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.

This study provides preliminary evidence suggesting that tailored CBT reduces anxiety in PD with persisting benefits, and lowers caregiver burden.

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Student-led interprofessional health clinics offer valuable opportunities for student learning and meeting the health care needs of the community. This case study describes the operation of a new interprofessional student-led community health service over its initial 13-month period of operation. This case study also presents an overview of the service provision, student placement opportunities and focuses on the challenges associated with the service and the impact on future planning. What is known about the topic?Interprofessional student-led clinics offer an opportunity to meet clinical placement demands and interprofessional training needs while also providing a community service. What does this paper add?This case study adds to the limited literature around knowledge of service delivery and challenges in the operation of community-based student-led interprofessional health services; future planning to streamline processes is also addressed. What are the implications?There may be relevance to other university–industry partnerships that intend to explore student-led interprofessional service operations designed to address placement shortages, student training and community needs.

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Objective: Rates of depression and anxiety are high among older adults in residential aged care facilities (RACFs). This study examined the extent to which psychological services are made available to facility residents in Australia, and investigated barriers to accessing such services. Method: The sample consisted of 90 senior staff from a random sample of RACFs. Participants completed self-report questionnaires regarding their perspectives on the availability of psychological services and potential barriers to access psychological services. Results: Access to psychological services was poor. Psychologists were employed at a rate only one third that of other providers of mental health services. Residents were rarely referred to psychologists or to psychological treatments. The most important barriers to access, as perceived by participants, were the low availability of psychologists specialising in treating older adults, lack of government funding for such access, and limited staff training in detecting depression and anxiety. Conclusion: Access to psychologists and psychological services remains poor in Australian residential aged care settings. Such access may be improved by developing a workforce of clinical geropsychologists, improving funding mechanisms for residents to access psychological services, and addressing staff knowledge about depression and anxiety.

Objective: This brief examines the evidence that is currently available to inform the provision of psychological services within aged care services, considering both residential care and home care settings. Method: A narrative literature review of the literature evaluating psychological approaches for common conditions in aged care settings was conducted, focusing on the assessment and treatment of common mental health disorders and dementia. Information on the current employment and training of Australian psychologists in geropsychology was also summarised. Results: While further research is required, existing literature provides a clear rationale for the benefit of psychological approaches to address a range of conditions, including the management of dementia. There is only limited research focusing specifically on the home care setting, despite the increasing number of older adults who receive aged care services in their own homes. The current provision of psychological services in Australia is critically low, driven in part by funding limitations. Meanwhile, substantial gaps remain in the training provided to provisional psychologists. Conclusion: A number of key recommendations are made to address the growing need for age-specific psychological assessments and interventions to be included as part of the delivery of aged care services in this country. Given the continued high prevalence of mental health disorders and dementia within aged care settings, as well as even higher rates of subthreshold conditions, improved access to psychological services for older Australians must become a priority.

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