Interest in animal assisted interventions (AAI) has grown over the years, but acceptance of AAI by the clinical and research community has been hampered by safety, hygiene, and logistical concerns. Advances in the field of social robotics have provided a promising route to deliver AAI while avoiding these aforementioned obstacles. Although there has been promising initial research on social robotics in older adults, to date there has been no such research conducted with a veteran population. The present pilot study followed 23 veteran residents of a Veterans Affairs (VA) geropsychiatric long-term care facility over the span of approximately a year and a half. It was found that use of Paro, a social robot, resulted in increased observed positive affective and behavioral indicators, with concomitant decreases observed in negative affective and behavioral indicators. The authors concluded that Paro is likely an effective nonpharmacological approach for managing dementia-related mood and behavior problems with veterans in VA long term care facilities. They additionally observed that Paro is best presented to residents who are relatively calm and approachable, as opposed to actively exhibiting behavior or mood problems. Future research directions are discussed in light of both the positive results noted and the inherent limitations of our pilot study. (PsycINFO Database Record

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Smoking is the process by which an individual inhales the smoke of burning tobacco through cigarettes, cigars, or pipes. Smoking can also occur by inhaling vapor infused with nicotine via electronic cigarettes. Individuals who engage in this behavior by inhaling smoke or vapor through the direct source are considered active smokers. Those who breathe in the residual fumes released by active smokers are passive smokers, also called secondhand smokers (Samet 2001; Groner et al. 2011). Smoking behaviors vary across cultures and age cohorts. It has come under much scrutiny over the decades with voluminous amounts of literature documenting its adverse effects. Chronic cigarette smoking is linked to several physical health conditions for the elderly, which impact longevity and quality of life (Samet 2001; Groner et al. 2011; Rezzani and Rodella 2012; Cataldo 2007; Jha et al. 2013). Additionally, this behavior is associated with diminished cognitive capabilities (Durazzo et al. 2010). These welldocumented disadvantages of smoking have paved the way for anti-smoking campaigns highlighting the short-and long-term health benefits of smoking cessation. Prevalence Rates of Older Adult Smokers Current data looking at age cohort tobacco usage show a gradual decline in the prevalence of cigarette smoking across age groups in the United States over the past few decades (US Department of Health and Human Services 1990). Little statistical data is available regarding the number of current older adult smokers. However, past data from the 1999 Surgeon General Report indicated 10.5 % men and 10.7 % women aged 65 and older were current smokers. This statistic has since dropped, and in 2001, the CDC reported approximately 8.8 % of older adults aged 64 and older are smokers. Another research indicates that smoking has declined for this population because of increased smoking cessation but also because of the relatively high mortality rates smokers experience versus never smokers (Burns 2000). However, this number has remained fairly consistent since then. In 2008, the American Lung Association reported