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Objectives: The objectives of this study were to develop and evaluate a culturally appropriate intervention for Hispanic/Latino caregivers of individuals with dementia, using a structured online program without professional involvement to improve well-being, decrease stress, and reduce depression. Methods: The Webnovela Mirela, an online Spanish-language telenovela, was designed specifically to teach caregivers how to cope with dementia caregiving. A prototype of Webnovela Mirela was tested in a pilot study with 25 Hispanic/Latino dementia caregivers, 19 of whom completed the study. Results: Data were analyzed using paired-samples t-tests. Results indicated a significant decrease from pre- to post-treatment in levels of stress and symptoms of depression (p = .045). Conclusions: The pilot study indicated high potential of the Webnovela Mirela to help the target population and demonstrated that the telenovela format is acceptable and helpful for Hispanic dementia caregivers. Clinical Implications: Study outcomes suggested that self-paced approaches with culturally relevant content in an appealing format for the target population have the potential to implement effective interventions. Furthermore, technology enables support programs to reach a broader audience in a cost-effective manner. Of note is the fact that minimal professional and/or personal assistance was required for caregivers to complete this intervention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The California Older Person’s Pleasant Events Schedule (COPPES) is a clinical tool comprising 66 items asking clients about their potential pleasure in, and actual experience of, specific pleasant events. To further the clinical usefulness of this instrument, we attempted to develop psychometrically sound scales that would measure broad and distinct categories of pleasant activities. Based on a starting sample of 641 older adults, we constructed five scales for the California Older Person’s Pleasant Events Scale (COPPES): Socializing, Relaxing, Contemplating, Being Effective, and Being Active (Doing). Adequate to excellent internal consistency indexes were found for both the frequency and pleasantness of the COPPES’ global scales and their subscales. To test the validity of these scales, we were able to identify nine coherent profiles of levels of pleasant event activity and enjoyment. Profiles with greater activity scores tended to have lower levels of depression, but the relationship between depression and enjoyment scores was more complex. Our work lends additional support for the use of both behavioral and cognitive interventions with depressed older individuals and for the use of the COPPES in guiding those interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Alcohol and drug abuse represent a growing problem among older adults. There is some evidence to suggest that seniors may have better outcomes in age-specific substance abuse programs. However, little is known about the specific treatment preferences of older adults with histories of drinking and/or drug problems. Thus, this qualitative study investigated the treatment preferences of older adults with recent histories of substance abuse problems and their impressions regarding the most helpful and unhelpful aspects of treatment. Based on extensive interviews with 15 participants, older adults were found to prefer programs that are: (1) accessible, (2) led by warm, caring, and non-confrontational therapists, (3) able to provide peer support and individual attention, and (4) open to friend and family involvement. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The article presents a farewell letter from the journal's co-editors-in-chief which highlights the developments they have contributed during their tenure including international visibility, impact factor rating and sixth issue allocation due to increase in submissions and subscriptions.