The Geriatric Anxiety Scale (GAS) is a free, printable 30-item self-report questionnaire designed specifically to assess anxiety symptoms in older adults. Developed by clinical psychologist Dr. Daniel L. Segal, the GAS offers a reliable and easy-to-use tool for identifying anxiety across cognitive, affective, and somatic domains. It is suitable for use in clinical settings, care homes, community services, and mental health assessments for adults aged 60 and above.
Each of the 30 questions helps measure how frequently individuals experience anxiety-related thoughts, feelings, and physical symptoms during the past week. Respondents answer using a 4-point scale (0 = Not at all to 3 = All of the time).
Key features include:
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25 scored items measuring anxiety severity
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Subscale breakdown: Cognitive (e.g. worry, intrusive thoughts), Affective (e.g. fear, social distress), and Somatic (e.g. sleep issues, physical tension)
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5 additional unscored items exploring health, finances, and fear of being a burden
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Full scoring instructions with cut-off points for minimal, mild, moderate, and severe anxiety
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Validated for use with older adults, including those in assisted living or medical care
Ideal for use by:
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GPs, psychologists, therapists, and mental health professionals
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Aged care providers, care home staff, and geriatric services
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Community mental health teams and social workers
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Older adults and family carers looking to track anxiety symptoms
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Inclusion in comprehensive geriatric assessments and wellbeing checks
This tool supports early detection and ongoing monitoring of anxiety in elderly populations, promoting better access to psychological support and treatment. The GAS 30-item version is a trusted, research-backed resource used widely across healthcare and social care settings.
