Providing Competent and Affirming Services for Transgender and Gender Nonconforming Older Adults.

Despite the growing visibility and acceptance of transgender and gender nonconforming (TGNC) individuals, TGNC older adults experience many barriers in accessing competent and affirming health and social services due to anti-TGNC prejudice, discrimination, and lack of competent healthcare training on the part of healthcare workers. Clinical gerontologists and geriatricians will likely encounter TGNC adults in their practice given population aging and greater numbers of TGNC people who are living in their affirmed gender identities. The American Psychological Association recently published its Guidelines for Psychological Practice with Transgender and Gender Nonconforming People, which document the unique needs of TGNC individuals and outlines approaches for competent and affirming service provision (APA, 2015).

Comparison of FIM™ communication ratings for English versus non-English speakers in the traumatic brain injury model systems (TBIMS) national database.

Objective: To examine the effect of primary language on admission and discharge FIM™ communication ratings in a sample of individuals with moderate-to-severe traumatic brain injury (TBI).

Design And Methods: Secondary data analysis of rehabilitation admission and discharge FIM™ communication ratings of 2795 individuals hospitalized at a Traumatic Brain Injury Model Systems (TBIMS) centre between 2007-2012.

Results: Individuals who spoke no English were rated worse on functional communication outcomes at inpatient rehabilitation discharge relative to individuals whose primary language was English.

The prevalence of binge drinking and receipt of provider drinking advice among US veterans with military service in Iraq or Afghanistan.

Background: Binge drinking is a significant public health concern linked to a number of health and psychosocial problems. Military service in Afghanistan (OEF) and Iraq (OIF) has been associated with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and increased hazardous drinking. Brief alcohol interventions may reduce hazardous drinking but are infrequently provided to at-risk drinkers.