa UK Limited
Date: 04-11-2008
Publisher: Informa UK Limited
Date: 06-2011
Publisher: American Psychological Association (APA)
Date: 2013
DOI: 10.1037/A0034632
Publisher: Informa UK Limited
Date: 11-2006
Publisher: Informa UK Limited
Date: 11-2005
Publisher: Portico
Date: 11-1993
DOI: 10.1037/032797
Publisher: Informa UK Limited
Date: 13-07-2015
DOI: 10.1080/13607863.2015.1060943
Abstract: To identify latent subgroups of women in late life who are alike in terms of their mental health trajectories. Longitudinal data are for 9683 participants in the 1921-1926 cohort of the Australian Longitudinal Study on Women's Health, who completed at least two surveys between 1999 (aged 73-78 years) and 2008 (aged 82-87 years). Mental health was measured using the five-item mental health inventory (MHI-5). Latent profile analysis uncovered patterns of change in MHI-5 scores. Three patterns of change were identified for women who were still alive in 2008 (n = 7061), and three similar patterns for deceased women (n = 2622): (1) 'poor mental health' representing women with low MHI-5 scores, (2) 'good mental health' and (3) 'excellent' mental health, where scores remained very high. Deceased women had lower mental health scores for each class. Remote areas of residence, higher education, single marital status, higher Body Mass Index (BMI) and falls were the covariates associated with mental health in the survivor group. For the deceased group, education, BMI and falls were significant. Arthritis, stroke, heart disease, bronchitis/emphysema, diabetes and osteoporosis were associated with worse mental health for both groups, while asthma increased these odds significantly for the survivor group only. Hypertension and cancer were not significant predictors of poor mental health. The results show associations between chronic disease and level of mental health in older age, but no evidence of a large decline in mental health in the period prior to death.
Publisher: Informa UK Limited
Date: 05-02-2019
Publisher: Cambridge University Press (CUP)
Date: 07-04-2016
DOI: 10.1017/S1041610216000569
Abstract: Emotional distress associated with Parkinson's disease (PD) increases disease burden and decreases functioning. The literature supports the benefits of psychological interventions for amelioration of emotional distress in persons with PD. The objective of this study is to apply the Contextual Adult Lifespan Theory for Adapting Psychotherapy (CALTAP) to enhancing psychological treatment for persons with PD. This paper uses case ex les to demonstrate the usefulness of the CALTAP model in helping patients and clinicians separate disease symptoms from the aging process. The ex les also illustrate how working in this way can be beneficial in reducing emotional distress in persons with PD. CALTAP contributes to helping persons with PD and persons treating them understand the effects of the disease, separate disease effects from aging processes, and think through the influences of social context, cohort effects, and cultural differences. The CALTAP model can guide adaptations to psychological interventions for emotional distress in PD and potentially improve their effects.
Publisher: Informa UK Limited
Date: 06-05-2008
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 02-2008
DOI: 10.1016/J.YEBEH.2007.10.005
Abstract: Epilepsy is one of the most common neurological disorders of late adulthood, yet little research has examined the impact of epilepsy in an older population, particularly in relation to depression. It has been argued that the symptomatology of interictal depression closely resembles that of dysthymia however, our understanding of depression in older people with epilepsy is generalized from younger populations. This study examined the prevalence and symptomatology of depression, using both self-report and clinical interview, in a community-dwelling group of older adults with epilepsy compared with an age-matched control group. An additional aim of the study was to determine if a self-reported history of depression was a predictor of late-onset (after 55 years) epilepsy. Among the epilepsy group, 40.6% reported symptoms of depression that were congruent with dysthymic-like disorder of epilepsy however, no relationship was apparent between prior depression and late-onset epilepsy.
Publisher: American Psychological Association (APA)
Date: 03-2015
DOI: 10.1037/A0038671
Abstract: Previous research has shown that drivers aged over 65 years can improve their scores in video-based hazard perception tests following training interventions. In order to examine the longer-term effects of hazard perception training, we recruited 75 drivers aged 65 and over. They either received a 35-min hazard perception training intervention or a placebo intervention. Significant decreases in hazard perception response time as a result of the training were found immediately after the intervention, and approximately 1 month and 3 months later. There was no significant decay in the training effect over this time period.
Publisher: Cambridge University Press (CUP)
Date: 15-10-2020
Abstract: Driving and stopping driving present challenging issues for older people living with memory problems and the family members supporting them. Changes to driving status impact the in idual stopping driving and their family members. CarFreeMe is an existing, effective driving cessation program for older people that may be applicable to older people living with dementia. The purpose of this study was to adapt the program and explore feasibility and key stakeholder perspectives. The Medical Research Council guidelines for conducting research into complex interventions guided the development, acceptability and feasibility piloting. A multidisciplinary approach was taken, and key stakeholders were involved throughout the process. This included an adaptation process, followed by expert reference group feedback and case series pilot study. The background research indicated that some key changes were required to meet the needs of people living with dementia. Aspects of the content, language, format and activities were adapted and an additional module was created for family members – whose involvement was identified as important. A more personalized, flexible approach was recommended. The expert reference group [psychologists ( n = 2), occupational therapists ( n = 3) and dementia behavior consultants ( n = 2)] indicated the program was appropriate and needed, and made recommendations for feasibility. Pilot testing with three families indicated acceptability. A driving cessation program adapted for use with people living with dementia and their families required some changes to meet the needs and situations based on feedback from key stakeholders. Future studies will evaluate implementation outcomes across a range of settings.
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 22-06-2009
DOI: 10.1002/ACP.1591
Publisher: Ovid Technologies (Wolters Kluwer Health)
Date: 05-1996
Abstract: We present a case of acute alcohol-induced Korsakoff amnesia. A severe amnestic-confabulatory syndrome characterized the early clinical status. The initial neuropsychological tests demonstrated severe learning deficits plus impaired performance on many, but not all, tests of frontal lobe function. Single-photon emission CT (SPECT) at this stage showed hypoperfusion in the orbital and medical frontal regions and the medial diencephalic area. Four months later, the patient's amnesia remained but there was no confabulation. Repeat neuropsychological tests confirmed an ongoing severe amnesia, but performance on the frontal lobe tests now was normal. Repeat SPECT showed a return to normal perfusion in the frontal brain areas but little improvement in the medial diencephalic region. These findings along with data from the clinical literature suggest that confabulation results from dysfunction of orbital and a medial frontal cortex.
Publisher: Oxford University Press (OUP)
Date: 13-02-2017
Publisher: Informa UK Limited
Date: 04-11-2008
Publisher: Cambridge University Press (CUP)
Date: 12-12-2015
DOI: 10.1017/S1041610214002567
Abstract: Quality of life (QOL) is lower in older adults with generalized anxiety disorder (GAD). QOL generally improves following cognitive-behavioral treatment for GAD. Little is known, however, about additional variables predicting changes in QOL in older adults with GAD. This study examined predictors of change in QOL among older participants in a randomized clinical trial of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) for GAD, relative to enhanced usual care (EUC). Hierarchical multilevel mixed-model analyses were used to examine inter-in idual and intra-in idual factors that predicted QOL over time. Predictors were categorized into treatment, personal and clinical characteristics. QOL improved over time, and there was significant variability between participants in change in QOL. Controlling for treatment condition, baseline general self-efficacy, baseline social support, within-person variation in worry and depression and average levels of depression across different time points predicted changes in QOL. QOL has increasingly been used as an outcome measure in treatment outcome studies to focus on overall improvement in functioning. Attention to improvement in symptoms of depression and worry, along with psychosocial variables, such as social support and self-efficacy, may help improve QOL in older adults with GAD. This study was a secondary study of data from a randomized clinical trial (NCT00308724) registered with clinical.trials.gov.
Publisher: Cambridge University Press (CUP)
Date: 23-08-2012
DOI: 10.1017/S1041610212001378
Abstract: Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) use has been researched widely however, studies with older adults and Australian populations are limited. The profile of Australian women CAM users has been mapped using the 1996 data from the ALSWH (Adams et al ., 2003). Mid-age adults were frequent CAM users (28%) followed by young adults (19%) and older adults (15%). No consistent characteristics of CAM users across age groups were identified. Generally, CAM users lived in non-urban settings, and reported poorer physical and mental health. Predictors of CAM use for Australian women have not yet been explored.
Publisher: Ovid Technologies (Wolters Kluwer Health)
Date: 11-1996
Abstract: Frontotemporal dementia (FTD) is a common neurodegenerative dementia that can be difficult to distinguish clinically from Alzheimer's disease (AD).The differential distribution of pathology in FTD and AD predicts the presence of differential cognitive features on mental status examination. We compared 39 FTD patients with 101 AD patients on the Consortium to Establish a Registry in AD examination supplemented by cognitive areas from the Neurobehavioral Cognitive Status Examination. The FTD patients were diagnosed using noncognitive clinical and neuro-imaging criteria and were comparable to the AD patients in terms of gender, educational level, and dementia severity ratings. The FTD patients performed significantly better than the AD patients on constructions and calculations. These findings were at the lower limits of normal for older normal controls and persisted after covarying for younger age and higher Mini-Mental Status Examination scores in the FTD group. In addition to personality and neuroimaging features, relatively preserved performance of elementary drawings and calculations in FTD suggests additional features for distinguishing FTD patients from comparably demented AD patients. NEUROLOGY 1996 : 1189-1194
Publisher: Informa UK Limited
Date: 06-01-2020
Publisher: Cambridge University Press (CUP)
Date: 02-09-2013
DOI: 10.1017/S1041610213001464
Abstract: The impact of dementia on safe driving is well recognized and is generally accepted that all people with dementia are likely to need to cease driving at some stage in the disease process. Both driving and driving cessation can have poor outcomes for people with dementia and their caregivers in terms of health, safety, community access, and well-being. Although approaches to facilitate better outcomes from driving cessation are being developed, the processes of driving cessation for people with dementia are still not fully understood. Within a descriptive phenomenological framework, semi-structured interviews were undertaken with key stakeholders, including retired drivers with dementia, family members, and health professionals. Findings from four retired drivers with dementia, 11 caregivers, and 15 health professionals characterized driving cessation for people with dementia as a process with three stages and associated challenges and needs. The early stage involved worried waiting , balancing safety with impending losses, and the challenge of knowing when to stop. The crisis stage involved risky driving or difficult transportation, acute adjustment to cessation and life without driving, and relationship conflict. The post-cessation stage was described as a long journey with ongoing battles and adjustments as well as decreased life space, and was affected by the disease progression and the exhaustion of caregiver. The concept of stages of driving cessation for people with dementia could be used to develop new approaches or adapt existing approaches to driving cessation. Interventions would need to be in idualized, optimally timed, and address grief, explore realistic alternative community access, and simultaneously maintain key relationships and provide caregiver support.
Publisher: SAGE Publications
Date: 02-08-2018
Abstract: Depression and anxiety are prevalent in Parkinson disease (PD) yet underrecognized in clinical practice. Caregiver reports are frequently utilized to aid in the assessment of neuropsychiatric symptoms but little is known about caregivers’ ability to recognize them in patients with PD. This study sought to examine the accuracy of caregiver reports. Eighty patient–caregiver dyads were involved. Accuracy of caregiver recognition was assessed by examining the level of agreement between caregiver ratings on the Neuropsychiatric Inventory and patients’ diagnosis of depression and anxiety on the Mini-International Neuropsychiatric Interview (MINI)-Plus. The agreement between caregiver report and MINI-Plus diagnosis was low for both depression (6.3%) and anxiety (17.5%). The presence of depression was overreported, while anxiety was largely underestimated by caregivers. Caregiver distress significantly predicted inaccurate caregiver identification of depression ( R 2 = .51, P .001) and anxiety ( R 2 = .08, P .05). Results indicate that caregivers may be poor at recognizing depression and anxiety in patients with PD. Utilization of caregiver report should take into account potential biases that affect caregiver judgment.
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 24-01-2022
DOI: 10.1111/AJAG.13035
Abstract: Negative attitudes towards ageing have been associated with poor mental well‐being, and protective factors are not well‐understood. This study examined the relationship between ageing attitudes and symptoms of anxiety and depression, and the potential moderating effect of age, and buffering effects of social support, physical activity and education. This study used a subs le of 482 adults aged 50+ years from a mail questionnaire study in Brisbane, Australia. Data were analysed using linear regression. People with more positive ageing attitudes reported fewer symptoms of anxiety and depression, with no moderating effect of age. There was a significant interaction between ageing attitudes and education on depression, and a similar trend for anxiety. This study confirmed the adverse impacts of negative ageing attitudes on mental health and indicated that those with low education may be most vulnerable. This has implications for future research and targeting interventions for mental health promotion.
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 05-08-2021
DOI: 10.1111/AJAG.12980
Abstract: To identify the specific risk factors for dementia in the Torres Strait. This research was conducted as part of a cross‐sectional dementia prevalence study conducted in the Torres Strait. Participants underwent a comprehensive health assessment, where data on risk factors were collected, and a Geriatrician assessment, which was used to establish dementia diagnoses. A total of 276 Torres Strait residents aged between 45 and 93 participated in the study. Cerebrovascular disease, chronic kidney disease and older age were the most significant risk factors in this population. Once adjusted for age, cerebrovascular disease, chronic kidney disease, diabetes, low education and problems with mobility and incontinence were significantly associated with dementia. Reducing dementia risk in the Torres Strait requires multifactorial interventions to address potentially modifiable risk factors with a particular focus on addressing the development of chronic midlife diseases.
Publisher: Oxford University Press
Date: 10-2014
Publisher: Cambridge University Press (CUP)
Date: 05-03-2015
DOI: 10.1017/S1041610215000241
Abstract: Background: Older adults with mental health disorders underutilize mental health services more than other adults. While there are well known general barriers to help seeking across the population, specific barriers for older adults include difficulties with transportation, beliefs that it is normal to be anxious and depressed in old age, and beliefs by referrers that psychological therapy is less likely to be effective. This study examined barriers related to identifying the need for help, seeking help and participating in therapy in a clinical population of older adults. Method: Sixty older adults (aged 60–79 years) with comorbid anxiety and unipolar mood disorders completed barriers to treatment questionnaires before and after psychological group treatment, as well as measures of cognitive ability, anxiety, depression, and quality of life at baseline. Results: The greatest barriers to help seeking related to difficulties identifying the need for help, with 50% of the s le reporting their belief that their symptoms were normal as a major barrier. Other major barriers identified were related to: self-reliance, cost of treatment, and fear of medication replicating previous findings. The main barriers reported for difficulties in continuing therapy included not finding therapy helpful, cost of treatment, and thinking that the therapist did not understand their issues. Conclusions: The main barriers identified related to issues with identifying the need to seek help. More attention is needed to educate older adults and professionals about the need for, and effectiveness of, psychological therapies for older adults with anxiety and depression to reduce this barrier to help seeking.
Publisher: Cambridge University Press (CUP)
Date: 22-03-2016
DOI: 10.1017/S1041610216000211
Abstract: Driving cessation in later life is associated with depression. This study examines if social support can buffer the negative effects of driving cessation on older women's mental health. Participants were drawn from the 1921–1926 cohort of the Australian Longitudinal Study on Women's Health (ALSWH) and included 4,075 older women (aged 76–87 years) who drove at baseline, following them for three years to assess driving cessation. The outcome variable was mental health, measured by the mental health index (MHI) of the SF-36. The explanatory variables were social support factors, including social interaction, whether the women were living alone or with others, and engagement in social activities. Control variables included age, country of birth, area of residence, ability to manage on income, marital status, and general health. Main effect results showed that poor mental health was predicted by driving cessation, low levels of social interaction, and non-engagement in social activities. There was a significant interaction effect of driving status by social activities engagement on mental health. Women who remained active in their engagement of social activities were able to maintain a good level of mental health despite driving cessation. Engagement and participation in social activities can help older women who stopped driving maintain a good level of mental health.
Publisher: Informa UK Limited
Date: 2003
Publisher: Ovid Technologies (Wolters Kluwer Health)
Date: 2009
DOI: 10.1097/GME.0B013E3181775EB4
Abstract: Investigations into the cognitive effects of surgically and chemically induced menopause are frequently combined with naturally occurring menopause and hormone therapy. However, there is some evidence that women who undergo surgical menopause may experience more cognitive decline post surgery as well as more benefit from subsequent hormone therapy use than women who experience naturally occurring menopause. Little is known about the effects of chemically induced menopause on cognitive function. The aim of this review was to examine whether premature menopause affects cognitive functioning. PubMed, MEDLINE, and PsychINFO searches of the literature published from 1988 to 2007 pertaining to the understanding of the relationships between induced menopause and cognitive dysfunction were reviewed. Those combining induced menopause with natural menopause, those involving a disease process (eg, dementia), and animal studies were excluded. Although smaller prospective studies have found that surgical menopause is associated with specific deficits in the memory (visual and verbal) and verbal fluency domains, larger randomized, controlled trials have generally found no effect of surgical menopause on cognitive functioning. The effects of chemical menopause are harder to assess as only three prospective trials have explicitly investigated the effect of induced menopause in the context of breast cancer treatment, and the results remain inconclusive. However, as surgical and chemical menopause both comprise the abrupt withdrawal of estrogen, there is the potential that this process may exert neurobiological effects that are different from those occurring with natural menopause and further prospective investigations comprising pre- and postsurgical/chemotherapy neuropsychological assessments are warranted.
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 10-2017
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 02-05-2023
DOI: 10.1186/S43058-023-00427-1
Abstract: This study describes the development of an intervention to increase the frequency of audiologists’ asking about and providing information regarding mental wellbeing within adult audiology services. The Behaviour Change Wheel (BCW), an eight-step systematic process, was followed to develop the intervention. Reports describing the first four steps are published elsewhere. This report describes the final four steps and details the intervention developed. A multifaceted intervention was developed to change audiologists’ behaviours relating to providing mental wellbeing support to adults with hearing loss. Specifically, three behaviours were targeted: (1) asking clients about their mental wellbeing, (2) providing general information on the mental wellbeing impacts of hearing loss, and (3) providing personalised information on managing the mental wellbeing impacts of hearing loss. A variety of intervention functions and behaviour change techniques were incorporated into the intervention, including instruction and demonstration, information about others approval, adding objects to the environment, use of prompts/cues, and endorsement from credible sources. This study is the first to use the Behaviour Change Wheel to develop an intervention targeting mental wellbeing support behaviours in audiologists and confirms the usability and usefulness of the approach in a complex area of clinical care. The systematic development of the Ask, Inform, Manage, Encourage, Refer (AIMER) intervention will facilitate a thorough evaluation of its effectiveness in the next phase of this work.
Publisher: SAGE Publications
Date: 2020
Abstract: Recalcitrant greater trochanteric pain is increasingly recognized as an indication for surgical intervention. The arthroscopic approach has become rapidly more common than the open alternative. Patients undergoing radiofrequency microdebridement (RFMD) as an adjunct to arthroscopic gluteal bursectomy (AGB) and iliotibial band release (ITBR) will experience better functional improvement than AGB and ITBR alone at 1 year. Randomized controlled trial Level of evidence, 2. A total of 33 patients with failed nonoperative treatment of gluteal tendinopathy were randomly allocated to undergo AGB/ITBR or AGB/ITBR + RFMD. Full-thickness tears were excluded. The primary outcome measure was the modified Harris Hip Score (mHHS) at 52 weeks. Secondary outcome measures included the mHHS, Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC), visual analog scale (VAS) for pain, and 12-item Short Form Health Survey (SF-12), which were evaluated at 0, 6, 12, 24, and 52 weeks. Statistical significance was defined as P .05. A total of 33 participants (33 hips 30 female and 3 male mean age, 58 years) were randomized 16 patients underwent AGB/ITBR + RFMD, and 17 underwent AGB/ITBR. Participants’ functionality improved in both groups at all time intervals. The mean mHHS score improved from 57.49 ± 10.61 to 77.76 ± 18.40 ( P = .004) and from 58.98 ± 12.33 to 79.96 ± 18.86 ( P = .001) at 52 weeks in the AGB/ITBR and AGB/ITBR + RFMD groups, respectively, although there was no statistically significant difference between groups. There were no device-related adverse events. AGB/ITBR led to significant improvements in patients with recalcitrant gluteal tendinopathy. In this small RCT, the addition of RFMD showed no additional benefit to AGB/ITBR but provided a safe adjunct for the surgical management of recalcitrant gluteal tendinopathy. NCT01562366 ( ClinicalTrials.gov identifier).
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 03-04-2014
DOI: 10.1002/PON.3523
Abstract: A breast cancer diagnosis is a distressing event that impacts on physical and psychological functioning. This study examined the longitudinal relationships among a diagnosis of breast cancer, social support, and health-related quality of life (HRQOL). Participants were 412 women from the 1946-1951 birth cohort of the Australian Longitudinal Study on Women's Health who self-reported a new diagnosis of breast cancer between 1998 and 2007. The three surveys of longitudinal data analyzed included data 3 years before diagnosis, at diagnosis (baseline), and 3 years after diagnosis (follow-up). Social support was measured using the 19-item Medical Outcomes Study Social Support Survey HRQOL was measured using the Medical Outcomes Study 36-item Short-Form Health Survey. Compared with pre-diagnosis HRQOL, women newly diagnosed with breast cancer reported significantly poorer HRQOL in subscales related to pain, physical functioning, and health and vitality. At 3-year follow-up, HRQOL had improved in most domains to levels consistent with pre-diagnosis. Levels of social support remained stable across time. The structural equation model showed that social support was positively predictive of better physical and mental HRQOL at 3-year follow-up. Longitudinal analyses indicate that social support appears to be an important predictor of HRQOL in women diagnosed with breast cancer. In particular, positive emotional and informational support that may normally be provided by a partner is important in maintaining HRQOL. Identification of those lacking social support, especially patients without partners, will enable them to be guided to appropriate support networks and programs.
Publisher: Cambridge University Press (CUP)
Date: 11-02-2015
DOI: 10.1017/S1041610215000125
Abstract: Anxiety disorders are assumed to increase suicide risk, although confounding by comorbid psychiatric disorders may be one explanation. This study describes the characteristics of older patients with an anxiety disorder who died by suicide in comparison to younger patients. A 15-year national clinical survey of all suicides in the UK ( n = 25,128). Among the 4,481 older patients who died by suicide (≥ 60 years), 209 (4.7%) suffered from a primary anxiety disorder, and 533 (11.9%) from a comorbid anxiety disorder. Characteristics of older ( n = 209) and younger ( n = 773) patients with a primary anxiety disorder were compared by logistic regression adjusted for sex and living arrangement. Compared to younger patients, older patients with a primary anxiety disorder were more often males and more often lived alone. Although 60% of older patients had a history of psychiatric admissions and 50% of deliberate self-harm, a history of self-harm, violence, and substance misuse was significantly less frequent compared to younger patients, whereas physical health problems and comorbid depressive illness were more common. Older patients were prescribed significantly more psychotropic drugs and received less psychotherapy compared to younger patients. Anxiety disorders are involved in one of every six older patients who died by suicide. Characteristics among patients who died by suicide show severe psychopathology, with a more prominent role for physical decline and social isolation compared to their younger counterparts. Moreover, treatment was less optimal in the elderly, suggesting ageism. These results shed light on the phenomenon of suicide in late-life anxiety disorder and suggest areas where prevention efforts might be focused.
Publisher: Cambridge University Press (CUP)
Date: 2004
DOI: 10.1017/S1323892200000247
Abstract: Older persons, particularly women, who in later life require intervention for mental and physical disability, will become an increasing proportion of the population served by health professionals. Personal, dispositional and contextual factors all play an important role in how these women cope with physical and mental health stressors. An improved understanding of both the stressors and potential coping resources available to this population can assist therapists to design interventions for maximal efficacy.
Publisher: Cambridge University Press (CUP)
Date: 18-05-2010
DOI: 10.1017/S1041610210000505
Abstract: Background: Differential diagnosis implies identifying shared and ergent characteristics between clinical states. Clinical work with older adults demands not only the knowledge of nosological features associated with differential diagnosis, but also recognition of idiosyncratic factors associated with this population. Several factors can interfere with an accurate diagnosis of specific phobia in older cohorts. The goal of this paper is to review criteria for specific phobia and its differential diagnosis with panic disorder, agoraphobia, post-traumatic stress disorder and obsessive compulsive disorder, while stressing the specific factors associated with aging. Methods: A literature search regarding specific phobia in older adults was carried out using PubMed. Relevant articles were selected and scanned for further pertinent references. In addition, relevant references related to differential diagnosis and assessment were used. Results: Etiologic factors, specificity of feared stimulus or situation, fear predictability and the nature of phobic situations are key points to be assessed when implementing a differential diagnosis of specific phobia. Conclusions: First, age-related sensory impairments are common and interfere both with information processing and communication. Second, medical illnesses create symptoms that might cause, interfere with, or mimic anxiety. Third, cohort effects might result in underreporting, through the inability to communicate or recognize anxiety symptoms, misattributing them to physical conditions. Finally, diagnostic criteria and screening instruments were usually developed using younger s les and are therefore not adapted to the functional and behavioral characteristics of older s les.
Publisher: Cambridge University Press (CUP)
Date: 16-11-2012
DOI: 10.1017/S1041610211002213
Abstract: I am very pleased to be able to introduce the three research papers which have placed first, second and third in the 2011 International Psychogeriatric Association (IPA) Junior Research Awards in Psychogeriatrics. These papers represent the work of three promising young researchers in psychogeriatrics, and both IPA and International Psychogeriatrics are pleased to support such researchers by bringing their research findings to a wide audience.
Publisher: Oxford University Press
Date: 2015
Publisher: The Haworth Press
Date: 02-02-2004
Publisher: Oxford University Press (OUP)
Date: 23-09-2022
Abstract: We adapted the CarFreeMe™-Dementia program created by The University of Queensland for drivers in the United States. CarFreeMe™-Dementia aims to assist drivers living with dementia and their care partners as they plan for or adjust to driving retirement. This semi-structured program focuses on driving retirement education and support. Topics include how dementia affects driving, lifestyle planning, stress management, and alternative transportation options. This study evaluated the feasibility, acceptability, and utility of the CarFreeMe™-Dementia intervention. This pilot phase of the study included 16 care partners and 11 drivers with memory loss who were preparing for or adjusting to driving retirement. Participants completed 4-8 CarFreeMe™-Dementia intervention telehealth sessions. Online surveys (baseline, 1- and 3-month) and post-intervention semi-structured interviews informed evaluation of the intervention program using a mixed methods approach. This study established initial support for CarFreeMe™-Dementia in the United States. Participants indicated the program facilitated dialogue around driving retirement and provided guidance on community engagement without driving. Respondents appreciated the program's emphasis on overall well-being, promoted through lifestyle planning and stress management. They also reported the program offered practical preparation for transitioning to driving retirement. The CarFreeMe™-Dementia intervention, tailored to an American audience, appears to be a feasible, acceptable, and useful support program for drivers with memory loss (and/or their care partners) who are preparing for or adjusting to driving retirement. Further investigations of the efficacy of the CarFreeMe™-Dementia intervention in the United States, as well as other countries and cultural contexts, are warranted.
Publisher: Informa UK Limited
Date: 17-01-2007
Publisher: Cambridge University Press (CUP)
Date: 22-07-2011
DOI: 10.1017/S1041610211001372
Abstract: Background: Women report higher rates of depression and anxiety than men however, it is uncertain whether this gender difference continues into advanced old age. Methods: 78 men and 111 women aged 82–87 years from the Men, Women and Ageing Project completed measures of anxiety (Geriatric Anxiety Inventory), depression (Patient Health Questionnaire PHQ9), general psychological well-being (Mental Health subscale of SF-36), general health (general health item of SF-36) and cognitive status (Telephone Interview for Cognitive Status TICS). Results: Results revealed no significant gender differences on any of the psychological measures, after controlling for cognitive status, general health and education. Conclusion: These results support the proposition that the female predominance in psychological distress diminishes with increasing age. The congruence between men and women may reflect changes in identity associated with age or the effect of decreased emotional valence of some social roles.
Publisher: Cambridge University Press (CUP)
Date: 03-08-2012
DOI: 10.1017/S1041610212001366
Abstract: Background: People with dementia have a range of needs that are met by informal caregivers. A DVD-based training program was developed using research-based strategies for memory and communication in dementia. The effectiveness of the training on the caregiver experience and the well-being of the person with dementia was evaluated. Methods: A pre-test ost-test controlled trial was undertaken with caregiver–care-recipient dyads living in the community. Measures of the carers’ knowledge of memory and communication strategies, burden, positive perceptions of caregiving, and perceptions of problem behaviors were taken pre- and three months post-intervention. The depression and well-being of the person with dementia were also evaluated. Satisfaction with the training and feedback were measured. Results: Twenty-nine dyads (13 training group, 16 control group) participated. Bonferroni's correction was made to adjust for multiple comparisons, setting α at 0.00385. A significant improvement was found in caregivers’ knowledge for the training group compared to the control group ( p = 0.0011). The training group caregivers reported a reduction in the frequency of care recipient disruptive behaviors ( p = 0.028) and increased perceptions of positive aspects of caregiving ( p = 0.039), both at a level approaching significance. The training group care recipients had increased frequency of verbally communicated depressive behaviors at a level approaching significance ( p = 0.0126). The frequency of observed depressive behaviors was not significantly different between groups. Conclusions: This approach to training for caregivers of people with dementia appears promising for its impact on knowledge and the caregiving experience. Further research could monitor the impact of the training on broader measures of depression and well-being, with a larger s le.
Publisher: Informa UK Limited
Date: 03-2006
Publisher: Informa UK Limited
Date: 09-12-2014
DOI: 10.1080/02699931.2013.863179
Abstract: Cognitive models of anxiety and depression have long suggested a central role for future-oriented thinking in these disorders. Experimental studies suggest that anxiety and depression are characterised by distinct future-oriented thinking profiles, and that these profiles are markedly different from those of asymptomatic adults. In this paper, we review these profiles and propose two explanatory models marked by two different neurocognitive systems. The Reconstructive Memory Model emphasises a role for emotionally driven learning and retrieval in episodic foresight (i.e., the construction of future-oriented scenarios), and the Valuation Model proposes that an overweighing of risk and uncertainty estimates can be invoked to explain the future-oriented thought patterns. We consider the effectiveness of interventions aimed at altering such thought patterns. We suggest that future research aimed at elucidating the neurobiological underpinnings of future-oriented thinking in anxiety and depression can play an important role in advancing development of effective biological and psychosocial interventions for these disorders.
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 09-2009
Publisher: Cambridge University Press (CUP)
Date: 11-08-2014
DOI: 10.1017/S1041610214001586
Abstract: The Geriatric Anxiety Inventory is a 20-item geriatric-specific measure of anxiety severity. While studies suggest good internal consistency and convergent validity, ergent validity from measures of depression are weak. Clinical cutoffs have been developed that vary across studies due to the small clinical s les used. A six-item short form (GAI-SF) has been developed, and while this scale is promising, the research assessing the psychometrics of this scale is limited. This study examined the psychometric properties of GAI and GAI-SF in a large s le of 197 clinical geriatric participants with a comorbid anxiety and unipolar mood disorder, and a non-clinical control s le ( N = 59). The internal consistency and convergent validity with other measures of anxiety was adequate for GAI and GAI-SF. Divergent validity from depressive symptoms was good in the clinical s le but weak in the total and non-clinical s les. Divergent validity from cognitive functioning was good in all s les. The one-factor structure was replicated for both measures. Receiver Operating Characteristic analyses indicated that the GAI is more accurate at identifying clinical status than the GAI-SF, although the sensitivity and specificity for the recommended cutoffs was adequate for both measures. Both GAI and GAI-SF show good psychometric properties for identifying geriatric anxiety. The GAI-SF may be a useful alternative screening measure for identifying anxiety in older adults.
Publisher: Cambridge University Press (CUP)
Date: 05-11-2014
DOI: 10.1017/S1041610214002312
Abstract: Comorbid anxiety disorders are common in late-life depression and negatively impact treatment outcome. This study aimed to examine personality characteristics as well as early and recent life-events as possible determinants of comorbid anxiety disorders in late-life depression, taking previously examined determinants into account. Using the Composite International Diagnostic Interview (CIDI 2.0), we established comorbid anxiety disorders (social phobia (SP), panic disorder (PD), generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), and agoraphobia (AGO)) in 350 patients (aged ≥60 years) suffering from a major depressive disorder according to DSM-IV-TR criteria within the past six months. Adjusted for age, sex, and level of education, we first examined previously identified determinants of anxious depression: depression severity, suicidality, partner status, loneliness, chronic diseases, and gait speed in multiple logistic regression models. Subsequently, associations were explored with the big five personality characteristics as well as early and recent life-events. First, multiple logistic regression analyses were conducted with the presence of any anxiety disorder (yes/no) as dependent variable, where after analyses were repeated for each anxiety disorder, separately. In our s le, the prevalence rate of comorbid anxiety disorders in late-life depression was 38.6%. Determinants of comorbid anxiety disorders were a lower age, female sex, less education, higher depression severity, early traumatization, neuroticism, extraversion, and conscientiousness. Nonetheless, determinants differed across the specific anxiety disorders and lumping all anxiety disorder together masked some determinants (education, personality). Our findings stress the need to examine determinants of comorbid anxiety disorder for specific anxiety disorders separately, enabling the development of targeted interventions within subgroups of depressed patients.
Publisher: SAGE Publications
Date: 07-2010
Abstract: Strong social support is associated with lower mortality and morbidity and better self-rated health in later life. The aim of this study was to compare social network size and satisfaction in men ( N = 2589) and women ( n = 3152), aged 72—78 years. Women reported significantly larger networks (Difference 1.36, 95% CI 0.89, 1.83) than men. However, being separated, orced or single had a significantly greater impact on men’s social networks (Difference 0.92, 95% CI 0.17, 1.68). Poor mental health and sensory impairments were associated with smaller networks and lower satisfaction with support for both men and women.
Publisher: Informa UK Limited
Date: 06-2011
Publisher: Informa UK Limited
Date: 09-11-2019
DOI: 10.1080/13607863.2019.1686457
Abstract: Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) for depression and anxiety for older adults living in residential aged care facilities (RACFs) needs to accommodate the care needs of residents and the circumstances of RACFs. This systematic review examines the delivery and content characteristics of these interventions, in relation to participant satisfaction, staff appraisal, uptake rate, attrition rate, and treatment effectiveness. Such a review could provide important information for the development of future CBT-based interventions. Studies that examined the application of CBT for depression or anxiety in RACFs were identified by systematically searching a number of relevant databases. Reference lists of all included studies were examined, and citation searches on the Web of Science were conducted. Two independent reviewers were involved in screening articles and in extracting data and assessing methodological quality of the selected studies. Across the 18 studies included in this review, the most common therapeutic strategy was pleasant activities scheduling. Studies varied on treatment duration (2-24 weeks), number of sessions (6-24), and length of sessions (10-120 min). Residents and staff members were satisfied with the CBT interventions. The average uptake rate was 72.9%. The average attrition rate was 19.9%. Statistically significant results were reported in 8 of the 12 randomized controlled trials (RCTs). In these eight RCTs, CBT was characterized by psychoeducation, behavioral activation, and problem-solving techniques further, the therapists in six of these studies had training in psychology. CBT interventions for depression and anxiety are acceptable to RACF residents and judged positively by staff members. Effective studies differed from non-effective studies on content and training characteristics, but not on other delivery features.
Publisher: Informa UK Limited
Date: 06-11-2010
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 07-2010
DOI: 10.1016/J.AAP.2010.01.017
Abstract: Hazard perception in driving involves a number of different processes. This paper reports the development of two measures designed to separate these processes. A Hazard Perception Test was developed to measure how quickly drivers could anticipate hazards overall, incorporating detection, trajectory prediction, and hazard classification judgements. A Hazard Change Detection Task was developed to measure how quickly drivers can detect a hazard in a static image regardless of whether they consider it hazardous or not. For the Hazard Perception Test, young novices were slower than mid-age experienced drivers, consistent with differences in crash risk, and test performance correlated with scores in pre-existing Hazard Perception Tests. For drivers aged 65 and over, scores on the Hazard Perception Test declined with age and correlated with both contrast sensitivity and a Useful Field of View measure. For the Hazard Change Detection Task, novices responded quicker than the experienced drivers, contrary to crash risk trends, and test performance did not correlate with measures of overall hazard perception. However for drivers aged 65 and over, test performance declined with age and correlated with both hazard perception and Useful Field of View. Overall we concluded that there was support for the validity of the Hazard Perception Test for all ages but the Hazard Change Detection Task might only be appropriate for use with older drivers.
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 12-2015
DOI: 10.1016/J.AJP.2015.08.007
Abstract: In developing countries such as Iran, elder populations are growing. Due to the high prevalence of depressive disorders among elders, reliable screening instruments for this population are required. The main purpose of this study was to determine the reliability and validity of the Farsi version of the Center for Epidemiological Studies-Depression Scale-10 (CES-D) among Iranian elderly persons. The investigators created the Farsi version of the CES-D-10 by translation and back translation. Two hundred and four cases aged 59 and above completed the questionnaire. The reliability and validity of the translated CES-D-10 was established through comparison with the Composite International Diagnostic Interview (CIDI), a recognized gold standard method for diagnosing major depressive disorder. We used a receiver operating curve (ROC) to determine the optimum cutoff score. The Farsi version of the CED-D-10 displayed acceptable psychometric characteristics, as reflected in internal consistency with Cronbach's alpha, split-half coefficients and test-retest reliability of 0.85, 0.65 and 0.49, respectively. Factor analysis and the varimax rotation resulted in two factors including 'depression' and 'interpersonal relationships'. The Depression factor (introduced as CES-D-8 of the scale) had significant correlation with the 10 items form (r=0.99) with 0.87 alpha coefficient. The ROC showed that the optimum cutoff point is 5 with sensitivity of 82% and specificity of 70%, and positive and negative predictive values of 26% and 98%, respectively, for both of the forms. Both the 10 and 8 items form of the Farsi version have desirable characteristics to be useful as a screening instrument for depressive disorders in Iranian elders, especially in urban areas.
Publisher: Oxford University Press
Date: 09-2010
Publisher: Cambridge University Press (CUP)
Date: 14-09-2015
DOI: 10.1017/S1041610215001441
Abstract: It is recognized that people with dementia are likely to need to stop driving at some point following diagnosis. Driving cessation can lead to negative outcomes for people with dementia and their family caregivers (FC), who often experience family conflict and tension throughout the process. Family experiences surrounding driving cessation have begun to be explored but warrant further examination. Using a descriptive phenomenological approach, semi-structured interviews were undertaken with key stakeholders, including 5 retired drivers with dementia, 12 FC, and 15 health professionals (HP). Data were analyzed inductively to explore the needs and experiences of people with dementia and FC. The data revealed a range of possible interactions between people with dementia and FC. These were organized into a continuum of family dynamics according to levels of collaboration and conflict: in it together, behind the scenes, active negotiations , and at odds . At the in it together end of the continuum, people with dementia and FC demonstrated collaborative approaches and minimal conflict in managing driving cessation. At the at odds end, they experienced open conflict and significant tension in their interactions. Contextual factors influencing family dynamics were identified, along with the need for in idualized approaches to support. The continuum of family dynamics experienced during driving cessation may help clinicians better understand and respond to complex family needs. Interventions should be tailored to families’ distinctive needs with consideration of their unique contextual factors influencing dynamics, to provide sensitive and responsive support for families managing driving cessation.
Publisher: Informa UK Limited
Date: 16-04-2009
Publisher: Informa UK Limited
Date: 10-01-2008
Publisher: Cambridge University Press (CUP)
Date: 10-02-2016
DOI: 10.1017/S1041610215002410
Abstract: Symptoms of anxiety relating to Parkinson's disease (PD) occur commonly and include symptomatology associated with motor disability and complications arising from PD medication. However, there have been relatively few attempts to profile such disease-specific anxiety symptoms in PD. Consequently, anxiety in PD is underdiagnosed and undertreated. The present study characterizes PD-related anxiety symptoms to assist with the more accurate assessment and treatment of anxiety in PD. Ninety non-demented PD patients underwent a semi-structured diagnostic assessment targeting anxiety symptoms using relevant sections of the Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview (MINI-plus). In addition, they were assessed for the presence of 30 PD-related anxiety symptoms derived from the literature, the clinical experience of an expert panel and the PD Anxiety-Motor Complications Questionnaire (PDAMCQ). The onset of anxiety in relation to the diagnosis of PD was determined. Frequent ( %) PD-specific anxiety symptoms included distress, worry, fear, agitation, embarrassment, and social withdrawal due to motor symptoms and PD medication complications, and were experienced more commonly in patients meeting DSM-IV criteria for an anxiety disorder. The onset of common anxiety disorders was observed equally before and after a diagnosis of PD. Patients in a residual group of Anxiety Not Otherwise Specified had an onset of anxiety after a diagnosis of PD. Careful characterization of PD-specific anxiety symptomatology provides a basis for conceptualizing anxiety and assists with the development of a new PD-specific measure to accurately assess anxiety in PD.
Publisher: Informa UK Limited
Date: 11-2006
Publisher: Informa UK Limited
Date: 02-08-2022
DOI: 10.1080/07317115.2022.2100728
Abstract: While assistance dog use has received considerable recent attention, few studies have focused on benefits for older adults. The current review examined effects of assistance dog acquisition across practical, mental, physical, and social wellbeing domains for older adults. Further, it compared assistance dog types and identified potential barriers to acquisition. A systematic review was completed. Criteria focused on older adults with relevant disabilities (visual/hearing impairments, and PTSD), who received support from an assistance dog (guide, hearing or other assistance dog). Identified studies (n = 2,951) were screened, 256 assessed for eligibility, and 28 included, with key information extracted and summarized. All dog types demonstrated benefits across all assessed domains. Disadvantages and acquisition barriers were identified. However, limited empirical evidence was available, and no studies focused exclusively on older adults, revealing the need for studies including this age-group. While results indicated support for assistance dog acquisition, disadvantages and barriers require further attention. Methodologically improved research should focus on assistance dog acquisition for older persons. The study indicated assistance dog acquisition could produce positive clinical impacts, including on mental health and everyday functioning. Thus, acquisition could be considered as part a multi-faceted treatment or recommended to appropriate older adults.
Publisher: Informa UK Limited
Date: 18-08-2022
DOI: 10.1080/07317115.2020.1805537
Abstract: The aims of this study were to a) explore the impact of hearing impairment on people living with dementia in residential aged care facilities (RACFs) and b) investigate management of hearing impairment for this population. A descriptive qualitative approach, consisting of semi-structured interviews, was conducted with 23 participants across four stakeholder groups (audiologists, care staff, family members and in iduals with dementia and hearing impairment living in RACFs). Thematic analysis revealed an overarching theme of "different priorities for managing hearing impairment" that emerged from the data. Audiologists and care staff prioritized different practices for managing hearing impairment: audiologists emphasized hearing aids and care staff emphasized communication strategies. Care staff also identified that current management of hearing impairment was sub-optimal as they do not prioritize managing it. Residents with dementia and hearing impairment living in RACFs are not receiving optimal hearing management. Further research is required to understand the factors that influence this. Changes in practices of both care staff and audiologists are required to improve hearing impairment management for this population.
Publisher: Human Kinetics
Date: 08-2019
Abstract: To examine associations between perceived destination accessibility within different distances from home and self-reported overall amounts of walking for different purposes among older adults (aged ≥ 65 years) in Brisbane, Australia ( N = 793) and Hong Kong, China ( N = 484). Perceived neighborhood destination accessibility types were derived from latent class analysis using comparable measures of perceived distance to 12 destinations from epidemiological studies in the two cities. Associations of perceived destination accessibility with measures of within-neighborhood walking were also estimated in Hong Kong participants. Better perceived destination accessibility was positively associated with the likelihood of walking in Brisbane participants only. Perceived destination accessibility within a short distance from home (5-min walk) was negatively related to the amount of within-neighborhood walking for transport in Hong Kong residents who walked. Our findings suggest that providing moderate-to-high, but not extreme, levels of destination accessibility may be optimal for the promotion of walking in older community dwellers.
Publisher: Cambridge University Press (CUP)
Date: 2000
DOI: 10.1017/S1323892200000910
Abstract: Research on horticultural therapy approaches suggest that its positive impact on clients may extend beyond direct rehabilitation or vocational gains to more generally improved well-being. Persons in rehabilitation programs may relate to gardening as a previously enjoyed past time, or as a new activity for either leisure or employment purposes. While gardening is a popular leisure activity in many countries, few studies have looked at what specific gardening activities community-based populations pursue. As part of a larger mail-out survey looking at gardening interests of mid-aged women, a sub-s le of physically disabled women was compared to healthy age-matched women on gardening activities and interests. Physical and psychological functioning and well-being were also s led. Both groups completed the SF-36 Health Survey for Australia/New Zealand, the Symptom Checklist-90-Revised, and a gardening questionnaire tapping gardening activities and hours per month on these activities, as well as the reasons for pursuing gardening. Group differences emerged on physical and psychological functioning variables, but for virtually all gardening variables, group differences were minimal. Overall findings suggest that for this s le of mid-aged women, the presence of physical disability or limitation did not adversely affect their access to and enjoyment of gardening activities.
Publisher: Cambridge University Press (CUP)
Date: 07-08-2015
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 05-1997
DOI: 10.1111/J.1532-5415.1997.TB03090.X
Abstract: After Alzheimer's disease, vascular dementia (VaD) and frontotemporal dementia (FTD) are among the most common dementing illnesses. FTD may have a neuropsychological profile similar to that of VaD, and patients with these dementias may be difficult to distinguish on clinical examination. The purpose of this study was to elucidate distinct cognitive profiles of a large group of FTD and VaD patients on a brief, clinical mental status examination. A comparison of 39 FTD patients and 39 VaD patients on a brief, clinical mental status examination. A Dementia Research Center and affiliated, university hospitals. The FTD patients were diagnosed by noncognitive clinical and neuroimaging criteria, and the VaD patients met NINDS-AIREN criteria for vascular dementia. The two dementia groups were comparable on three dementia assessment scales. The mental status measures included the neuropsychological battery from the Consortium to Establish a Registry for Alzheimer's Disease (CERAD), plus supplementation from the Neurobehavioral Cognitive Status Examination (NCSE) for cognitive areas not assessed by the CERAD). The FTD and VaD groups differed significantly on the mental status examination measures. FTD patients performed significantly better than the VaD patients on digit span and constructions, despite comparable performance by both groups on calculations. Although not statistically significant, the FTD group performed worse than the VaD group on verbal fluency and abstractions. These differences were not explained by group differences in age and education. These results suggest that cognitive differences between FTD and VaD groups reflect greater frontal pathology in contrast to relative sparing of posterior cortex and subcortical white matter in FTD. These cognitive differences as measured by a mental status examination may help distinguish between these two dementia syndromes.
Publisher: Cambridge University Press (CUP)
Date: 05-03-2015
DOI: 10.1017/S1041610215000113
Abstract: Little is known about the occurrence of psychotic or quasi-psychotic experiences in older people with anxiety disorders. We used a cross-sectional national probability s le of community-residing in iduals to investigate the prevalence and correlates of delusion-like experiences in older people with DSM-IV anxiety disorders. The 2007 Australian National Survey of Mental Health and Well-being (NSMHWB) included 1,905 persons between the ages of 65 and 85 years. Anxiety disorder diagnoses were established using the Composite International Diagnostic Interview (CIDI v3). Participants were asked about three types of delusion-like experiences: thought control or interference, special meaning, and special powers. We used multivariate logistic regression to examine the relationship between a 12-month history of any anxiety disorder and the presence of these delusion-like experiences, adjusting for several potential confounders. Eighty-two of 1,905 (4.3%) older people met criteria for an anxiety disorder over the previous 12 months. Of these, six reported delusion-like experiences, whereas the prevalence of these experiences among older people without anxiety disorder was 26/1,822 (7.3% vs. 1.4% χ 2 = 16.5 p = 0.000). In a logistic regression model, male gender (OR 0.38 p = 0.019), separated marital status (OR 4.86 p = 0.017), and the presence of anxiety disorder (OR 5.33 p = 0.001) were independently associated with delusion-like experiences, whereas MMSE (Mini-Mental State Examination) score, general medical conditions and affective disorder were not. In this cross-sectional study, self-reported delusion-like experiences occurred at increased prevalence among community-residing older persons with anxiety disorder. More work is needed to clarify the nature and significance of these findings.
Publisher: Informa UK Limited
Date: 11-2011
DOI: 10.1080/13854046.2011.631586
Abstract: This study examined whether chemotherapy-induced menopause affects cognitive functioning in women with early breast cancer. The neuropsychological performance of 121 breast cancer patients (age M=49.62, SD=8.11, range=25.25-67.92) treated with chemotherapy was assessed pre-chemotherapy, as well as 1, 6, and 18 months post-chemotherapy completion. Linear mixed modeling was used to evaluate the data. Type of menopause (pre, chemotherapy-induced, and post menopause) was found to significantly interact with cognitive performance on two cognitive variables. Specifically, chemotherapy-induced menopausal women did not show any significant changes in performance on an abstract reasoning task, while the pre-menopausal and post-menopausal groups significantly improved over time. A significant interaction on a test of finger dexterity and coordination was also found, although inspection of the results indicated that this was due to a significant improvement in the pre-menopausal groups at 6 months post chemotherapy. After chemotherapy most cognitive variables showed improvements over time, although two indicators of verbal memory showed significant declines immediately after chemotherapy, with improvement by 18 months post completion. The current study found little evidence to suggest that chemotherapy-induced menopause broadly affects cognitive functioning after treatment administration. However, longer follow-up assessments are warranted to assess the long-term effects of combined chemotherapy and endocrine treatment.
Publisher: Portico
Date: 2005
DOI: 10.1037/041283
Publisher: Cambridge University Press (CUP)
Date: 17-04-2015
DOI: 10.1017/S1041610215000599
Abstract: Clinical staging and profiling is a diagnostic strategy that goes beyond the traditional dichotomy in medicine of merely focusing on the presence or absence of a disease. Disease staging extends this traditional dichotomy by defining where a patient lies along the continuum of the course of his or her particular illness. Successful ex les include the general tumor, node, metastasis (TNM) classification in oncology, as well as the New York Heart Association (NYHA classes I–IV) functional classification system for patients with congestive heart failure. It enables clinicians to select treatments relevant to earlier stages because such interventions may be more effective and less harmful than treatments delivered later in the illness course. Profiling is a further refinement, as well as a necessary component of staging. Profiling refers to the characterization of a patient within a specific disease stage, which is relevant for its course and treatment choice. An ex le of profiling is estrogen receptor positivity in patients with breast cancer.
Start Date: 2020
End Date: 2021
Funder: National Institute on Aging
View Funded ActivityStart Date: 2008
End Date: 2012
Funder: National Health and Medical Research Council
View Funded ActivityStart Date: 2010
End Date: 2016
Funder: National Health and Medical Research Council
View Funded ActivityStart Date: 2013
End Date: 2017
Funder: National Health and Medical Research Council
View Funded ActivityStart Date: 2006
End Date: 2012
Funder: National Health and Medical Research Council
View Funded ActivityStart Date: 2008
End Date: 2010
Funder: National Health and Medical Research Council
View Funded ActivityStart Date: 07-2022
End Date: 07-2025
Amount: $383,434.00
Funder: Australian Research Council
View Funded ActivityStart Date: 02-2004
End Date: 06-2004
Amount: $30,000.00
Funder: Australian Research Council
View Funded ActivityStart Date: 2005
End Date: 12-2008
Amount: $320,000.00
Funder: Australian Research Council
View Funded ActivityStart Date: 12-2006
End Date: 03-2009
Amount: $289,000.00
Funder: Australian Research Council
View Funded ActivityStart Date: 2016
End Date: 10-2020
Amount: $349,000.00
Funder: Australian Research Council
View Funded ActivityStart Date: 12-2004
End Date: 08-2010
Amount: $2,500,000.00
Funder: Australian Research Council
View Funded ActivityStart Date: 01-2004
End Date: 12-2008
Amount: $207,297.00
Funder: Australian Research Council
View Funded Activity