Jewish Home Lifecare :: Caring as individual as you

Verena Cimarolli, PhD

Verena Cimarolli is a Developmental Psychologist whose research has mostly focused on the impact of vision impairment and the use of vision rehabilitation services on adults and their families. Please feel free to contact Verena Cimarolli at vcimarolli@jewishhome.org.

Senior Research Scientist

Jewish Home Lifecare
Research Institute on Aging
120 West 106th Street
New York, NY 10025
Tel: (212) 870-7521
Fax: (212) 870-7530
Email: vcimarolli@jewishhome.org

Education

2002   Ph.D. in Applied Developmental Psychology, Fordham University, Bronx, NY

1998   M.A. in Applied Developmental Psychology, Fordham University, Bronx, NY

1995   B.A. in Psychology, City College, City University of New York, NY

Research Interests

  • Impact of vision impairment on older adults and their social network members
  • Adaptation to chronic impairment
  • Design and evaluation of evidence based interventions
  • Family Caregiving

Recent Grants

“Creating an Evidence Base for Vision Rehabilitation”; funded by AHRQ (Co- Investigator, 2004 – 2007)

“Depressed Caregivers: A Psychosocial Intervention”; funded by Mr. Edward E. Ferris, (Principal Investigator, 2005 – 2006)

“Disability, Perceived Overprotection, and Mental Health”; funded by NIMH (Principal Investigator, 2004 – 2005)

Publications

Peer-Reviewed Journal Publications:

Cimarolli, V.R., Morse, A.R., Horowitz, A., & Reinhardt, J.R. (in press) The Impact of Vision Impairment on Intensity of Occupational Therapy Utilization and Outcomes in Sub-Acute Rehabilitation. American Journal of Occupational Therapy.

Cimarolli, V. R, Laban-Baker, A., Hamilton, W.R., & Stuen, C. (in press). Awareness, Knowledge, and Concern about Age-related Macular Degeneration (AMD) in the United States. Educational Gerontology.

Cimarolli, V.R., Boerner, K., Brennan, M., Reinhardt, J.R., & Horowitz, A. (2011). Challenges Faced by Older Adults with Vision Loss: A Qualitative Study with  Implications for Rehabilitation. Clinical Rehabilitation.

Cimarolli, V. R. (2006). Perceived overprotection and distress in adults with vision impairment. Rehabilitation Psychology, 51, 338-345.

Cimarolli, V. R., & Wang, S., (2006). Social support differences among employed and unemployed adults who are visually impaired. Journal of Visual Impairment and Blindness, 100, 545-556.

Cimarolli, V. R., Boerner, K., & Wang, S., (2006). Life goals in vision rehabilitation: Are they addressed and how? Journal of Visual Impairment and Blindness, 100, 343-352.

Cimarolli, V. R., Stuen, C., & Sussman-Skalka, C. J. (2006). Promoting a message on vision loss to diverse groups of adults. Journal of Visual Impairment and Blindness, 100, 235-239.

Boerner, K.,  Wang, S., & Cimarolli, V.R. (2006). The impact of functional loss:  Nature and implications of life changes. Journal of Loss and Trauma, 11, 265-287.

Cimarolli, V. R., Reinhardt, J. P., & Horowitz, A. (2006). Perceived overprotection: Support gone bad? Journal of Gerontology: Social Sciences, 61: S18-S23.

Sussman-Skalka, C. J., Cimarolli, V. R., & Stuen, C. (2006). The role of organizations in reaching older adults about vision loss, Educational Gerontology, 32, 297-306.

Cimarolli, V. R., & Boerner, K. (2005). Social Support and well-being in adults who are visually impaired.  Journal of Visual Impairment and Blindness, 99, 521-534.

Boerner, K. & Cimarolli,  V. R. (2005). Optimizing rehabilitation for adults with vision impairment: Attention to life goals and their links to well-being. Clinical Rehabilitation, 19, 790-798.

Cimarolli, V.R., Sussman-Skalka, C. J., & Goodman, C.R. (2004). “Program for Partners”: Support groups for partners of adults with visual impairments. Journal of Visual Impairment and Blindness, 98, 90-98.

Cimarolli, V. R. (2002). The impact of perceived overprotection on adjustment to age-related vision loss (Doctoral dissertation, Fordham University, 2002). Dissertation Abstracts International, 62, (12-B), 5994.

Brennan, M., Horowitz, A., Reinhardt, J. P., Cimarolli, V., Benn, D. T., & Leonard, R. L. (2001). In their own words: Strategies developed by visually impaired elders to cope with vision loss. Journal of Gerontological Social Work, 35, 63-85.

Silverstein, B., Clauson, J., Perdue, L., Carpman, S., & Cimarolli, V. (1998). The association between female college student’s reports of depression and their perceptions of parental attitudes regarding gender. Journal of Applied Social Psychology, 28 (6), 537-549.

Silverstein, B., Caceres, J., Perdue, L., & Cimarolli, V. (1995). Gender differences in depressive symptomatology: The role played by anxious somatic depression associated with gender-related achievement concerns. Sex Roles, 33 (9-10), 621-636.

Other Publications:

Cimarolli, V. R. (2009).  Sensory Impairments.  In D. S. Carr (Ed.), Encyclopedia of the Life Course and Human Development (3rd Vol., pp. 358-362). Farmington Hills, MI: Gale.

Seidman, K.; Sussman-Skalka, C., & Cimarolli, V.R. (2008). VRA Net: Results of a Three-Year Project Testing an Online Solution to Personnel Shortages. Proceedings Vision 2008. Montreal, Canada.

Cimarolli, V. R. (2005). Perceived Overprotection: Support gone Wrong?, Sharing Solutions, Fall Issue. New York: Lighthouse International.

Sussman, Skalka, C., & Cimarolli, V. R. (2002). Programs for partners of people with impaired vision: A discussion guide for support group leaders. New York: Lighthouse International.