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Practice Tip Sheets for Careworkers Advance Care Planning Advanced Dementia Advanced Dementia Behavioural Changes After Death Choices Aged Care Access and Assessment Anxiety Cachexia Sarcopenia and Anorexia Case Conferences Complementary Therapies Constipation Continuity of Care Culturally Responsive Care Communication Distress at the End of Life Dysphagia Dyspnoea End of Life Care Pathways Eye Care Faecal Incontinence First Australians Communication Frailty Grief and Loss among Older People Families and Residents Grief and Loss among Staff Myths about Morphine Nutrition and Hydration Opioid Analgesics Oral Care Pain Management Palliative Care People with Intellectual Disability Communication People with Specific Needs Person Centred Care Psychosocial Assessment and Support Quality of Life Recognising Deterioration Respiratory Secretions Self Care Signs of Imminent Death Skin and Wound Care Spiritual Care Supporting Families Talking about Dying Talking within the Aged Care Team Next Steps for Careworkers
Tips for Careworkers:
Anxiety
What it is: Feeling anxious means a person feels scared or worried about something. This is normal, and usually goes away.
Anxiety is when these feelings don’t go away.
Why it matters: Many older people experience anxiety. Anxiety can be more common when people have a serious illness or at the end of life.
In an older person anxiety can be difficult to see because it is often associated with loneliness, depression and/or dementia.
When a person experiences anxiety and depression together, their symptoms and outcomes are more severe.
What I need to know: Anxiety can create physical symptoms, and changed behaviours and thoughts. These responses affect a person’s health and quality of life.
Do
Look out for and report to nursing/supervisory staff, if a person:
- becomes unable to relax
- becomes bad tempered
- has trouble sleeping or concentrating
- feels very tired or very awake
- is short of breath.
Do
Gently ask the person ‘Is there anything else troubling you?’ or ‘Is there anything you would like to talk about?’ It can help a person to talk about things that worry them.
Do
Treat the person with respect. Help them to maintain their sense of dignity, purpose, and spiritual well-being.
My reflections:
What is anxiety?
What signs of anxiety should I report to the nurse or supervisor?
See related palliAGED Practice Tip Sheets:
For references and the latest version of all the Tip Sheets visit
Practice Tip sheets for careworkers
CareSearch is funded by the Australian Government Department of Health, Disability and Ageing.
Updated July 2026
Page updated 22 July 2026
