Interdisciplinary development and implementation of a dementia skills training program in a VA community living center: a pilot study.

This pilot study investigates the usefulness of a dementia care training program developed by an interdisciplinary team to address problem behaviors associated with dementia. Staff members of a VA Community Living Center completed an 8-hour workshop covering fundamental knowledge about dementia and instruction in skills to use with patients through video, lecture, and role-plays. Measures on dementia knowledge and perceived self-efficacy were completed by staff members before and after the workshop.

Older adults report more sadness and less jealousy than young adults in response to worry induction.

Objectives: The present study examined age differences in descriptions of the experience of worry and worry content.

Method: Twenty-eight older and 25 younger adults participated in an experimental manipulation of worry (i.e.

Development and preliminary evaluation of the anxiety in cognitive impairment and dementia (ACID) scales.

Background: Although rates of anxiety tend to decrease across late life, rates of anxiety increase among a subset of older adults, those with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) or dementia. Our understanding of anxiety in dementia is limited, in part, by a lack of anxiety measures designed for use with this population. This study sought to address limitations of the literature by developing a new measure of anxiety for cognitively impaired individuals, the anxiety in cognitive impairment and dementia (ACID) Scales, which includes both proxy (ACID-PR) and self-report (ACID-SR) versions.

Experimental examination of worry among older and young adults.

Background: 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.

Methods: Fifty-three young (M = 21.

Assessment of anxiety in long-term care: examination of the Geriatric Anxiety Inventory (GAI) and its short form.

Background: Accurate assessment of anxiety in later life is critical, as anxiety among older adults is associated with social and functional impairment and poorer quality of life. The Geriatric Anxiety Inventory (GAI) and the GAI-Short Form (GAI-SF) were designed to detect anxiety symptoms among community-dwelling older adults, but the usefulness of the GAI and GAI-SF in long-term care is unknown. The present study examined the psychometric properties of the GAI and GAI-SF among residents at a long-term care facility.

Initial evaluation of the Older Adult Social-Evaluative Situations Questionnaire: a measure of social anxiety in older adults.

Background: The assessment of social anxiety in late life has been examined in few studies (e.g. Gretarsdottir et al.

Predictors of health anxiety among older and young adults.

Background: Many older adults have at least one chronic disease and experience greater health problems than young adults. However, little is known about factors other than health that account for health anxiety (HA) among older adults. The overall objective of the present study was to develop a better understanding of HA among older and young adults.

Anxiety-related constructs mediate the relation between age and health anxiety.

Objective: Few studies have examined health anxiety in older adults, and it is unknown which factors account for age-related differences in health anxiety. Given similarities between health anxiety and the anxiety disorders, anxiety-related constructs, including anxiety sensitivity, intolerance of uncertainty, emotion regulation, and anxiety control, were examined as mediators of the relation between age (older vs. young adults) and health anxiety.

Exploratory factor analysis of the Anxiety Control Questionnaire among older adults.

Among young adults and clinical populations, perceived inability to control internal and external events is associated with anxiety. At present, it is unclear what role perceived anxiety control plays in anxiety among older adults. The Anxiety Control Questionnaire (ACQ) was developed to assess one's perceived ability to cope with anxiety-related symptoms, reactions, and external threats but has limited psychometric support for use with older adults.