This project suggests that the REACH II intervention can be modified for feasible and effective use in AAAs. The next step is to integrate the intervention into usual service delivery to achieve sustainability.

No abstract

While agitation is a known behavioral manifestation in advancing dementia, there is little in the literature about the risk to home-based caregivers, particularly in situations where severe aggression is present. This review article examines this issue with a focus on what is known and where further research is needed. Although consistent definitions failed to emerge from the literature, rates of violence by dementia care recipients against caregivers are estimated at greater than 20%, and may be the strongest predictor of nursing home placement. A review of available literature suggests that there is a need for interventions aimed at strategies to educate and protect the informal caregivers of dementia patients living at home, while advancing understanding of the communicative properties of behavior. With high rates of violence by care recipients against their caregivers, and low success rates of chemical restraints, there is substantial risk to the safety and well-being of caregivers. Several pilot interventions for nursing home settings have shown promise in reducing care recipient violence, and these may be adaptable for informal caregivers in home-based settings. Alternative delivery platforms using technology may be appropriate to consider, for real-time, flexible targeted intervention and support.

--We exposed naive Siberain polecats (Mustela eversmanni) (aged 2, 3, and 4 months) to a swooping stuffed great horned owl (Bubo virginianus') and a stuffed badger (Taxidae taxus) mounted on a remote control toy automobile frame. The first introduction to each was harmless, the second was accompanied by a mild aversive stimulus, the third (1 day after attack) was harmless, and the fourth (30 days after attack) was harmless. Alert behavior increased after a single attack by either predator model. Escape responses of naive polecats did not differ between ages when exposed to the badger, but 4 month old polecats reduced their escape times after a single badger attack. When exposed to the swooping owl, naive 4 month old polecats responded more quickly than the other two age groups, and 3 and 4 month old polecats reduced escape times after a single owl attack. This indicates an innate escape response to the owl model at 4 months of age, and a short-term ability to remember a single mild aversive encounter with the badger and owl models at 3 or 4 months of age.Successful anti-predator behavior involves both recognition of a potential predator and the appropriate response performed in an efficient manner. Failure to respond appropriately can quickly lead to death. While some species may retain anti-predator behaviors in the absence of predatory pressures, other species undergo erosion of those traits when selective pressures are showed greater general mobility, covey coordination, predator avoidance skills, and higher survival rates than inexperienced quail (Ellis et al. 1977). Hand-reared turquoise-browed motroots (Eumotota superciliosa) innately avoided model coral snakes (Smith 1975). Naive and experienced ground squirrels (Spermophilus parryii and Spermophilus beecheyi) and naive and experienced black-tailed prarie dogs

Objective:The objective of this study was to test effectiveness and feasibility of equine-facilitated cognitive processing therapy (EF-CPT), a manualized adaptation of the cognitive processing therapy model for veterans with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) championed by the Department of Veterans Affairs, in which equine-facilitated activities are integrated into face-to-face sessions. Method: Twentyseven veterans with a diagnosis of PTSD participated (M age ϭ 51; 78% male) in a pretest-posttest design. Veterans were seen by a single psychologist for 12 sessions of individual EF-CPT. Instruments included: PTSD Checklist (PCL), Trauma Related Guilt Inventory (TRGI), Working Alliance Inventory (WAI), and the Human Animal Bond Scale (HABS). We hypothesized improvement on all measures, low attrition, and good model fidelity. Paired sample t tests were conducted using SPSS. Results: PCL scores improved significantly (M1 ϭ 68.25, M2 ϭ 35.96, p Յ .001), as did TRGI scores (p Յ .001 on all scales). HABS and WAI indicated good working relationship. Two individuals attended one session and did not return (both under the age of 50); there was no other attrition (7% rate). Audio of sessions was reviewed for fidelity; there were variations in temporal order of session plans, which is within the acceptable flexibility of the manual. Conclusions and Implications for Practice: This manualized intervention has promise as an effective and well-tolerated treatment for veterans with PTSD. Impact and ImplicationsThis pilot of an adapted, manualized equine-facilitated cognitive processing therapy model for veterans with posttraumatic stress disorder demonstrated efficacy and low attrition, suggesting a viable alternative treatment option for veterans who have been reluctant to engage with services. This pilot is unique in the use of a novel standardized manual and attention to fidelity to the model.