A qualitative analysis of the benefits and barriers of support groups for patients with brain tumours and their caregivers.

Purpose: Brain tumours represent a significant burden for patients and caregivers. The aims of the present study were to explore the perceived benefits of support groups for patients and their caregivers, as well as the barriers to participation, and to generate suggestions for improvement.

Methods: Brain tumour patients and caregivers were recruited from the brain tumour centre at Princess Margaret Cancer Centre to participate in focus groups.

Impact of informal caregiving on cognitive function and well-being in Canada.

Unlabelled: ABSTRACTBackground:With a rise in the aging population and a consequential rise in persons diagnosed with dementia comes an increase in the number of informal caregivers who are caring for a loved one. The objective of the proposed study was to assess the neurocognitive and psychological effects of caring for a person with dementia or a related neurodegenerative disease in a sample of Canadian informal caregivers.

Methods: Fifty-seven informal caregivers of a person with dementia or a related neurodegenerative disease (mean age = 66.

The association between cognitive fluctuations and activities of daily living and quality of life among institutionalized patients with dementia.

Objective: Cognitive fluctuations (CFs) occur commonly in dementia of all types. While it is generally accepted that CFs can affect the clinical rating of dementia severity and neuropsychological performance, little is known about their impact on patients' activities of daily living (ADLs) and quality of life (QOL). Our study aims to explore the impact of CFs on ADLs and QOL among institutionalized patients with dementia.

Cognitive Fluctuations and Cognitive Test Performance Among Institutionalized Persons With Dementia.

Objective: To examine the nature and frequency of cognitive fluctuations (CFs) among institutionalized persons with dementia.

Method: A clinical interview and a medical chart review were conducted, and 55 patients were assigned a specific dementia diagnosis. The Severe Impairment Battery (SIB) was administered to assess cognitive function, and the Dementia Cognitive Fluctuation Scale (DCFS) was administered to each patient's primary nurse to determine the presence and severity of CFs.

Subjective Sleep Quality as a Possible Mediator in the Relationship between Personality Traits and Depressive Symptoms in Middle-Aged Adults.

This study explored the mediating role of sleep in the relationship between personality traits and depressive symptoms in a group of community-dwelling men and women (Mage = 57.92, SD = 4.00).

The importance of cultivating mindfulness for cognitive and emotional well-being in late life.

The cultivation of mindfulness has received increasing attention over the past 2 decades because of its association with increased psychological well-being and reduced stress-related health disorders. Given the robust positive association between perceived stress and cognitive impairment in late life, the current study evaluated the association between trait mindfulness, psychological well-being, and cognitive function in 73 healthy community-dwelling older adults. Controlling for a priori covariates, multivariate regression analyses showed a significant association between trait mindfulness and measures of psychological well-being, including self-reported depressive symptoms, quality of life, and stress profile.

The manifestation of anxiety disorders after traumatic brain injury: a review.

The development of anxiety disorders after a traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a strong predictor of social, personal, and work dysfunction; nevertheless, the emergence of anxiety has been largely unexplored and poorly understood in the context of TBI. This article provides an overview of the limited published research to date on anxiety disorders that are known to develop after TBI, including post-traumatic stress disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, panic disorder, specific phobia, and social anxiety disorder. This review also examines diagnostic criteria, the epidemiology of each disorder, and the factors that influence the expression of these conditions, including injury-related and psychosocial variables.